Many years ago, outbreaks of typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and much more were common. The reason for this is the lack of clean water and bad plumbing design. A lot of individuals died from these illnesses.
Luckily, these health risks are virtually non-existent nowadays due to technological advancements in waste management, sanitation, and plumbing.
However, this doesn’t mean that water contamination can’t occur today. Here are several ways bad plumbing can affect your health. If you think you’ve got a bad plumbing design, make sure you hire professional plumbing services to fix it.
Lead Pipes
Though lead has been used for many years when it comes to plumbing, it has proven to be extremely toxic to humans. This is according to recent studies. That is why you should ask your plumber to examine your fixtures, fittings, and pipes to ensure that lead isn’t leaking into your drinking water.
High Acidity in Water
Water is acidic if it has a low pH. It can cause corrosion in your plumbing fixtures. This is particularly true if they’re made of zinc, lead, or copper. In addition to that, it can cause staining in your clothes, blue-green stains in drains, sinks, and tubs, and sour/metallic taste in your drinking water.
Acidic water can affect your taps, lines, and pipes. It can also result in severe health problems over time. This includes an increased risk of Type-1 diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney damage, and liver damage.
Incorrect Plumbing Installation and Carelessness
There can be defective vacuum breakers, air gaps, valves, and other parts in your home’s plumbing system that can result in cross-contamination, wastewater backup, and back-siphonage. You’ve got to ensure you only hire a professional and licensed plumber to stop these problems.
Mold from Neglected Leaks
For those who don’t know, mold survives in wet organic material. It grows in clogged gutters, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, roofs, and other places where leaks are common. They can lead to a range of health issues. This includes a simple headache and allergy to more severe problems. This includes sinus infection, asthma attacks, and other respiratory issues.
Cross-Connection
If there are back-siphoning and backpressure, wastewater can contaminate the clean water supply. This typically happens if the downstream pressure is bigger than the supply pressure. If this occurs, the contaminated downstream water will be forced to back up to your clean supply of water.
Cross-connection might also happen if there’s a sudden drop in water pressure. If the water main breaks or if firefighters use a fire hydrant. The water pressure drops. This produces a vacuum. Because of this, it can suck contaminants into the pipes.
While this problem isn’t common, it can still happen. This is particularly true if you’ve got older tubs and sinks. Dirty waters from swimming pools, garden hoses, and toilets can contaminate your washing machines, dishwashers, and bidets.
The best thing you can do to fix your plumbing issue is to hire a professional and certified plumber. They’ve got the skills and knowledge to properly fix your problem.
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