You do everything you can to keep yourself and your family healthy as well as your home. But, did you know that the plumbing in your home can also be a potential source of illness and could be hurting your health? If you want to keep your family safe and healthy, these are factors in your home’s plumbing that can affect everyone’s well-being.
Lead Pipes
The effects of lead pipes once used in plumbing are a well-documented health issue. Exposure to lead in drinking water can damage a person’s skin, hair, and nails as well as cause neurological issues like irritability, insomnia, and lowered appetite. Damaged or obsolete pipes can also have an unhealthy amount of zinc and cadmium, which come with their own hosts of health issues such as stomach pains and flu-like symptoms. If your home was built before 1986, you should have a plumber inspect your pipes and make sure that they do not pose a health hazard.
Indoor Leaks
If no attention is given to water leaks in the house, the issue of mold growth can arise. This can be a problem for people with asthma and can also cause allergic reactions, leading to other respiratory disorders. Therefore it is important to check pipes, basements and attics for mold growth. Pipes, basements, and attics are the most common areas where leaks occur, so if your family is having respiratory issues, hiring a plumber to inspect these parts of your house can be a good investment. If you find any leaks on your own, clean and dry the area, and contact our team of plumbing professionals at TMS asap.
Clogged Drains
A mess made by a clogged drain in your shower or kitchen sink can be relatively easy to clean up, but you will want to address the root cause of the clog as well. Clogged drains provide the perfect breeding ground for molds, mildews, bacteria and other germs that can lead to various infections and respiratory issues. Keeping drains clean is a year-round task. Installing traps that catch hair, food scraps, and other items before they go down the drain is important. In order to minimize your exposure to harmful germs, these traps should be cleaned out weekly to ensure they don’t overflow, however. If you have clogged drains that you are unable to fix, you can call our TMS team anytime!
Hard Water
Water with high concentrations of minerals like calcium and magnesium is defined as “hard water.” Unfortunately, these minerals react to soap and shampoo by forming chemicals that coagulate and don’t dissolve in water. These coagulants can make your skin dry and itchy, as well as clog your pores and cause acne breakouts. They also pull the moisture from your hair, making it dry and frizzy, and in some extreme cases, even causing hair loss. Fortunately, water softeners exist that extract the minerals from hard water and can keep it from ever reaching your shower head.
Rusting Water Heaters
Water heaters require proper maintenance to stay in good condition. But even the best ones, over time, develop rust in their interiors. This leads to sediment buildup along with low water pressure. In some circumstances, rust can also infiltrate your home’s water supply and bring bacteria and micro-organisms with it.
The growing bacteria and microorganisms and sediment buildup in old heaters can not only cause health concerns but will also damage the water heater and can also eat away the inside of your tank. It will cause your water heater to work overtime and consume more energy, increasing your utility bill. This makes replacing it not only a sound health decision but a financially savvy one as well.
Outdated Faucets
If you have an older home, you have to remain vigilant about its plumbing system. Older homes usually have outdated plumbing fixtures. These older plumbing systems tend to deposit lead in them, which can also enter your drinking, bathing, and cooking water. Even small amounts of this substance are toxic and poisonous.
Outdated faucets can be replaced easily. If you choose a lead-free faucet for your home, you will immediately minimize the chances of experiencing lead exposure. If you are concerned that there might be lead exposure from the plumbing system of your home, contact our experienced plumbing team at TMS to get it inspected. Re-piping or replacing obsolete sections of plumbing is a wise choice for protecting you and your family’s long-term health.
Do you think your plumbing is hurting your health? Are you concerned about leaks, clogs, or an older water heater or faucet? Have no fear, TMS is here! Call us at 860-314-1518 ext. 1 and we can have one of our Plumbing pros come out and do a thorough inspection of your home and your entire plumbing system. We want you, your family, and your home to be safe and healthy and we’ll do whatever we can to help. That’s what we’re here for!!!
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Sources: https://proflohvac.com/the-effects-of-plumbing-on-your-health/, https://bluefrogsanantonio.com/plumbing-problems-can-raise-health-concerns/
