Lead Pipes In Your Charleston Home Pose More Than Just Water Damage Threats

7/19/2018 (Permalink)

If you have lead pipes in your house, it might be time to consider upgrading to the durable and high-pressure resistant PVC options.

Lead Pipes Can Pose More Than Just Water Damage Threats

If you have an older Charleston home, your plumbing might not be up to the code regulations set in place for residential contracting. Only a couple of decades ago, the standard in indoor plumbing was the use of lead pipes, which differ greatly from the standard plastic / PVC options that get used in a modern building. A better understanding of the potential threats that this older material poses to your home can prepare you for what could happen, or help you appreciate a recommendation to upgrade.

Lead pipes in a Charleston home might not be as few and far between as you might believe. The truth is, many homeowners do not fully know what their indoor plumbing gets comprised of until they have an issue and get forced to expose this network with restoration work like our SERVPRO team offers. Apart from potential water damage that could result from these materials in your Charleston home, there is more that you should understand about this material and why it is getting phased out.

Lead is something that water treatment facilities work hard to keep at acceptable levels, and in many cases, cannot eliminate from the public water supply. The EPA has put strict limitations on the presence of lead in water with the Safe Drinking Water Act, due to its connection with health risks. These same regulations require municipalities to periodically test residential indoor plumbing for elevated levels of lead in older homes.

Apart from health risks, lead is a metal that erodes and degrades over time. This inevitability not only allows for more of this contamination of the drinking water but also leads to leaks and pipe ruptures which require professional restoration like our SERVPRO technicians provide.

If you have lead pipes in your house, it might be time to consider upgrading to the durable and high-pressure resistant PVC options. Not only does the quality of your drinking water improve, but you limit the possibility of line breaks and ruptures. If damage has already occurred, reach out to our SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston restoration specialists 24/7 at (843) 577-2470.

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