How many times do you stop to think about the safety of your home? It’s likely that, as long as it’s comfortable and looks welcoming, you’re happy. However, issues can be lurking and those issues can be harmful to the health of everyone in the home. One of the most glaring issues that homes can have is the presence of lead pipes. What’s the harm in lead pipes? Well, that lead can seep into the water that you’re drinking and using, which can then result in a variety of serious health problems. But how do you know if your house has lead pipes, and if it does, what can you do about it? Here we’ll take a look at the steps you can take should your home have lead pipes.
How Can You Find Out if Your Home Has Lead Pipes?
One simple rule of thumb is to assume than any house built before 1986 has lead pipes. It was at this point that the country enacted the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act. However, it’s not just the pipes in your home; there are millions of houses in the country that are still serviced by municipal water pipes that contain lead. In order to be sure, you should always test for lead. This will give you a definitive answer so you can figure out how to remedy the situation. Testing for lead can be done in two ways: you can use an at-home test kit, or you can have your water provider collect water samples to test (this is a water quality test). Either of these should give you an answer on whether or not lead is present.
You’ve Got Let Pipes – Now What?
Now that you’ve determined you do in fact have lead pipes, and lead appears in your drinking water, what do you do? The first step you want to take is to install a water filtration device, so that any of the water you are drinking or using for cooking has been filtered. You don’t want to go with a low-end device, rather you want a good-quality filter that has been professionally installed and meets all safety standards in terms of removing contaminants. It can also be a good idea to use bottled water for drinking or even in your cooking.
When you do turn on the faucet, you want to use cold water, as it typically contains less lead than warm or hot water. It should also run for a good five minutes before you use it. This is called “flushing the system”.
Consider Installing New Plumbing Components
If you’ve taken the abovementioned steps but still want to do more, you can always replace the plumbing components, which are the faucets. This is relatively cost-effective and can offer additional results.
A Problem That Needs to Be Taken Seriously
Because the health of you and your entire family is of the utmost importance, if you suspect you have lead pipes, it’s imperative that you research it further and then take the proper steps to protect everyone.