The view is breathtaking and you want the home, but a prudent inspection of the plumbing system can affect how much you want it or how much you should be willing to offer for purchase. In addition to the normal checks needed to explore the condition of the plumbing system, the salt water and humidity that comes in tandem with beachfront property introduces a whole new set of possible problems. These problems may not be showstoppers but should absolutely impact the amount you are willing to spend. Operating a plumbing company in Clearwater for over thirty years offers plenty of experience to see what the beachfront environment can do to plumbing systems. You need to assess two main systems, the water supply and the drain-waste-vent system. Water Supply System The main water supply comes in under pressure from the city and usually runs to the water heater where it splits. One line goes into the hot water heater and the two lines, hot and cold water, run parallel to each other to all the fixtures. Considerations depend on which of the type of material they are made of: • Copper pipes are a good option because they are smooth, can be joined very securely, and last the longest, usually around 50 years. Salt air and humidity from proximity to the ocean can drastically reduce the life of copper pipes down to 25-30 years. • Galvanized Steel pipes have not been used for new construction in 25 years. They are very susceptible to rust and corrosion over time and, once again, the waterfront environment can drastically accelerate this. Water supply pipes are generally harder to inspect because they are constantly full and under pressure. Visual pipe inspection and awareness of leaks are the best method to assess their condition. Water Drainage The water drainage and vent system collects waste from the building and takes it out to the sewage system. It is a little more complicated due to the need for venting but it is not under pressure. Drain paths are usually made of plastic if construction was in the 1970’s or later. The upright drain stacks in older homes are sometimes made of cast iron and the branch drains can be made out of galvanized steel. In each case, a home next to the salt water means that there is a high risk for corrosion and rusting that would necessitate impending repair or replacement. Slab Leaks Both water supply and waste drainage plumbing can have sections of them running under or within the foundation slab of the house. Most houses will develop slab leaks at some point largely depending on the material the pipe is made of, quality of workmanship during construction, and possible shifting of the foundation. As mentioned before, any piece of real estate with galvanized steel or cast iron pipe running along or in the foundation will almost inevitably need major investment soon. A slab leak can be a $500 - $1,200 repair and cause a large disruption of the floor near the leak. Once a leak has been detected and fixed, it’s usually just a matter of time before more occur. One of a few options is necessary to take care of this problem completely. Total repiping could cost $3,000 - $12,000 and cause major disruption to your home. Pipelining is another option that consists of running a lining through the inside of the existing pipes in the drainage system. It is less money, usually around $1,000 to $5,000 and has significantly less peripheral damage to your house. Property near the water is at a substantially greater risk for flooding to occur due to storms. Once water gets to a certain level above the foundation of the house, it seeps into the ground and the salt residue remains there for a long time. This situation will most likely inflict more much more damage over the years and reduce the life of your plumbing system. It is a good practice to ask neighbors of the home if there have been high water levels in the area. Exposed Plumbing Many real estate properties on the water, condominiums or elevated homes, have major sections of the plumbing system exposed to the air. Once again, the high salt content in the air and high humidity can cause premature degradation to both the pipes themselves and drain assemblies. Metal becomes pitted and eventually will need to be replaced usually in about one half the time it would under normal conditions. Excess pitting and corrosion can even occur on the internal plumbing fixtures such as faucets and sinks. Inspection Considering the extraordinary environment plumbing systems endure along waterfront property, it would be very prudent to find a licensed plumber to do a comprehensive inspection of your potential home before submitting an offer. For $250 - $400 investment, he can look at all the pipes, both external and internal. An internal video inspection will reveal not only what type of material all pipes are made of, but also if there are any impending problems such as broken pipes, root intrusion, or bellies. Significant plumbing probably won’t necessarily mean the house is unlivable, but information is great to have when you are deciding how much you are willing to pay for it.
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The view is breathtaking and you want the home, but a prudent inspection of the plumbing system can affect how much you want it or how much you should be willing to offer for purchase. In addition to the normal checks needed to explore the condition of the plumbing system, the salt water and humidity that comes in tandem with beachfront property introduces a whole new set of possible problems. These problems may not be showstoppers but should absolutely impact the amount you are willing to ...
Neal Corella is author of this article on Plumbing Clearwater. Find more information about Plumber Clearwater here.
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