Running water is something everyone takes for granted these days. We turn on a tap and voila, you have water hot or cold! However, there are certain issues you need to be aware of and it’s got nothing to do with the quality of water that comes from your tap. It’s all about the pipes that carry the water to your home.
There are a couple of jobs the pipes connected to your home are responsible for. Aside from making sure you have clean water from your taps, they also make sure that waste is carried away from it. When a home is built, this part of the construction is vital. The companies responsible for installing it always use the highest quality materials.
However, since the human race has yet to come up with a material that will withstand the elements both above and below ground, this system will not last forever.
Problems inside Your Home
Water is incredibly sneaky. If there is a problem with your water pipe system, you probably won’t be aware of it until it reaches crisis point (unless you take action the minute you notice anything). The first sign could be that your water pressure isn’t what it once was. This is a sure sign that you either have a problem with your boiler or worse, a leak somewhere.
Leaks are a major reason why people end up needing a new water supply system. If you haven’t noticed an issue with pressure, you may notice damp patches appearing on your walls, ceiling or floors. If you do see anything like this it’s imperative you call in an expert.
Problems Outside Your Home
Because waste is taken away from your home, it will need to travel across your land at some point on its journey. If you notice anything outside like a nasty smell, or drainpipes that are blocked, you should make sure you have this checked. If you don’t and the problem is left to its own devices you could end up with a very messy issue on your hands!
In the worst cases raw sewage could make its way into the clean water supply of your home, and even worse still, if the pipe bursts, your garden could be covered in something that’s less than pretty to look at and smells even worse!
Are You Responsible?
This can be a slightly grey area. Unfortunately, when people buy a home they rarely check to see who is responsible for the water supply system. The reason it’s not easy to work out is because the pipes are not just installed inside your home. Of course, you will be responsible for anything inside, but what happens when you need a new water supply system outside the home?
Well, there are several ways in which this is dealt with. Firstly, it’s up to you to fix any problems that occur within the boundary of your house. Secondly, beyond the boundary you may share your system with a neighbour or neighbours. Lastly, the water company is responsible for anything that’s installed beyond your home’s boundary.
The process can be very complicated and you should always make sure you know exactly where you stand in terms of repairs. This is especially important with homes that are older or have been built using existing water pipe systems.
Prevention
Where you have responsibility, it really is a good idea to have maintenance checks done each year. Yes, you will have to pay for it but, this will cost you far less than a new system. It will also provide you with essential paperwork if your water company will not take accountability for an issue you think they should fix!
Nick Thorping recently had to look into buying a new water supply system and it was a nightmare. For this reason he has written this article in the hope you don’t end up in the same situation he did.