SELLING A HOME? CHECK YOUR PLUMBING

If you’re selling your home, your to-do list is likely stacked: find a REALTOR®, get an inspection, make needed improvements, up your curb appeal, and the list goes on. Another important facet to keep in mind before listing is to make sure your plumbing is up-to-date.

“When selling a home, you’re going to find each buyer’s home inspector will examine some of the same items,” says Max Rose, owner of Four Seasons Plumbing. “It can be a worthwhile investment to make some repairs to strengthen a home’s appeal to potential buyers and give sellers more negotiating power.”

Water Heater

The water heater is one of the more common big-ticket repairs that can arise from a home inspection. If the water heater is on the older side, a buyer may request it be serviced and flushed, if not replaced entirely, as a condition of going through with the home purchase.

Type Of Piping Used

Some older homes are plumbed with piping and/or fittings that have been recalled or had class-action lawsuits filed against the manufacturer. If your home has these materials in them, there is a good chance a potential buyer will want it replaced.

Leaking Pipes

If the home has a crawl space, it can be relatively easy to check for leaky plumbing. If there are leaky pipes, that could be a red flag for the seller. Depending on the age and material of the pipes, fixes may range from a patch to whole replacement.

Water Pressure Regulator

One point of a home inspection is to check the water pressure. If the pressure comes back high, that can be indicative of a larger (and costlier) problem.

“Each buyer has their own deal breakers, but if you’re finding that the water heater is coming up as a common strike point on a requested repairs list, it might be worth it to install a new one,” Rose says. “Having these issues come up on a buyer’s home inspection is only going to add to the stress of selling your home.”

Before listing your home, reach out to your local, trusted plumber for a full inspection of your plumbing and water heating systems. They can help recommend what improvements to make now, and what can wait for the new owner. Talking to a plumber will also give you peace of mind before your home’s inspection.