Yes. Every plumbing inspection we perform ends with a written report you keep — findings, condition ratings, photos where they help, and a clear separation between what needs attention now and what is simply worth watching. A verbal “everything looks fine” is not an inspection result.

What the Report Contains

The report follows the system rather than jumping around, so you can actually use it:

  • Water supply. Pipe material, visible condition, static pressure reading, and the condition of your main shutoff. Pressure matters more than people think — anything above roughly 80 psi is quietly destroying fixtures and appliances.
  • Drains and waste. Drainage speed at each fixture, venting observations, and any signs of recurring blockage.
  • Water heater. Age, capacity, anode and T&P condition, venting, and expansion tank presence. Age alone tells you a lot about what the next five years hold.
  • Fixtures. Leaks, corrosion, failing supply lines, running toilets, and the flexible connectors that are the most common cause of sudden indoor flooding.
  • Gas. Visible connections and appliance condition where gas is present.

Every finding gets a priority. That is the part homeowners tell us is most useful — not a list of forty observations, but a clear statement of which three actually matter.

Why Written Documentation Is Worth Having

A report is not just a summary of the visit. It is a record with several practical uses.

It gives you a baseline. When we come back next year, we can compare against the last report and see what changed. A water heater rated “fair” that is now “poor” tells a story that a single snapshot never could.

It supports insurance claims. After a water loss, carriers ask what you knew and when. Documentation that shows you were inspecting and maintaining the system is materially better than having nothing.

It supports real estate transactions. Whether you are buying or selling, a documented condition report from a licensed plumber carries more weight than a general home inspector’s paragraph on plumbing.

And it lets you budget. Knowing a water heater has two or three years left is very different from finding out on the morning it fails.

What We Look At That Homeowners Cannot

Much of a plumbing system is invisible, which is precisely where the expensive failures happen.

Where the report flags a drain concern, a sewer camera inspection puts an actual picture of the pipe interior in your hands — root intrusion, bellies, offsets, and cracks that no amount of surface observation would reveal. On older Hill Country properties with cast iron or clay laterals, this is frequently the finding that matters most.

Where pressure readings or unexplained usage suggest a hidden leak, leak detection locates it without opening walls. A slab leak can run for months, showing up only as a warm floor spot or a water bill that crept up.

What Happens After the Report

The report is yours regardless of what you do next. There is no obligation attached to it, and we are deliberate about not turning an inspection into a sales presentation.

When repairs are warranted, we quote them separately and explain the reasoning. If the report shows failing galvanized supply lines throughout the house, we will tell you that spot repairs are a losing strategy and that repiping is the honest recommendation. If a water line repair handles it, we will say that instead. If your pressure is high, a pressure reducing valve is usually a modest fix that protects everything downstream.

Sometimes the right answer is to do nothing yet, and we will say so.

When to Get One

Inspections make the most sense before buying a home, after buying one, when a house passes twenty-five years old, before a major remodel, or annually if you want to stay ahead of problems. A plumbing inspection is also included for members of our Care Club maintenance plan, which keeps the documentation current year over year.

If your water heater is the concern driving this, that is worth saying when you schedule so we can prioritize it.

We inspect homes throughout Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Boerne, Comfort, Mason, and the surrounding Hill Country. To schedule, contact 72 Degrees or call (830) 240-1835.