| When evaluating a home you are considering buying, it | | | | deposit build ups which can impact the amount of |
| is easy to get caught up in the visual aspects of the | | | | water flowing through the pipes. Copper pipes are also |
| home. Water pipes are just one unseen area you | | | | the sign of a quality construction effort as they tend to |
| remember to inspect. | | | | be more expensive than alternatives. |
| Water Pipes - Drip, Drip, Drip | | | | 2. PVC - If you see PVC water pipes anywhere other |
| Alright, I'll admit right away water pipes are not exactly | | | | than on the sprinkler system or from the main street |
| the most glamorous aspect of a home. In fact, water | | | | line to the house, red flags should wave before your |
| piping in most homes is more than adequate to keep | | | | eyes. The presence of PVC piping is an indication of |
| you in hot showers while you live there and take care | | | | an owner doing the piping themselves, as most |
| of all your water needs. If there is a problem with the | | | | construction companies will not use PVC. In a majority |
| interior water pipes, however, you are in for a very | | | | of locations, such use of PVC is outright illegal. Do not |
| costly and disruptive experience. | | | | buy a home with PVC piping in the walls! Ever! |
| The main issue with water pipes on the interior of a | | | | 3. Iron Piping - For a long time, iron piping was pretty |
| home is their location. It is easy to forget about them | | | | much the standard in home construction. There is |
| because they are primarily hidden behind the walls of | | | | nothing particularly wrong with using such piping with |
| the house. While this is good from a visual perspective, | | | | one exception. Iron piping is susceptible to water and |
| it quickly becomes a negative if a pipe starts leaking or, | | | | will rust over time. If you find this grey, metal piping in |
| god forbid, actually bursts inside a wall. Leaks lead to | | | | the home, find out when it was put in and check for |
| rot and mold problems that can effect the health of | | | | rust. Iron piping should last roughly 30 years without any |
| you family. A burst pipe leads to flooding, new carpets, | | | | major problems. If replacements must be made, go |
| rebuilt walls and large bills. | | | | with copper. |
| When evaluating the water pipes in a home, keep in | | | | The pipes moving water around the interior of a home |
| mind the following issues. | | | | may seem uninteresting. Your attitude, however, will |
| 1. Copper - The best piping material for water pipes is | | | | change if one of them bursts in the middle of the night. |
| copper. It will last forever and is resistant to hard | | | | |