Buying A Fixer-Upper Home? Common Plumbing Problems You Are Likely to Face
Older homes maintain a certain charm and beauty that is hard to beat. But the real bonus is their below market price tag. Unfortunately, no matter how appealing a fixer-upper home is, it carries the excess baggage of an aging plumbing system.
If you are looking to buy an older home, it's important to understand some of the problems that come with vintage plumbing to avoid potential hazards, especially during a renovation.
However, you shouldn't let plumbing repairs prevent you from buying your fixer-upper home. In fact, use this as grounds for negotiating on price. So, what are the most common plumbing issues in older homes?
Outdated materials
Older homes come with original fixtures which have notably seem better days. Although some of the charm maintained by older homes comes from their vintage plumbing, old plumbing often includes outdated materials.
Materials such as galvanised pipes, common in homes built more than fifty years ago, corrode over time. After half a century of usage, you can expect problems such as water discolouration due to rust, corroded pipes, leaky pipes and a drop in water pressure.
Make sure your galvanised pipes are updated with modern alternatives by a qualified plumber to ensure constant water pressure, no leaks, odd tastes or colour in you water.
Old and inefficient drains, vents and valves
Just as other plumbing materials, drains and vents have evolved. After more than fifty years of draining water, sewage and household waste drains become prone to clogs and bad odours.
With many years of accepting items that should not go down the drains, you may start to notice sewer odours and drains taking too long to empty.
Homes with aged valves are prone to leaks. Also, bad valves mean failure to work properly when needed. Upgrading your aged drains, vents, and valves will not only help you improve your drainage but also reduce water usage and plumbing emergencies.
Tree roots in sewer lines
Sewer lines should be reason for concern, especially in an old home filled with trees. This is because as the home ages so does the trees and their extensive root network. Since old sewer lines are always wet, they attract aggressive tree roots that cause a lot of problems.
Older sewer lines are particularly susceptible to cracking and intrusion by tree roots which cause slow drains or complete blockages. A professional plumber will identify and fix tree roots in your pipes by sending a camera into your home's sewer system.
If you are buying a fixer-upper home, it's best to hire a professional plumber, such as those found at Peninsula Plumbing S.A., to make all the necessary updates to your plumbing system to avoid future and more expensive plumbing emergencies.