There are some grand old houses in Melbourne, though some of them come with the original plumbing!
As part of our pre-purchase building & home building inspection, we can check for obvious signs of trouble – dampness, leaks and rust – and if these signs are there, it’s time to call in the plumbers to take a good look before you buy. Detecting bad plumbing can mean the difference between an easy fix, or the need for a major overhaul, or even a dampness-related health issue.
Here’s what to check for:
- Take a look at the pipes. Pipes that are discoloured, stained, dimpled, pimpled or flaking are obvious problems, and indications of corrosion. This could mean an easy plumbing repair job, or a sign of a bigger problem where the whole system needs to be replaced.
- Check for leaks under the sink and in the hot water cabinet. You might not catch an actual leak in the act, but you can look for pools of water, or soft or damp wood under the pipes. For our property inspections, we bring a moisture meter to test the dampness of the wood.
- Stains on walls and surfaces that show that there was a leak at some point. This warrants further investigation to find out if it were a one-time spillage, or a leak that was fixed, or a slow drip that will cause more problems over time. Pressing a key into the stained area can reveal if the wood beneath is still damp, and if it has gone soft over time.
- Run the water into a basin. Yellow or brown water is a sign that those pipes are old, rusty, possibly broken and need to be replaced. Watching how long it takes to turn yellow can give you a clue as to how far back the problem is, and looking at the difference between the hot water and cold can tell us if the problem might be the pipes, or an old hot water system.
We’d love to see you warm and dry in your new Melbourne home, so make sure your pipes are working! And if you are concerned, give us a call on 1300 749 522.
