A lot can go wrong in a home that can be costly to repair. When showing a home or viewing it with clients, there are some common issues realtors can make buyers aware of when it comes to plumbing.

Every homeowner should at least have a basic understanding of problems that could arise as well as the appropriate professional to remedy the situation. It’s helpful for your clients to have a trusted plumber to call when there’s a problem — sometimes even with small issues because things can quickly escalate.

Following are some plumbing problems your clients may come across. It’s important to have an expert on hand to pinpoint and fix any issues before water damage occurs. On top of dealing with that, they could even end up paying more in water bills thanks to deficiencies.

7 plumbing issues that may require a plumber’s expertise

1. Dripping faucets. Faucets and fixtures in sinks, bathtubs, showers and dishwashers should not drip when turned off. Dripping is often due to worn seals and can lead to higher water bills over time. Addressing these drips promptly can save money and prevent further wear.

2. Leaky pipes. Leaks can occur in both visible and hidden pipes, leading to water damage, mould growth and increased utility costs. A plumber is needed to locate the source of leaks, especially those hidden behind walls or under floors, and to repair or replace the affected pipes.

3. Running toilets. Toilets should not continue to run after flushing. A running toilet indicates an internal leak, which wastes water and increases bills. If jiggling the handle is necessary, components like the flapper valve, float or fill tube may need adjustment or replacement.

4. Clogged or slow-draining sinks. Kitchen sinks often clog due to food debris and bathroom sinks frequently become clogged with hair. While some clogs can be cleared with over-the-counter solutions, persistent issues require professional attention. Using strainers can help prevent clogs by keeping debris out of drains.

5. Sewer line backups. A clogged sewer line can cause significant damage by backing up raw sewage into the home. This issue is often due to tree roots or broken pipes and requires specialized equipment and expertise to diagnose and resolve.

6. Water heater issues. Leaks, sediment buildup or faulty thermostats can lead to inefficient heating or complete failure. A plumber can assess the water heater’s condition and perform necessary repairs or replacements to ensure it operates safely and efficiently.

7. Outdated or banned piping. In older homes, you may find galvanized or polybutylene pipes, which are prone to corrosion and can lead to lead contamination or system failure. Replacing these pipes with modern materials is a complex task that requires a plumber’s expertise.

Other issues

Additional common plumbing issues our inspectors often come across include: 

• No water shut-offs — essential for quickly stopping water flow in emergencies
• No backflow valve — prevents contaminated water from entering the clean water supply
• Improper fittings — can lead to leaks or inefficient water flow
• Incorrect dishwasher connections — improperly installed drain lines can cause leaks
• Loose toilets — can lead to leaks and water damage
• Poor water pressure — may be a sign of underlying plumbing issues

Encouraging your clients to schedule annual home maintenance inspections can help identify these issues early. Home inspectors can spot problems and may recommend local plumbing experts to address any concerns.

An annual inspection is also a great time for homeowners to bring up any issues they’ve noticed throughout the year that weren’t remedied right away. Preventative maintenance not only provides peace of mind, but it can also save money by addressing potential problems before they become major issues.

Few things will sink the serenity you achieve during a vacation faster than coming home to find your basement flooded. I know this from experience, recently having returned from a trip to discover that a burst pipe had been furiously gushing water out into my basement for weeks. 

I live in Toronto, where water usage is metered, as it is in most large centres across Canada. With a metered system, any leak, no matter how small, can quickly drive up your water bill. Experts note that even tiny so-called “invisible leaks” can easily bleed away a significant amount of water, and a burst pipe running for just a few hours can potentially flood a home from top to bottom. You may eventually get an alert from the municipality, but by that time many in this predicament find themselves in deep water financially with the utility.

In my case, I’m looking at a probable $6,000 hit, unless I can convince the water utility to take pity on me and adjust the bill, by no means an easy task. So far, as per the City’s guidelines on these matters, the documents I’ve sent them include confirmation of my age and income, a licensed plumber’s letter, proof that my water meter is free of defects and that the leak was not in my control and even, as added validation, airline ticket receipts proving that I was out of town when the leak occurred. 

I’m hoping the next step won’t be handing over my firstborn, but it’s a crapshoot.

Advising clients when it comes to leak issues

Issues around leaks can be of particular concern to realtors with clients whose houses are sitting empty due to divorce, death, a job transfer, etc. It’s important to ensure in these situations that plumbing systems are in good repair, are being checked regularly or are shut off. The latter of course isn’t ideal for showings and open houses, but it beats having your clients get hit with a crippling water bill.

“Tell them to shut off the water and put a ‘don’t use’ note on the toilet,” advises Richard Fleming, broker/owner of Re/Max Mountain View in Calgary. “Often homeowners say they wouldn’t have thought of that.”

Or you could turn on the water when holding an open house but shut it down again when you leave. 

Homeowners can ensure that their water use isn’t creeping up due to unnoticed leaks or a continually running toilet by monitoring usage via their water bills and/or their account on the utility’s website, Fleming points out. 

In his observation, Calgary’s much-publicized water main break this past June didn’t have a noticeable impact on the city’s realtors and their clients, other than some water restrictions which he deemed only “a minor inconvenience.”

On the flip side, he recalls his “worst water leak story ever,” involving buyers who didn’t get their own home inspection but instead, against his advice, used one provided by the sellers that was a year old. Within a few months of his clients moving in, heavy rain caused their basement to flood. The neighbours informed them that this was a common occurrence and was, in fact, the reason the previous owners sold the house.

“My clients sued for $40,000 — the cost of a proper repair — and won. But it took five years,” says Fleming. “Never use a pre-existing home inspection … and don’t list with clients who refuse to disclose these issues to potential buyers.” 

Advice from the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating

Tips from the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating on how to troubleshoot begin with the obvious: keep an eye out for drips. “This is a hot topic,” says the organization’s CEO, Satinder Chera, explaining that a hefty percentage of insurance claims stem from water damage. “The problem can be costly, not to mention that if left untreated, water damage can develop into a mould issue with real health risks.” 

In his experience, the most common source of water leaks tends to be burst faucets, toilets or appliance supply lines. 

“When vacationing, the best way to prevent potential water leaks is to shut off your incoming water service valve, which is typically right by your water meter,” says Chera. “If you do that, make sure to also turn off your water heater.”

There are numerous products available to help with detecting and managing potential leaks, he continues, including automated shutoff valves.

Insurance claims: The big message is ‘maintain your property’

If your client winds up having to make an insurance claim, be aware that only certain types of water damage are covered under a standard policy, explains Rob de Pruis, a national director with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. For instance, sudden and unexpected plumbing leaks are covered. But sewer backup and flooding from heavy rain aren’t — for those, you generally need optional coverage. 

“If a supply line under a sink has been leaking for years and bursts, that’s not covered,” adds de Pruis. Normal wear-and-tear isn’t insurable, so the big message is “maintain your property,” he emphasizes. 

An insurance claim may also be denied if the owners didn’t have anyone checking on the home regularly in their absence. Depending on the insurer, in these cases, the homeowner is expected to have someone stop by the property at least once or twice a week. 

My basement is unfinished and well-drained, so in my situation, the damage is manageable and didn’t call for an insurance claim. Getting an adjustment to the water bill from the City for uncontrollable consumption is something else altogether (especially right now when the utility is dealing with a much bigger issue, having just discovered that a huge number of Toronto’s water meter transmission units have failed, wreaking havoc with billings). 

But there’s hope for me. For starters, to be considered for a bill adjustment, water usage during the period in question has to be at least three times the home’s usual daily average. No issue there; it was 40 times my norm.

It also seems that the water utility is more likely to cut you slack in these matters if — how shall I put it — your age has reached the “vintage” stage and your income is such that you’re unlikely to have a wallet full of platinum credit cards. I meet those criteria, relatively speaking, which isn’t something I ever thought I’d find particularly helpful. But if it is in this case, so be it.

Fingers crossed.

A lot can go wrong in a home that can be costly to repair – it can also often be dangerous. In the case of electrical issues, they can range in severity from the inconvenience of power disruption to the threat of fire or electric shock. There are several common electrical issues that realtors can make homebuyers aware of so they’ll feel more at ease if they come up during showings or even after a purchase.

Electrical experts find and fix issues before they become hazards

In many cases, common signs could point toward multiple potential problems. This is why an expert is often required to pinpoint and fix any issues so the home and its occupants always remain safe and the electrical system runs properly.

In addition to being able to identify common electrical issues and their causes, it’s wise for all homeowners to have a trusted electrician to call when they sense something isn’t quite right. It’s always helpful to have a list of local experts on hand so you can help make future repairs easier for your buyers.

Five electrical issues for which an electrician may be needed

1. Sparking from an outlet or a loose, discoloured outlet. This could indicate faulty wiring and should be addressed immediately to prevent fire.

2. Flickering lights. Try changing the lightbulb and ensuring it’s fully screwed into the fixture. If this doesn’t fix the problem, flickering may indicate an overloaded circuit, a loose connection, the wrong type of lightbulb being used, faulty switches or voltage changes.

3. Rodents present in the house. Rodents love to chew – and their snack of choice is often electrical wiring. They also enjoy nesting around junction boxes. Be sure to check these areas once you discover rodents in the home. Faulty wiring caused by rodents will often produce flickering lights as well, so also check these areas if changing the lightbulb doesn’t solve point number two above.

4. Short circuits. Outdated or improperly installed wiring can become a hidden danger, lurking behind walls and ceilings. Over time, wear and tear can compromise the integrity of the wiring, leading to short circuits and potential fire hazards.

5. Overloaded circuits. In a time where our lives revolve around electronic gadgets, it’s tempting to plug in multiple devices to a single power strip. But, overloading circuits is a common issue that can lead to tripped breakers and, in more severe cases, electrical fires. Understanding the capacity of the electrical circuits and avoiding excessive use of power strips is essential. Distributing electrical loads evenly across different circuits and considering an upgrade if needed can prevent overloads and enhance the home’s overall safety.

The importance of maintaining a home’s electrical system is one key area that an annual home maintenance inspection addresses. The home inspector will be looking for these electrical issues and more. This is also a great time for your clients to bring up any issues they’ve noticed throughout the year that weren’t remedied right away.

Preventative maintenance not only offers homeowners peace of mind, but it can also point to areas that, if addressed sooner rather than later, can actually help save them money. Regular inspections, timely repairs and upgrades when necessary are crucial steps in maintaining a secure and reliable electrical infrastructure.

By addressing these top five electrical issues, homeowners can worry less knowing that their living space is safeguarded against power disruptions and potential electrical hazards.