Pressure Testing Water Lines
If the home you are buying has been winterized (no water in the plumbing system) Abacus Inspection can pressurize the water pipes with air to determine if there are any leaks.
Advantages
- Low cost – see price list here (look for “Pressure Test”)
Having a home de-winterized and re-winterized after the inspection costs around $300. Banks usually require re-winterization.
- Learn of major and minor problems that need dealing with
Testing will reveal large leaks (fast air loss) and small leaks (slower air loss)
- Isolate hot side from cold side
If the water heater has a valve to shut off the supply to it we are able to isolate problems from the hot side of the system to the cold side.
- Pinpoint the problem
We can often pinpoint the location of a problem before you turn the water on. This prevents potential damage along with large and small cleanups.
- Less hassle
Scheduling to have the home de-winterized and re-winterized and getting the inspection scheduled in between can be challenging when dealing with bank owned properties. Some banks won’t allow you to de-winterize the property.
Disadvantages
- Waste lines can’t be tested.
- Testing may not be possible if there are no clothes washer hookups