When you’re shopping for a new house, it’s usually easy to tell if it needs new flooring, appliances, cabinets, or a fresh coat of paint. However, it may not be as easy to tell if a home’s plumbing system needs a major update, and you don’t want to find that out after your purchase the house. The plumbing repair professionals at Joe Klosterman Plumbing, located in Cincinnati, OH, explain which features you and your trusted plumber should check before you buy a home.

Examine these three plumbing features while inspecting the house:

• Hot Water Heater: If the home you want to buy has an old, inefficient water heater, your water and heating bills can go through the roof. It will also cost a lot to replace the unit, which is a factor people need to take into account when putting in an offer on a home. When you inspect the hot water heater, look for signs of corrosion or mineral deposits that could indicate a potential problem.
• Toilets: It’s important to take a look at every bathroom in the house and flush each toilet to see how well it empties and fills up again. If there is a problem with the toilet, it may require further investigation to determine if it’s due to a clog in the main sewer line. A professional plumber can inspect the toilet with a specialized camera to determine the cause of the issue.
• Pipes: If you’re interested in purchasing an older home, you want to check for lead pipes, especially if you have children. Traces of lead in the water supply can cause health problems for children younger than six and pregnant women. Replacing lead pipes can be very expensive, so find out the cost to have a plumber replace them before you buy the house.

The plumbing repair professionals at Joe Klosterman Plumbing provide expert sump pump maintenance and residential plumbing services. Give them a call at (513) 941-6766 or visit their website to learn more about their plumbing repair services.