Ah, the age-old issue of moving to a new home. Just the paperwork alone is enough for anyone to go mad. Okay, that’s a bit too much on the negative side. Anyway, are you relocating to your new house? Wondering if there’s a way to ensure plumbing works perfectly inside your new place? If so, we’ve got something special for your today. In the article below, we’ll show you a few crucial plumbing tips when moving house. Stick around for some helpful info!
A thorough DIY plumbing inspection
Once you arrive at your new address, you shouldn’t waste any time and start a DIY plumbing inspection as soon as possible (with wholehearted assistance in the form of our plumbing tips when moving house). Just so you can rest assured your new home is up to the task of providing a safe, non-leaky shelter for you and your family. In each paragraph, we’ll show you where you should focus your attention. So, shall we begin?
Scan the place for leaks and drips
As you might already know, leaks and drips aren’t always so easy to identify. Needless to say, one needs to do a thorough inspection. The best place to start is any shower fittings just where they touch the walls or under the sinks, both in the bathroom and kitchen. Run the water to check if any drips form because they can signal potential plumbing issues in the future. You know what they say: better safe than sorry. Also, don’t forget to check under radiators since it’s not unlikely for leaks or drips to form there.
What about water stains on the wall?
As one could easily guess, water stains are a clear sign of present or past leaks. Also, they’re not so pretty to look at. Nevertheless, its looks are not the worst thing they’re known for. For instance, there could be some water in the wall cavities, leaky pipes, or even a problem with a leaking roof in your new home that needs to be resolved right away. Additionally, you might notice dampness and mold on the walls. Not to mention that sometimes the not-so-welcome-guest wall fungus can decide to show up. Yikes!
Does your new home have lead pipes?
Did you know that lead pipes are common in houses built before the 70s? That wouldn’t be much of a problem if they weren’t prone to corrosion. Once that process starts, these pipes can leak and contaminate your family’s water supply which is a serious health hazard. So, how do you identify if your new home has lead pipes? It’s unbelievably simple! Just use a magnet. If it doesn’t stay on the pipe, it means it’s made of lead. Subsequently, that might mean you’ll need to replace them.
Check for leaky taps
Of course, leaky taps signal there are some issues with the main water valve. Thoroughly check each tap inside your new home, not just the ones in the bath and sinks, but also the infamous stop tap and the tap used to fill the water tank to increase water pressure.
An intermezzo moving tip: opt for flat-rate movers
Okay, so this one doesn’t have much to do with plumbing. Still, it might save you some money for potential plumbing repairs around your new home. Your DIY home inspection is bound to stumble upon some discrepancies. When hiring a professional moving crew, there are two options to consider. Either you’ll hire movers that will give you a fixed price in advance (flat-rate), or you’ll find service providers that will provide you with a fee after the work’s done, based on the number of hours they’ve invested in relocating your belongings. We recommend you choose a flat rate option. That way, you’ll avoid potential scams and suspicious price manipulations. Also, if you’re moving expensive items and the range of your move is more than 100 miles – flat-rate movers don’t have an alternative.
Taste the water
There isn’t an easier way to inspect if there’s an issue with your plumbing. Pour yourself a glass of water. Does it look a bit dirty? There’s no need to taste it then. If the water’s clear, go ahead and try it. Does it have a particular taste you’re not used to? It might mean you’ve got plumbing issues in your new place.
Have you checked water heaters?
If not, make sure you do! One of the main signs to watch out for is the quality of the hot water running from the tap. Is it clear? Also, are there any suspicious sounds coming from the direction of your water heater? If so… Yup, it might be time to contact plumbing service providers.
A slightly intimate question: how’s your toilet?
You’ll want to check the flushing functions of your new home’s toilet. As if you wouldn’t do that even without plumbing issues plaguing your mind. Anyway, you’ll also need to check the tank level or if the flush valve and fill valve are working as they should. All of the mentioned must be working correctly if you want to ensure there won’t be any plumbing issues or leaks you’ll need to handle ASAP.
How’s the drainage system holding up?
The drainage system is essential for your new home’s plumbing system. To identify issues related to your drainage system, you’ll have to rely on your sense of smell. It might signal trouble if you smell something funky (especially where the drains are outside). You’ll want to scan for any blockages that might be present. You can do this by running the water and checking if it drains away correctly.
Hiring experts
Last but not least, there isn’t a better way to ensure everything’s working properly than to contact licensed professionals and schedule an expert inspection. A qualified plumber is your go-to person! This will prevent you from having to deal with costly future repairs. And let’s not even mention the hassle related to serious leaks or hot water shortages.
Okay, so this was our selection of plumbing tips when moving house. Hope you’ve had a fun time reading this one!
