One of the first things you need to do after buying a house is check the sinks. There are several sink related things you need to do.
Test Your Sinks
Firstly, you should test to make sure your sinks work. Turn on the hot and cold separately and also together. Make sure the following:
- Water actually comes out.
- The correct temperature water comes out.
- The water isn’t brown or some color it isn’t supposed to be.
- There is no funny smell.
- No funny noises.
- No leaking out of the handles, base of the faucet, or under the sink.
- Does the water drain properly?
If you have any issues above, it’s time to fix them. If it is as small as a dripping faucet, that may be an easy fix. However, if you’re looking at something you’re not comfortable handling, you should call in the plumber right away.
Shutoffs
One of the most important safety mechanisms in your house is the water shutoff. I can’t tell you exactly where your main shutoff is, but it is likely either in the crawlspace, in a closet, or in your garage. Each sink has their own shutoffs for each temperature of water as well.
Worst case scenario, there is a shutoff where the water comes from the city to your house, likely alongside the road. You’ll need a special wrench-like key to use that valve though.
Time Hot Water
It’s time to time your hot water. You’re going to want to know how long it takes for the water to heat up as well as how long the hot water lasts. It shouldn’t take more than a minute for your hot water to reach your faucet and it should still be very hot after ten minutes. With normal hot water heaters, a bathroom sink faucet should not use all the hot water very fast. You can test how long the hot water lasts when you test your showers later.
However, if the hot water doesn’t last at least 10 minutes in your sink, you have a major problem. If it doesn’t heat up at all, there’s a good chance your hot water heater is off or broken. Go check to make sure it is on and then wait an hour or two for the water to heat up in the tank.
Test the Water
You can get water testing strips at any hardware store. It’s a good idea to compare your test to the Durham Water Quality Report. If yours varies from that report, there may be something wrong with your pipes. A crack in pipes, rusty or old pipes, or something alive or dead in your faucet or pipes can cause unsafe drinking water. Depending on your test results, the answer can be as easy as cleaning the inside of your faucet.
Replace Aerators in Your Sinks
Those little metal mesh rings inside your faucet can be replaced, and you should replace them regularly. It is a safe assumption that the previous homeowners have never replaced them. Because of their age, they can have a buildup of mold, bacteria, or other gunk (the technical term). When you replace them, give the inside a good cleaning with a pipe cleaner and vinegar.
Recaulk
Unless you’re buying a new construction or newly renovated bathroom, you’re probably going to want to recaulk all the crevices in your bathroom. Water is the enemy of house construction, so good caulking is a must.
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