I want to buy a house & have a question about old plumbing?

Is that really an issue if you get a home that was built before 1960? I've heard there might be lead in the pipes and so on. Is this always true? Would new plumbing mean they got rid of the crap? And how about asbestos? What do I need to know about these hazards prior signing a contract?

Thank you

Answers:
Buyers have to disclose by law ANY asbestos, or lead pipes that might be there. Buy through a Realtor, if possible. They know the law.
Get a good real estate lawyer for the transaction. You will be paid back in Spades, if something goes wrong later.
The attorney will advise you which inspections would be best, and which are required, according to your lender.

Old houses can be fun, or challenging. I Live in an 1850 house, with 1920 plumbing coming into it, 1953 plumbing in part of it, and 1989 plumbing for the rest. We got the water tested 2 ways: 1 with the water in the pipes 48 hours--took an immediate sample 2 Ran the water to purge the system(we are on a well) for 3 min, then took a sample.
WE have leaded joints, which means we should run the water 1 to 2 min before drinking.

We have no contaminents, so the water in the well is safe.
Get yours tested, before you buy.

As far as asbestos, if it is around inacessible pipes, don't worry. If you are worried, encapsulate it. Spray it with a half and half mixture of dishwashing detergent, like Dawn, and water. The result will be that in the future, no dust or fibers will float into your house air.
God luck.

Other answers:
no
no
get your house inspected first before you sign the contract. home inspector will tell you the detail & ask him all the questions you're concerning.
Old pipes contain lead solder and the code was changed. This only affects you in terms of drinking water, and that can be filtered out. Asbestos was outlawed long ago, but you may want to check the insulation (around hot water pipes and hot air ducts).
It really depends on how well the house has been maintained. Has it been sitting empty for any period of time? Pipes that have been left unattended, over winter, tend to freeze, and bust. If there is a suspicion of lead in the pipes, I'd get them replaced, and that would take care of that matter. Same with asbestos, have it checked if it hasn't been labeled as up to code any time recently.

I'd find out about all of this before signing anything. If it has these problems, it won't be cheap to fix, so have it all to your liking before signing.
you need to know that yes those old pipes will be a problem .make sure there are PVC pipes befor you bye.
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