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Atlanta’s real estate market moves fast. But even in a seller’s market, a bad inspection report can stop a deal cold — or hand the buyer significant negotiating leverage. Plumbing is one of the most common sources of serious inspection findings, and it’s one of the easiest to address proactively if you know what to look for before you list.
Here are the five plumbing issues that most frequently derail Atlanta home sales, and what to do about each one.
1. Sewer Line Problems
Sewer line issues are the most common plumbing-related deal killer in Atlanta real estate. Why? Because buyers increasingly ask for a sewer scope inspection as part of their due diligence — and Atlanta’s older housing stock has a lot of clay and cast iron sewer lines that are decades past their prime.
A sewer camera inspection ($200 to $400) runs a camera through your drain line from the cleanout to the street. What it finds can range from manageable root intrusion to a completely failed pipe. If roots have been growing in a clay line for 20 years, buyers will want the line lined or replaced before closing — and that’s a $3,000 to $12,000 conversation depending on severity.
The smarter move: get the camera inspection done before you list. If you find a problem, you can address it on your own timeline and price it into the home appropriately. If you find nothing, you have a clean sewer report to show buyers and one less thing to worry about.
2. Water Heater Age and Condition
Home inspectors note the age of every water heater they see. A water heater over 10 to 12 years old will almost always receive a comment in the report, and buyers routinely use it as a negotiation point — asking for a price reduction or a replacement credit.
If your water heater is approaching or past the 10-year mark, consider replacing it before listing. A new water heater costs $900 to $1,800 installed, depending on type and capacity. It removes a guaranteed inspection comment and signals to buyers that the home has been properly maintained. That perception matters more than most sellers realize.
3. Active Leaks and Water Damage Evidence
Inspectors check under every sink, behind every toilet, around the base of the water heater, and anywhere else water is present. A slow drip under the kitchen sink that you’ve been ignoring for months becomes a written finding and a source of buyer anxiety — especially if there’s any staining on the cabinet floor.
Before listing, go through every water-using area in the house: under all sinks, around toilets, near the dishwasher, under the washing machine connections. Fix any active drips. If there’s staining or water damage evidence, address it and document that you’ve repaired the source. A small repair now is far less expensive than a buyer demanding a remediation credit.
4. Low Water Pressure
Weak water pressure throughout a home raises an immediate flag for buyers. It suggests aging galvanized pipes, a failing pressure regulator, or undersized supply lines — none of which are cheap or simple to fix. Even if the cause is something minor, buyers who experience low pressure during a showing often write it off mentally and move on.
In an older Atlanta home, low pressure frequently traces back to galvanized pipes that have corroded internally and narrowed over decades. This is a real repair — potentially a partial or full repipe — but it’s worth investigating before you’re in the middle of a negotiation with a motivated buyer on the other side.
5. Gas Line Issues and Unpermitted Gas Work
Atlanta’s housing stock has a lot of gas appliances — ranges, dryers, water heaters, fireplaces. And it has a corresponding amount of DIY gas work done by owners over the years, often without permits.
Inspectors look for improper gas connections: flexible connectors used in places they shouldn’t be, missing shutoffs, corroded fittings, and work that clearly wasn’t done by a licensed contractor. Unpermitted gas work is a disclosure issue in Georgia and a significant liability concern for buyers. If an inspector flags gas work as improper or unpermitted, it will require correction — and the correction has to be done by a licensed plumber with a permit.
If you’ve had any gas appliances added or moved during your ownership — a range replaced, a dryer connection added, a gas fireplace installed — verify that the work was permitted and properly done before you list.
The Case for a Pre-Listing Plumbing Inspection
A pre-listing plumbing inspection typically costs $150 to $400 for a standard walkthrough, plus another $200 to $400 if you add a sewer camera. For most Atlanta homes, that’s $350 to $800 well spent.
What you get: a complete picture of your plumbing before the buyer’s inspector sees it. If there are problems, you choose how to address them — on your own terms, with your own contractors, at your own pace. If there are no problems, you have documentation to share with buyers that adds confidence and shortens their due diligence period.
Fix and Flow offers pre-listing plumbing inspections across Metro Atlanta. Learn about our inspection services, check out our sewer line services, and call us at (404) 800-FLOW when you’re ready to schedule.