Hidden Leaks and Buying a House in Boise

"I need somebody to come and take a look because the house is for sale." That call comes from both sides of a sale. Sellers want to know before a buyer's inspector finds something; buyers want to know before they own it. A general home inspection looks at a lot, but a slow, hidden leak can slip past a visual check.

What a standard inspection does and doesn't do

Home inspectors look at visible plumbing, run fixtures, check the water heater and look for stains. Most don't run a timed meter test, pressure-test lines, or use acoustic gear on a buried service line. That's not a criticism; it's a different job.

Checks you can do during a showing

• Meter check. Ask the agent if you can note the meter at the start and end of the showing with nothing running. Any movement is a question for the seller.
• Crawl space hatch. A look in with a flashlight: dry vapor barrier, insulation in place, no white crust at pipe joints.
• Ceilings under bathrooms, closets on outside walls, and the base of the water heater.
• The yard between the meter box and the house: soft or greener strips.
• Pipe material at the water heater or where the line enters: galvanized gray steel, copper, PEX, or gray polybutylene. Older North End, East End and Bench houses may have mixed materials. North End, Bench.

Questions for the seller

• Any leaks, repairs or insurance claims for water?
• Has the service line from the meter ever been replaced?
• Any leak adjustment requests to the City of Boise? Those imply a past leak and should come with an invoice.
• Is the sprinkler system on household water or pressure irrigation?

When a dedicated leak locate makes sense

A moving meter, a past claim, an unexplained high bill, or old galvanized supply are good reasons to have someone run a proper locate before closing. The result, with an invoice or written findings, is useful in negotiations either way.

For sellers

Finding and fixing a leak before listing removes a surprise from the buyer's inspection. Keep the invoice.