Who doesn’t want to avoid spending high costs on utility bills and extend the lifespan of their fixtures? But, that is not possible without plumbing inspections. Every day you rely on your plumbing fixtures to complete a variety of cleaning tasks in your home- you cannot afford to take a risk with issues like malfunctioning water heaters, toilet overflows or leaky pipes. Even if a small problem in your home’s plumbing fixtures goes unnoticed, you will lose big dollars in repairs when the problem magnifies later.
Imagine a pipe in your bathroom is leaking and you don’t notice it- you’ll be losing thousands of gallons of water and the result will be higher water bills. Or, if your water heating is not working in the cold winter months- how will you shower?
In short, inspecting your plumbing fixtures is essential! But which plumbing fixtures should be inspected during a plumbing inspection? Read on to find out the answer.
Pipes
Like nerves connect different parts of our body with each other, pipes connect different parts of a plumbing system. If pipes get damaged, the whole plumbing system will be affected. Therefore, it is essential that you never take the pipes in your home for granted.
You must check to ensure that there is no rust on the pipes. You should check for noisy pipes by turning on all faucets. And most importantly, the pipes should be checked for leaks. To check the pipes for leaks, two tests are recommended.
Hydraulic Pressure Test
In order to carry out hydraulic pressure test, air from the plumbing system must be removed through fixtures and valves. All openings should be sealed and valves should be closed. After that the pipe system should be filled with water and it must be pressurized to the specified pressure. Once you have done this, visually examine the pipes that can be accessed and check for any leaks. After that check the pressure; if the pressure has dropped, it means that there is a leak somewhere in the pipes.
Pneumatic Pressure Test
In order to perform a pneumatic pressure test a compressor must be connected to the water piping. Then all the faucets must be turned off. After that the pipes should be pressurized to 60 psi. Once you have done this, wait for half an hour to check if the pressure drops. If the pressure doesn’t drop, it means that there is no leak in the pipes.
Toilets
If your toilet is prone to overflows, you can be in for a serious trouble. Luckily, you can avoid troublesome overflows with an inspection of your toilet. Check for any water that leaks from your toilet’s base and discolors the tiles. If you don’t treat these small leaks, you may find yourself paying for excessive damage caused by water.
You should make sure that your toilet is fixed firmly and properly seated. It should not be moving at all. Check your toilet’s base by applying weight. If it moves, you should get it fixed. Toilets can last long these days, but if you find that yours is damaged, you should not risk the sanity of your home and consider getting it replaced. Replacing the toilet can keep you save from nasty overflows and help you save your dollars on utility bills.
Faucets
Faucets or taps should be carefully checked in a plumbing inspection. You should make sure that the faucets are not corroded and they aren’t leaking. Even check the handles of faucet to make sure they are not jammed or have mineral deposits that can lead to leaks.
Traps
Traps prevent insects and foul smell from entering your home. The floor trap in the kitchen sink, wash area and bathroom should be inspected and if any issues are found, repairs should be made.
Main Sewer
The pipelines carrying the sewerage of your house to septic tank or city sewer is called the main sewer line. All the drains of your home are connected to the main sewer. Video camera inspection is required to check the main sewer line and spot any issue within the line such as internal damage or blockage. If problems are found, repairs can be made to prevent the issue from damaging your entire system.
Common problems that can occur in the main sewer line include clogs, corrosion of material, intrusion of roots and issues with the connection joints. If these problems are not found in time and repairs are not made, your sewer system can malfunction and affect your entire plumbing system.
Water Heaters
Average life expectancy of a water heater is about 8 to 12 years, but it varies depending upon the quality of water and maintenance. Water heater covers about 18 percent of your total energy costs. You see how much is at stake here in terms of costs- you can lose a huge amount if your water heater malfunctions. You must make sure that your water heating is working properly and is not prone to damage. If there is a fault in your water heater, you’ll lose big dollars on leaks and if you don’t get the problem fixed, your water heater can sustain permanent damage. If that happens, you’ll have to get a new water heater at a hefty price.
Therefore, water heater must always be checked for issues during a plumbing inspection and if any problems are found repairs should be made.
There you have it; we’ve listed all the essential plumbing fixtures that must be checked during a plumbing inspection in order to keep the plumbing system working efficiently. As you can see, plumbing inspection is a difficult job and it is not possible for homeowners to properly inspect each and every fixture of their home. Therefore, we advise you leave the job to professionals.
At Mesa Plumbing Company, we pride ourselves on being a full service plumbing company. We can properly inspect your plumbing fixtures and make the repairs if issues are found. Contact us today to schedule a plumbing inspection for your home.