The first-time homebuyer’s guide to your plumbing system
There really is no greater feeling than being able to buy your first home simply because it finally feels like you’ve officially grown up. With that said, homeowners as a whole can agree that perhaps the greatest stress they feel in life is related to the well-being of their home – your plumbing system.
For most, your home plumbing system is nothing more than the plumbing system that runs into and out of your home. There, however, lies the problem. Most people don’t think twice about their plumbing system until something goes wrong. From then on, the stress of knowing that a plumbing disaster could strike causes homeowners to lose a lot of sleep.
This shouldn’t stop people from wanting to buy a home. So, if you’re shopping for your first home, it’s important to keep at least one working buyer’s guide to better understand a home’s plumbing.
First of all, professional plumbers unanimously agree that the most important thing to know is how to turn off the water both to each individual fixture in the home and to the entire home. If there’s one thing to remember when your plumbing derails, it’s to make sure you keep the chances of water damage to a minimum. It’s also important to note that you don’t need to have a mess on your hands. If you are replacing an appliance, faucet, or any water supply line, turning off the water at the source rather than throughout the house makes things easier for everyone in your household.
You should also make sure to cultivate a regular maintenance schedule for your plumbing. While this sounds a bit complicated, it doesn’t have to be a detailed breakdown of every piece of your plumbing system. All you need to do is establish a basic schedule for the things you can do to help maintain your plumbing system, even if you don’t have a working knowledge of all things plumbing. For example, be sure to clean your shower drains once a week to help keep hair and other nasty things from clogging your pipes. You can also make it a point to clean your garbage disposal once a week to help keep odors down as well as things moving.
If you went into the purchase of your first home with the mindset of remodeling your bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen, congratulations. However, keep in mind that there are city codes for various types of construction and repair, including plumbing, that must be approved before a project begins. In addition, there is also an inspection process to clear the construction that has taken place. Even stricter codes require only professional traders to do all work.
Finally, as a first-time homeowner, you need to have a professional plumber’s number on hand to get in and take care of business when your plumbing system needs a professional touch. Take this opportunity to meet your neighbors and ask them for recommendations. You can even request a plumber recommendation from your city or town utility office.
