8 Common Plumbing Issues That Can Affect Real Estate Values
The plumbing in your home is the framework for most daily functions. Having a working plumbing system is essential for seamless day-to-day activities as well as potential resale value for the home. If you suspect you have some plumbing issues that need to be addressed, read through these eight common problems that can affect real estate values to see if you have a big problem on your hands.
Clogged Drains
Every homeowner has to deal with clogged drains every once in a while. Drain clogs can happen if people are flushing things they shouldn’t down the toilet or from hair that falls off while showering and clumps up inside the drain. No matter what is causing clogged drains, they are an issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible before they build up so much that drains are unusable and you have to call a plumber.
To keep drains clean and clear, keep liquid drain uncloggers on hand that can be poured down any drain and left to sit for thirty minutes while they break down the cause of the blockage. Then all you have to do is flush it out with hot water for a few minutes. With minor clogs, this should do the trick, but if the clog persists, you may need more heavy-duty tools like drain snakes that can dig around and pull out the blockages. No matter how you choose to unclog drains, do it frequently and at the first signs of an issue so that they do not build up and cause long-term damage to your drain and pipes.
Old or Outdated Pipes
If you live in an older home, you may be experiencing the luxuries of a remodeled home but with neglected pipes. In many cases, house flippers will completely redo the surface-level elements of a home but leave old pipes because they are too expensive to replace. When trying to sell an old house, one of the first things potential homebuyers will ask about is the pipes. If you want to get your pipes checked out before considering selling your house, find a New Jersey plumber who can evaluate the state of your pipes and give you tips on warning signs to look for that indicate failing pipes. Many older pipes are made of lead or galvanized iron or steel. When replacing these outdated kinds of pipes, it is worth investing in copper pipes because they will last the longest and are the gold standard in unproblematic plumbing systems.
Low Water Pressure
Having low water pressure in your house is one of the top signs of plumbing issues. From leaky pipes to valve issues, low water pressure is a bad sign when a property is being evaluated. Everyone wants good water pressure when they are washing dishes or taking a shower, so getting to the root of your low water pressure should be a top priority.
Visible Leaks
Signs of leaking like warped drywall or water stains on ceilings are bad signs that something has gone wrong with the plumbing in your house. When people tour your property and see these signs of leaks, it is a big turn-off. To evaluate the source of these leaks, you will have to hire a plumber to remove the section of wall or ceiling where the leaks came from and fix the affected area.
Insufficient Hot Water
When people are searching for a new home, they often ask about the water tank and how long hot water lasts. If your home has a faulty or old water heater, then that may affect the value of your property. Many newer homes have switched to tankless water heaters that can heat up water much faster than a take, creating hot water that lasts long enough for multiple family members to shower without running out. If you still have a water tank and it seems like it may be on the fritz, this may be a good time to invest in a tankless water heater, especially of you are about to put your house up for sale.
Maintenance Neglect
Ignoring signs of decay in your plumbing system and not conducting regular maintenance on things like septic systems or water tanks are both indications that a disaster is waiting to happen. A plumbing system is an intricately connected unit that has many moving parts that need to be checked on regularly. If you have a water tank in an area of the house like a basement where you rarely go, make an effort to do monthly checks so that if problems do occur, they can be caught relatively quickly.
Bad Sewer Lines
Sewers are the areas of society that people wish they could pretend don’t exist, but unfortunately, they do and they are extremely important in keeping life sanitary. If things go wrong with sewer lines, you will know because you will begin to experience foul smells and even more extreme experiences like wastewater coming back out of faucets. If things get that bad, then the repair job can be extremely costly, so spotting the warning signs is very important.
Any indication that the sewer lines on your property are bad will severely affect the real estate value, so monitoring the sewer situation by bringing a plumber out once every six months or once a year to check on it can give you peace of mind.
Tree Root Invasions
As houses age, so do the trees, and as they grow, their roots can start to invade the spaces where plumbing systems are installed. This can lead to pipe damage, disrupted septic systems, and other big plumbing problems. If you start to notice that a tree in your yard is encroaching on your house, contact a plumber and an arborist to get their advice on how to solve this problem before it gets out of hand.
As a homeowner, the plumbing in your house is very important, so make sure to always make it a priority when you are making home improvements. Keep this list as a reminder to check on all of the possible plumbing issues that can happen.
