Lead PipE Testing to Find Out if You Have Lead Pipes In Your Home
Experts have determined that there is no safe level of lead exposure, so if you have lead in your homes’ pipes and faucets, it’s crucial to find the source of the problem and fix it as soon as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that even low levels of lead can impact IQ and academic achievement and that lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children and pregnant women.
There are several potential ways lead is getting into your drinking water:
• In the service line connecting the water main to your house
• In the solder in your plumbing
• In older brass faucets and valves
You’ll have to have your water tested to find out just what kind of a lead problem you have.
Check the Service Line
You can usually find the drinking water service line coming from the water main into your house in the basement, or in the lowest point of the house if you don’t have a basement. If the service line is a dark gray color, that’s probably the lead line you are looking for. Scrape the service line with a screwdriver. If it gets soft and turns shiny, it’s likely lead. If it becomes a brownish color, then it’s probably a copper supply line.
It’s important to be aware that even if you don’t have a lead service line in your basement, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about a lead issue. You can call your water utility to get more information—and you should also get your water tested.
Assess the Age of Your Home’s Plumbing
Solder is what connects the pipes in your plumbing. In 1986, the United States mandated that solder for plumbing be lead-free, so if your house was built before that year, your plumbing could have lead solder.
Be sure to check faucets and valves; many of them contain brass. Brass is made mostly of copper and zinc, but if your faucet or valve was built anywhere from the late 1970s to 2014, the brass could contain a small amount of lead.
On January 4, 2014, a new law went into effect that provided a stricter standard with all faucets and valves that have contact with drinking water. This law does not include valves and faucets that are not used for drinking water, such as valves for toilets and showers.
What to Do When You Find Lead
The best first step is to have your water tested. Call your local utility or county health department to find out about testing.
- If you suspect you have lead in your plumbing, you can also take the following precautions:
- Flush the water—especially if the water has been sitting in your plumbing for several hours. The more the water runs through the pipes, the less contact with lead it will have.
- Replace plumbing components rather than the entire system. Replacing faucets will cost you a lot less than replacing all of your plumbing or your water service line. Replacing the entire system might be an option if you have serious concerns.
- Get a water filter that attaches to your kitchen faucet where your family gets most of its drinking water. These can be quite effective in removing lead.
If you have lead contamination concerns in your home, contact SC Environmental for expert help.