Lead Line Replacement

In recent years, lead pipe has been a cause for concern. If you have lead pipes in your house, we can remove and replace the pipes with proper plumbing. We are Master Plumbers and a Plumbing Contractor for the City of Brantford. We are your residential plumbing specialists.

How does lead in drinking water affect your health?

You must avoid exposing pregnant women and young children your tap water if you have lead pipes in your home . Children under six are more sensitive to the effects of lead due to their growing bones and organs lead can be deposited in.

Long-term exposure to lead water can increase the risk of a developmental impairment, as well as other symptoms such as abdominal pain, hearing loss, and vomiting.

How did Lead get into the drinking water?

According to Global News, tens of thousands of Canadian houses still have lead pipes. Lead was a commonly used material for water lines before the mid-1950s. If your home was built before 1970, there could be a chance the plumbing that connects your property to the water main in the street is made of lead.

If your building or house has a lead service line, lead can dissolve into the water that you drink, especially if water has been stuck in the plumbing for an extended period of time, for example, overnight.

If you would like to reduce exposure to lead in your drinking water, consider replacing the lead service lines with newer material, such as plastic or copper.

One consideration if you are looking to reduce your lead intake, is to replace the service lines on both sides of your property line. This is the best option to reduce lead levels in water entering your home.

If you want to find out if your property has lead pipes, there are a few things to look for.

– Lead pipes are usually unpainted and dull grey in colour. They have rounded swollen joins where they join other pipes.
– Lead pipes are soft. If you gently scrape the pipe, a shiny, silver-coloured metal will appear.
– Tap the pipe with a metal object. This will produce a dull thud rather than a clear ringing sound that is produced by copper or iron pipes.

If you suspect lead is a problem in your drinking water, a plumbing evaluation can be done. This evaluation consists of assessing fixtures and internal pipes for the presence of lead.

Who pays for service line replacement?

The good news is that municipalities have a lead pipe replacement program for replacing a service line on their side of the property line. Property owners are required to pay for the portion on their side. A municipality often informs property owners when they schedule a service line replacement. It is suggested that a full replacement takes place at the same time to reduce health risks, as often lead particles shake loose while the construction is happening, and falls into the drinking watem. Another issue that can happen is the electrochemical process between a new copper line and an old lead line can cause water to wear away and dissolve lead into the lead line.

Municipal coordination of the full replacement can mean a reduced cost to the property owner and is also the best way to minimize overall health risks to users of water in the building.

Call today for more information about the water service replacement program in your municipality.