Buying an Older Phoenix Home: A Water Damage Checklist

Ask whether the home has been repiped and when. Look under sinks and where the line enters the house. Gray threaded steel that a magnet sticks to is galvanized. Original galvanized pipe means budgeting for a repipe.

Order a sewer camera inspection. Clay and cast iron lines under mature trees often have roots, cracks or sags. The video shows what you are buying and helps negotiate.

Ask the roof's age and type. Flat tar-and-gravel and foam roofs need regular upkeep. Look for ceiling stains and ask a roofer to inspect if the roof is older.

Ask whether the lot is flood irrigated and walk the yard. Look at berms, grading and stains at the base of walls and the garage door.

Look for cracks, stains and soft spots in plaster, and lift a carpet corner to see if wood floors underneath show water stains or cupping.

Read the seller's disclosure for past leaks, roof repairs, sewer backups and mold. Ask for invoices and drying records.

During the inspection, turn off all water use and watch the meter's leak indicator. Movement means a leak somewhere.

Check the age on the label and look for rust or water at the base.

Get quotes early. Some insurers ask about pipe type, roof age and past claims.

Has the home been repiped, and when? Has the sewer line been replaced or lined? When was the roof replaced, and what type is it? Is the lot flood irrigated, and has water ever reached the house? Have there been any leaks, backups or mold work? Ask for invoices and any reports.

Home inspectors note what they can see. Pay attention to comments about pipe type, water pressure, water heater age, roof condition, grading, stains and moisture readings. Ask the inspector to explain anything you do not understand, and consider specialist inspections for the roof and sewer line.

Original pipes, an old sewer line and an aging roof are common in mid-century homes. They do not have to be deal-breakers, but they should be in your budget. Many buyers plan a repipe and sewer line work in the first few years.

Lift carpet corners in closets to look for wood floors and any water stains. Look at plaster for cracks and patches near bathrooms and the kitchen. Ask about any recent painting.

Found a leak after moving in? Call (602) 878-3892 for a local provider.

General inspectors cover a lot, but a sewer camera inspection, a roof inspection and a plumber's opinion on pipes give deeper answers for older homes. Each costs little compared with the repairs they can reveal.

If inspections show original pipes, a failing sewer line or an old roof, use the findings to negotiate a credit or price change, or ask the seller to complete repairs before closing. Get any agreed repairs in writing.

Find the main valve and the irrigation gate, do a meter test, replace rubber washer hoses, add leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks and note the roof's age.

Older North Central homes are worth it; just budget for the systems behind the walls.

Mid-century homes in Uptown, Melrose, the North Central Corridor and Sunnyslope have character, mature trees and great locations. Their older pipes, sewer lines, roofs and irrigated yards simply need checking before you buy, and a plan and budget after you move in. Ask questions, get specialist inspections and keep every record the seller gives you.

Bring this checklist to every showing of an older home. Lift a carpet corner, open the sink cabinets, look at the ceilings, walk the yard and ask the seller direct questions about pipes, the sewer line, the roof and irrigation. Then order a sewer camera inspection and, for older roofs, a roof inspection. The answers will tell you what to budget for and what to negotiate.

A few hundred dollars of inspections can save thousands in surprise repairs after closing. Keep every report with your closing documents for future reference. Ask questions early and often.

Pipes, sewer line, roof and irrigation are the big four in older North Central homes. Check them before closing; see old plumbing leak damage if leaks turn up.

Questions about buying an older phoenix home: a water damage checklist? Call (602) 878-3892 to reach a local North Central Phoenix provider, 24 hours a day.