What Is a Plumbing Inspection?

What Is a Plumbing Inspection?

At Sutton Brothers, we recommend an annual plumbing inspection for your Winston-Salem home. Many homeowners pass on the inspection not realizing its importance in your regular home maintenance.

What a Plumbing Inspection Is Not

You may be confused about what a plumbing inspection actually is. A plumbing inspection is not is a diagnosis from one of our plumbers when something is wrong with one of your plumbing appliances or systems. 

If your toilet is flushing slowly or your water heater is not heating properly, our plumbers can diagnose and repair the issue for you. But this is not an inspection. This is a service call with a repair.

What a Plumbing Inspection Is

In contrast to a plumbing service call, a plumbing inspection is an overall detailed review of your North Carolina home’s plumbing. Our licensed and insured plumbers will give your plumbing system a checkup to see how everything is working, much like your doctor does with you when performing your annual physical. 

An inspection is a once-over to be sure everything is in good working order. If during the inspection something crops up needing attention in the near future, our plumbing inspection report will note it. This helps you manage your short-term and long-term financial plans.

What You Can Expect During an Inspection

Our plumbers use professional checklists to inspect your plumbing. Some of the items you can expect us to check are:

Pipes. We check for leaks in exposed pipes and pipe corrosion.

Water pressure. We check your water pressure via your faucets—bathroom, kitchen, utility room.

Faucets and showerheads. We check all your faucets in the bathroom, kitchen, and utility room for drips and caulking leaks. We check every showerhead for settled sediment.

Drains. We check sink, tub, shower, and floor drains for signs of clogged pipes or venting problems.

Caulking. We check caulking on sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets.

Toilets. We check to be sure the inside mechanisms are functioning properly and do not require replacing. We check to be sure every toilet is flushing correctly.

Mildew. We check for signs of mildew, possibly indicating a moisture issue.

Plumbing systems. We check your water heater, sump pump, and water softener to be sure they are working as they should.

House exterior. We check your yard for signs of water where it should not be and check around the foundation of your home.

For a more detailed list of what our plumbers do during your plumbing inspection, get in touch with a Sutton Brothers team member. We are happy to discuss any questions you may have.

When Should You Have a Plumbing Inspection?

We typically recommend an annual plumbing inspection to keep an eye on your home’s plumbing. Some professional plumbing organizations, like the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) of San Diego, recommend an inspection every two years at the longest. When things go wrong, they can evolve into an expensive issue, so catching them before they become an emergency is a proactive strategy that can pay off.

In addition to regular inspections, there may be scenarios where a special plumbing inspection is warranted. We suggest having our experts out more often if:

You are purchasing or have recently purchased a new home. Even though your mortgage company requires a general home inspector to go over your entire house, our plumbers will do a thorough job during a detailed plumbing inspection. We often catch things home inspectors miss. 

Your home is older and has an older plumbing system. Sometimes older pipes unexpectedly leak and it is not immediately noticeable, leading to water damage.

Your yard is filled with trees. Mature trees with established root systems can really lead to plumbing problems for you. Strong roots can grow around and into pipes, causing blockages and leaks.

Contact Sutton Brothers for All Your Plumbing Needs

Our Sutton Brothers licensed plumbers have the knowledge and experience to help you with all your Winston-Salem, NC, home’s plumbing needs. Scheduling a plumbing inspection with us saves you money in the long term by helping you maintain your plumbing and reduce the risk of expensive water catastrophes. We are here for any plumbing issue you may have—small or large. Call us at 336-390-3902 or request service online today. 

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