What To Do If Your Old Pipes Are Leaching Lead

Many homes in this country have old pipes that may no longer be up to code. Unfortunately, many old pipes contain lead, as it was considered to be a durable material at one time with no major risks attached to it. Since then, of course, scientists and doctors have come to realize that lead is extremely dangerous for one's health. Here's what you should know about the lead in your pipes.

The Risks It Poses

Obviously you don't want to consume lead, so your first thought might be to switch to bottled water or to use a water filter pitcher for your drinking needs. However, this really doesn't cover all the ways that the water could be putting you at risk.

When it comes to exposure to lead, you want to minimize your exposure as much as possible. Unfortunately, some studies have shown that lead can be absorbed through the skin, which means that washing your hands and taking a shower or a bath can be dangerous to your health. Brushing your teeth with water from the tap can also allow lead to be accidentally absorbed via your tongue or cheeks, or you may swallow some by accident.

This essentially means that all of the water sources in your home can pose a threat, even if you're not expressly drinking the water.

Repiping Home

One of the potential solutions for this problem is to have new pipes put into your home. However, this isn't a practical solution for many homeowners.

For starters, getting your old pipes taken out and new ones put in is expensive. Lead pipes have to be treated as a biohazard and sometimes require special disposal fees as a result. But even the simple cost of putting in all-new pipes into your home can be extremely expensive. If that wasn't bad enough, it can also potentially disturb your home life, as most of your pipes will be under the house and in the walls. Replacing them all may require tearing up your home and then rebuilding it once the pipes are in place.

Water Filtration System

The better solution here is to get a full home water filtration system. These filters are designed to get rid of dangerous substances like lead, other heavy metals, and even chemicals that are found in the water supply.

Rather than choosing a simple pitcher filter, a whole-house filter lets you ensure that every drop of water coming out of any tap in your home is safe. Taking a shower, washing your hands, or drinking straight from the tap will be safe once you have a filter in place. And you can get it for way less than putting all new pipes into your home. If you're worried about the exposure to lead, find out more about whole home water filtration systems. Contact a whole home water filtration system service for more information.