In many cases, it’s safe to say owning a home can be thought of as an investment. I think most people would agree with this statement, right? Having personally been in the plumbing world for over 40 years now, I also feel confident in saying that your plumbing system is filled with individual investments as well. Yes, most of these plumbing investments aren’t built to last forever, but they are nonetheless synonymous with home ownership. And as a result, it’s going to always be in your best interest to get the highest return on your investment. Investing 101 right there!
In order to get the best return on your plumbing investment, you’re going to want to get the most years out of the various components. It’s as simple as that! Water heaters, sewer lines, interior piping, you get the idea! With all of that being said, I wanted to focus this week’s blog on plumbing inspections. For most, it could feel like a waste of money using it on an inspection when everything may appear to be working just fine. However, considering most plumbing pipes aren’t readily visible (since they’re hidden underground, behind walls or in the ceiling), something could be brewing without you even knowing it! An inspection can be the perfect way to stay ahead of the game! Remember, approaching your plumbing system in a proactive manner is always going to be the smart move. Plus, unless something serious is found from this inspection, most reliable plumbing contractors shouldn’t charge you a fortune for this inspection either!
So…what might you consider having checked out for your next plumbing inspection?
Water Heater
If you follow us on social media, you’ve likely seen plenty of water heaters featured throughout. Whether it be minor repairs, complete replacements or even maintenance, we find ourselves receiving inquiries on water heaters quite often! After all, I’d say water heaters are a fixture that you definitely want working at all times! In terms of a routine plumbing inspection, your licensed plumber will likely first ask if you’re having any issues currently with the heater.
Is it making any weird noises? Are you ever running out of hot water from routine activities? Have you noticed any leaks coming from the unit?
Assuming there’s nothing out of the ordinary, this inspection would be a perfect time to have the plumber flush out the sediment build-up. This is a fairly routine task that we recommend doing at least once a year to ensure you get the max years out of your water heater!
Drainage Speeds
Another common plumbing problem that many homeowners deal with (and often procrastinate on) is your drains. Whether it be a sink drain or bathtub/shower drain, it’s not uncommon for these to get clogged up. While it may not be a complete clog, the drains could easily be running slower than normal. Take the shower drain for example. Think of all the hair, soap scum and other debris that go down that drain on a daily basis. Not hard to see how this could quickly cause a serious clog! An inspection could be the perfect time to invest in some drain cleaning to ensure these minor clogs don’t transform into major problems.
Sewer Pipes
Your sewer line is a perfect example of a plumbing component that can hide it’s failures for quite a while. After all, considering the fact that it runs more than a few feet underground, you’ll likely realize that it’s difficult to know if anything is wrong until something serious actually occurs! Whether it means investing in a video inspection to know for sure if something is wrong or simply looking for some signs of a backup (i.e. an unusually damp lawn), don’t forget to ask your plumber about the current state of your sewer line.
Exposed Piping
This may seem like the easiest one of the bunch, but it’s certainly worth keeping tabs on. While a lot of plumbing piping is hidden, there is plenty of exposed piping throughout a household plumbing system. During a complete plumbing inspection, your plumber will definitely check out all of this to make sure the exposed piping is in working order and that there are no leaks. If there is a leak with the exposed piping, these should be the most affordable pipes to replace considering they’re readily accessible.
Sump Pump
As we head into the occasionally-rainy spring and summer months, one plumbing component you want working is your sump pump. After all, ever heard people say that a functioning sump pump is your best friend in preventing flooded basements? Well, with your plumbing inspection, make sure they give some attention to the sump pump to ensure it’s ready to kick on if needed. In terms of sump pump maintenance, there’s a few items your plumbing technician should consider:
- Does it actually turn on? Unsurprisingly, the first thing a plumber should check with a sump pump is whether or not it actually works. It does no good if it won’t turn on when needed! Luckily, this will be an easy step as they’ll pour water in the pit to ensure it kicks on.
- Does the pit need to be cleaned out or has the pump fallen on it’s side? Both of these are also fairly nominal problems, but ones that you’ll want to take care of to ensure you’ll be ready to go!
- Do you need a back-up generator? As you’re likely starting to see, while a sump pump has a fairly straightforward purpose, the biggest variable to consider is ensuring it’s ready to go when needed. If the power happen to go out during a storm, you definitely don’t want to also lose your sump pump too! At the inspection, inquire about whether a back-up generator is needed.
Peace of Mind
Perhaps the most important benefit coming from an annual plumbing inspection is the peace of mind it gives to the homeowners. Unless you’re working with these types of projects every day, it’s tough to fully understand the severity of various plumbing issues. Take a slow drain, for example. This may easily seem like just a minor inconvenience at the time, but you’re likely also unsure if it could eventually escalate to something more severe.
The best part about inspections? Most of these routine maintenance items I’ve mentioned throughout, such as flushing your water heater or drain cleaning, can be completed relatively quickly by a professional technician. They should have the proper tools on their truck and will be ready to knock out any maintenance services right away.
Furthermore, having a plumber out for an inspection is also a perfect time to pick their brain and ask any questions you may have been thinking about. At the same time, they should be able to provide you with some tips on best practices to ensure you don’t have a plumbing issue on something that could’ve easily been prevented!
Call Your Local Plumbers at Stine-Nichols!
Having worked with thousands of Kansas City homeowners and businesses over the years, one common sentiment we hear in regards to plumbing inspections is the fact that they don’t want to deal with countless sales pitches in the process. Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, we completely understand that! If you hire us for an inspection or maintenance check-up, we’ll take a look through your plumbing system and make sure everything is working properly. Whether that be the water heater, sump pump, drains or anything else, we’ll provide you with a careful and thorough inspection. While we will give advice on best practices, we’re not going to throw every sales tactic at you to try and get a water softener installed that same day as well!
To schedule an inspection at your home or business, feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481. You’re also more than welcome to fill out our online form and a member of our team will be in touch.