What plumbing should I check in a new construction home?

Start with the checks below. None of them need special tools, and you can do most of them during a final walkthrough. The one exception is a pressure gauge, which is a small hardware-store item that screws onto a hose faucet.

### Is the water pressure in a safe range?

Test it. EPA WaterSense says fixtures work best when the incoming pressure is between 45 and 60 pounds per square inch (psi). It explains how to check: turn off every water-using fixture and appliance, attach a pressure gauge to a hose faucet, and open the water fully. Much higher than 60 psi means a pressure regulator (also called a pressure reducing valve) may need adjusting or installing. Much lower than 45 psi can mean a leak somewhere.

Here is where the code and Phoenix fit. The plumbing code (IPC 604.8) requires a pressure reducing valve where static pressure is above 80 psi, set to 80 psi or less. The City of Phoenix says an acceptable pressure range is 40 to 100 psi and that pressure above 120 psi requires action by the owner, but the same city page also says regulators are required so pressure does not exceed 80 psi in the home. Use 80 psi as the limit for the house side. A reading of 90 or 100 psi on a new build is worth raising with the builder before closing, even though the city's range would accept it. The city also says that private pressure regulators are the owner's responsibility. So ask the builder where the regulator is, and write down the reading you get. Our page on whether you need a pressure reducing valve covers what the valve does.

### Are there leaks at fixtures, under sinks, or at the water heater?

Look for water and for signs of it. That means drips, damp cabinet floors, stains on the base of a vanity, and wet spots around the toilet base. Run every faucet, shower and tub. Then open each under-sink cabinet and feel the supply lines and drain connections with a dry paper towel.

The EPA leak checklist for WaterSense labeled homes is a good model. Builders of those homes must show that a pressure-loss test on all water supplies detects no leaks. They must also confirm no visible leaks at toilets, bathroom faucets, showerheads, tub faucets, kitchen sinks, and other fixtures or appliances, including water heaters, clothes washers and dishwashers. Your house may not be WaterSense labeled, but the same list works as a buyer's checklist.

Two easy tests to add:

• Toilet dye test. Put a few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, the toilet leaks. Flush right after so the dye doesn't stain the tank. This is EPA's test.
• Meter test. Read the water meter, use no water for two hours, and read it again. If the reading changed, you probably have a leak. Our guide on how to do a water meter leak test walks through it.

### Does the hot water arrive, and how is the water heater set up?

Turn on the hot tap at the fixture farthest from the water heater and see how long the water takes to warm up. A long wait wastes water. EPA notes that efficient plumbing layouts get hot water to the tap faster, so residents waste less time, water and energy.

Then look at the water heater itself. EPA suggests checking a water heater for leaks, aged gaskets, loose connections and corrosion. It also says to check the temperature and pressure relief valve at least once a year to make sure it works. Read the label for the model, and note the install date and warranty terms in your closing folder. If you're unsure how the tank is plumbed, our page on whether you need an expansion tank explains one part to ask about.

### Do the drains empty properly?

Fill every sink and tub, then let them go. Flush every toilet, more than once. Watch for slow drains, gurgling, or water rising in a nearby fixture.

The Arizona home inspector standards give a useful definition. A drain is functional when it empties in a reasonable amount of time and does not overflow when another fixture is drained at the same time. Test that way. Run the kitchen sink and a bathroom tub at once and listen.

Also find the sewer cleanout, the capped access pipe on the main drain line. You want to know where it is before you ever need it. See what a sewer cleanout is.

### Do the shutoffs and hose faucets work?

Find the main water shutoff and turn it off, then on. Test each fixture shutoff under sinks and behind toilets. If a valve is stiff, leaky or stuck in a new home, tell the builder now. Our page on how to test your main water shutoff valve shows the steps.

Then run every outside hose faucet. Look for drips at the handle and at the wall. Our page on hose bib vacuum breakers explains the small device on many of them.

### What about the pipes themselves?

Look at what you can see. Exposed pipe in the garage, at the water heater and under sinks is easy to check for supports, kinks, and stains. Ask the builder what the supply and drain pipes are made of. Our page on PEX versus CPVC pipe explains the common plastic supply options.

One safety note. Federal law has barred pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux that aren't lead free from drinking water plumbing since June 1986. EPA defines lead free as a weighted average of 0.25 percent lead across the wetted surfaces of pipes, fittings and fixtures. Ask the builder for the fixture and pipe specs if you're unsure.

Yes, we recommend one. The city inspects new work, but the two inspections do different jobs.

### What does the city inspect?

In Phoenix, the Planning & Development Department says its inspectors make sure all construction meets code and approved regulations, and that this includes plumbing. It also says regular inspections must be requested at each stage of construction before concealment or cover, and that a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion is issued when all final inspections have passed. Our page on new construction plumbing permits and inspections in Phoenix lays out the stages.

So before closing, ask the builder for proof that the final inspection passed. If your home is outside Phoenix, ask that city or county what it issues, since each runs its own office.

### What does a private inspector add?

A second look at how the house works today. The Arizona home inspector standards say an inspection is visual, not technically exhaustive, and will not identify concealed conditions or latent defects. Under the plumbing section, the inspector observes the water supply and distribution piping, fixtures and faucets, functional flow, leaks, cross connections, drain, waste and vent piping, and the hot water system. The inspector also operates all plumbing fixtures and the exterior faucets attached to the house, and reports the location of the main water and fuel shutoffs.

### What will a home inspector not do?

Know the limits so you can fill the gaps. The same standards say inspectors are not required to report on compliance with codes, or on underground items. They are also not required to operate any valve except toilet flush valves, fixture faucets and hose faucets. They are not required to observe water conditioning systems, fire and lawn sprinkler systems, on-site water quality, or on-site waste disposal systems.

That leaves real gaps. The standards don't require an inspector to operate your main shutoff, and they list underground items as outside the report. Looking inside the sewer line takes a camera run, and our page on whether to get a sewer scope before buying explains why it matters, even if the pipe is new. Our page on whether home inspectors check gas lines covers the gas side.

Arizona has a set process for new homes, and it starts with paper. Follow the steps in order.

### How does Arizona define a construction defect?

State law calls it a material deficiency in the construction of a dwelling. It has to result from one of three things: a violation of the construction codes, the use of defective materials, products, components or equipment, or a failure to adhere to generally accepted workmanship standards in the community. The law's definition of construction codes names plumbing codes explicitly. Separately, the Registrar of Contractors' rule on workmanship says a contractor shall perform all work in accordance with any applicable building codes and professional industry standards.

### What is the notice and repair process?

Before filing a dwelling action, the buyer gives the seller written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, describing the problem in reasonable detail. The seller and its construction professionals may inspect the home, and the buyer must make it available within ten days after receiving the request. Within sixty days after getting your notice, the seller sends a written response by certified mail. If the seller doesn't respond in that time, you may file. Claims involving an immediate threat to life or safety are handled differently under the law.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you have a serious defect, talk to a real estate attorney.

### Can I complain to the Registrar of Contractors?

Possibly. Under the statute, a contract for a newly built home must include a notice that the buyer has the right to file a written complaint against the homebuilder with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors within two years after close of escrow or actual occupancy, whichever occurs first. Read your contract for that notice and the dates.

### How do I make a plumbing claim easier to prove?

Keep records. Take dated photos or video of every check on this page at the final walkthrough. Save the pressure reading, the inspection report and the C of O. Send written notes about any problem to the builder right away, with photos.

Call a licensed plumber if a pressure reading is far outside the ranges above, a leak keeps showing up, a drain backs up or gurgles, or the hot water is slow or inconsistent. Also call if you smell gas or find a wet ceiling or wall. If water is actively coming out, shut off the main first.

We're licensed and insured, give free estimates and upfront pricing before we start, and offer 24/7 emergency service. See our residential plumbing services to get started. If the builder still owns the repair, tell them first, in writing. That's the play.