Disclaimer: I'm a plumber so clearly biased towards a plumber doing your plumbing inspection 🙂 rather than a pest inspector.
Mostly because, whilst on site, your plumber could do so much more than check for blockages: they could identify any upcoming issues to help the building plan for future expenses and even prevent an issue turning into an emergency repair by completing some routine maintenance.
This is particularly important in older buildings where water, waste and gas services are ageing. Just off the top of my head, annual plumbing inspections are an excellent idea because the following could be checked:
- a gully (rather than opening the caps – see post # 11) is designed to allow a backed up sewer to discharge into the garden (rather in people's apartments). If this is filled with dirt (they are usually in the garden somewhere) and a blcoakge occurs, sewer will back up inside the building. They should be cleaned and checked annually.
- Drain camera inspection of pipes (most relevant for older buildings with original sewer system), check the entire length of the pipes and key structures to see if they are emptying correctly, in good condition etc
- Visual check of condition of cast iron waste pipes (= “stacks”). Cast iron breaks down and becomes brittle over time.
- main water shut off valve tested: being able to shut water down in the case of any emergency is essential. The valve should be checked once per year. If its not in good working order, Sydney Water can be called out to service it free of charge.
- Stormwater pits: checked and cleaned annually (although you can usually get your gardener to do this). If debris has built up inside, they will overflow in heavy rains.
I could go on and on but better stop for fear of boring you to death. Suffice to say, plumbing inspections are a great way to proactively look after the building.