Real estate General topic

[plowhog]

I've seen some pretty extensive water damage in apartments from leaking washing machine supply lines

There was a class action lawsuit against Watts over this. They sold rubber supply hoses for washing machines, with a phony metal braid that was apparently ornamental only.

Lots of those failed and caused extensive damage. Ask me how I know.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have to for insurance (4 point inspection, MEPs and Roof) as well as the mortgage.

I do agree they focused on things that frankly aren't a big deal to anyone with any ability; washing machine drain hose, toilet shut offs, ect.

Not to mislead as my last home purchase 2017...

Structural Pest Control is most common and lenders will ask for copies of all reports... no reports then nothing to copy.

I bought second to last purchase knowing time to replace shake roof...

The week I closed roof was replaced but outside of escrow.

When insurance arrived for spot inspection U had brand new permitted roof.

 

[paulsharvey]

I could have had many other things inspected if I wanted; well, septic, general home inspection, ect. The way I see it, yes, some problems could always come up, but given the age and general condition, no need. Also, I fully plan on dealing with things as they come up.

The general opinion of people (outside the business of doing it, but construction folks), septic tank inspections are expensive and really not worth anything. Well inspection, it's not like they are pulling pump and down pipe anyways, so I belive it's a general condition of pressure tank, and pressure switch, is about all you get for that; and it costs as much as just replacing the tank yourself.

For folks that are going to hire replacing light fixtures or sinks, ect, inspections are probably worth a few grand.

 

[Jstpssng]

, septic tank inspections are expensive and really not worth anything

There's always an exception. My sister was looking at a house which turned into an ordeal, as the owners were a PITA. It was just down the road from her daughter though so they put up with more than they normally would. They finally signed the sales agreement but in the course of inspections found that the tank hadn't been pumped in 18 years. That wasn't necessarily a deal breaker except that it also determined that the tank was installed backwards.
HITF do you put a tank in backwards? Even I know that s--- won't flow uphill.

 

[paulsharvey]

What I was meaning, the Tank is rarely the issue, anything installed in last 20 something years should be 100% fine; the drain field is normally the issue, that that isn't inspected.

Ad far as pumping, there is some really varying opinions. I've heard pump every 2-3 years as maintenance, to a properly function system should never need pumped, and that pumping can create issues were there wasn't any before.

 

[paulsharvey]

What I've seen in very broad strokes; septic installers who Don't have a pump truck service, don't recommend it; guys that offer a pump truck service recommend routinely pumping. Can't say either side is exactly impartial. I do know that some of the commercial septic systems Require pumping as part of their DEP permit.

 

[WinterDeere]

We have to for insurance (4 point inspection, MEPs and Roof) as well as the mortgage.

I do agree they focused on things that frankly aren't a big deal to anyone with any ability; washing machine drain hose, toilet shut offs, ect.

Hey, since you mentioned washer hoses, just replace all washer and toilet hoses the day you move in. I know several people who've had their houses completely flooded by a busted washing machine or toilet hose.

I remember finding a statistic back in the 1990's, that the probability of washing machine hose failure really shot up after 7 years, so I used to just replace them every 5th year. Easy, 2020, 2025, 2030, etc. Then they started putting soft hoses on the live side of every damn sink faucet, and it became a lost cause... I'm not replacing $250 faucets on 14 sinks every 5 years.

Now I just keep a water flood sensor under the washer and in each bathroom. If it gets wet, it shuts off the whole-house valve (downstream of well expansion tank) and sets off our house alarm, which also notifies all smart phones in the family group. We've had it go off once or twice in 15 years, but always due to a clothes washer internal malfunction (e.g. internal hose rubbed thru on 2 year old washer).

I also use only hard lines on toilets... much harder to install than hoses, but they won't burst when you're away from home!

 

[WinterDeere]

What I've seen in very broad strokes; septic installers who Don't have a pump truck service, don't recommend it; guys that offer a pump truck service recommend routinely pumping. Can't say either side is exactly impartial. I do know that some of the commercial septic systems Require pumping as part of their DEP permit.

We did a septic load test, which got us a free well pump load test. They ran 500 gallons from well down thru septic, to verify system did not back up. It also told us we can pull at least 500 gallons from the well in the heat and draught of late July, which is when the test was run.

I'm not sure how meaningful it really was, but being our first house with a septic drain field, it made us feel better.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't trust washing machine hoses so I shut off the water to the clothes washer after every use.

Toilet and sink supply lines can be replaced with soft copper lines.

 

[WinterDeere]

Toilet and sink supply lines can be replaced with soft copper lines.

I think the ones I buy are chrome-plated annealed brass. I've never seen soft copper available with the large flange fitting that mates to a toilet valve, and although I guess you could bulb-flare it to work, bare copper probably turn green with condensation after a few summers.

This is basically what I use, available in a half dozen finishes:

Amazon.com