Whether you're helping a client buy or sell a home, there are some issues that will impact the property price of the home. Plumbing is the biggest part of the home that isn't always addressed when a customer is selling the home. It's often overlooked during the home buying process until an inspector does a walk-through of the home.
No Hot Water
One of the easiest things to check before trying to sell or buy a home is the state of the hot water. It's one of the most common plumbing problems in a home, but it's the simplest to check before a potential buyer or seller walks through the home. As the real estate agent, you want to find these problems in the seller's home before a buyer shows up at the property. When you're locating properties for your buyer, you want to make sure they aren't getting a load of headache when purchasing.
Potential Fix : Local plumbers can come to the property and find out why there's no hot water. It could be a simple fix like the pilot light went out on the hot water heater. The hot water heater might have broken heating element or sediment build-up, and emergency plumber services can be contracted to fix any of these issues.
Leaking Pipes
While not having hot water might be a simple fix like repairing the thermostat or making sure the pilot is lit, leaking pipes can create a serious problem in the home. Home buyers who purchase a house with leaking pipes are in for serious issues down the road. They could end up with water damage and mold. Leaking pipes are hard to detect, so it might make sense for your client to contract with a plumber to inspect the home. The pipes could be leaking deep within the walls due to cracks, rust or corrosion in older pipes.
Potential Fix : Unfortunately, a plumbing leak could mean your client will have to tear open walls to repair the leaking pipe. An inspection will bring these problems to light before your client purchases a home. If the leak is visible, it could be as simple as replacing the leaking pipe.
Toilet Problems
While much has changed and been updated within homes, toilets are still a constant. Water fills the tank, which lifts a float. Once that float rises to a certain point, the water will stop filling the tank. When a toilet is running, there could be a problem with the flapper, float or weak flush. The bowl might not refill properly either.
Potential Fix : The adjustable float might need an adjustment if the toilet has a weak flush. In other cases, like a running toilet, it might be as simple as replacing the flapper. With other urgent problems, 24 hour emergency plumbing service should be consulted to fix the toilet, which might involve shutting off the water supply to make repairs to the fill valve.
Low Water Pressure
The origin of low water pressure can be hard to pinpoint. There could be leaks in pipes deep in the walls. A pipe may be blocked by an overgrown tree root where it leads into the home. You might have a blocked aerator due to debris in the water. Old pipes can become rusty, which can lead to this kind of problem as well as mineral build-up in the pipes.
Potential Fix : Before hiring a plumber, the homeowner might be able to clean aerator screens. If low water pressure exists in only one faucet in the home, it's likely to be a problem with build-up that can be cleaned out of the faucet. In most other cases, a plumber will have to find the source of the low pressure, which can be anywhere from the beginning of the water system into the home to the faucet or shower head itself. Old residential plumbing design might cause some of the low water pressure, and the homeowner could need to consult with a plumber over those fixes.
Clogged Drains and Toilets
When it comes to clogged drains, there's a lot that a homeowner can do to prevent them. If they have small children, they should have screens on the drains that will prevent items like toys, pennies or cotton swabs from being swept into the pipes. In the shower, soap and hair can build up in the drain and stop water from flowing properly. In the toilet, no one should be flushing dental floss, diaper wipes or feminine hygiene products.
Potential Fix : A plunger can take care of a few of these problems, but in other cases, you might need a plumber to snake out the drain properly. In the kitchen, food should never be allowed down the drain. It can bind with soap and grease on the walls of the pipes and create huge blockages that require a plumber to fix. It can ruin pipes too. In rare cases, a clogged drain or toilet could be the result of rogue tree roots that have pushed through the pipes out in the yard. That can be a major headache since the plumber might have to dig up the yard to access the pipe.
The agent might be asking themselves "how much does a plumber cost?" For a few hundred dollars, the homeowner can have a plumber fix any problems in the home before trying to sell it. When a buyer finds problems with the plumbing, it could mean a loss of that sale for the real estate agent. Not many buyers want to take on a plumbing issue even when it can be fixed easily by a plumber. They'd rather not take on that headache since they often believe there could be more issues in the future.
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