Water Service Replacement – Main Water Line Repaired & Replaced
LEAD REMOVAL – Replace old lead pipes with copper to eliminate health risks!
Main water service to homes in Illinois with lead pipes can cause serious health risks – you can learn more here.
Do you need a new water service or do you need to upgrade or replace your existing water service?
Remove that OLD water service and replace it with copper – remove the #1 source of lead! Better WATER PRESSURE in most cases.
Do you have lead pipes in your home?
Ingesting lead can lead to all manner of health issues. It’s no surprise, then, that many people are worried about the pipes in their home and whether or not their drinking water is safe to consume. There are a variety of ways that lead could end up in your drinking water, including the service line that connects water to your home, the solder that is in your plumbing, and even certain older faucets and valves (particularly those that are brass). In order to make sure that your drinking water is safe, in other words, you must first determine whether the pipes in your home are lead.
Water Service Lines
One of the first places to check for lead in your pipes is your service line. First, you have to locate the line itself. This is most often located in the basement. If you have no basement, then it is often located in the lowest area of the house. This is typically in a corner that is closest to a road and is also low to the ground. To determine whether or not the line is lead, sometimes you don’t even have to touch it! If it is a dark matte gray in color, for example, then the service line is likely lead. To make absolutely sure, you can take a screwdriver and scrape it along the line. Lead lines will be soft and turn shiny when scraped like this.
It is important to note that even if your service pipe is not lead, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the line is lead-free. Part of the line might be lead, especially if there was a partial replacement of the line. In order to find out once and for all, the best option is to call the city and ask them what records they have. They might be able to tell you if they have lead services still in place, for example. You can also ask to have the water in your home tested.
How old is your home?
The age of your home can help you determine the likelihood of there being lead in your pipes. In 1986, it was mandated in the United States to use lead-free solders for plumbing. If your house was built around this time or before it, then you might want to check the solder on your lead line for lead content. The age of your pipes is equally important. If your home had its pipes replaced a few years ago, in other words, you probably don’t have much to worry about.
Note that plastic water pipes and galvanized steel pipes are two other common kinds of plumbing you might encounter. While neither contains lead, they could corrode and lead to lead leaking in from a lead service line.
Check Your Faucets
In addition to checking your pipes, don’t forget to check your valves and faucets. Brass is a commonly used material in this area, and while it doesn’t necessarily contain lead, before 2014 brass fixtures could contain up to 8% lead. Test your valves and faucets to determine the kind of brass alloy used in its creation.
What happens if you find lead?
If think that you might have lead in your plumbing, there are some things you can do to help lessen the likelihood have coming into contact with it. Flushing the water is one of these options. Run the tap for around 30 seconds. This allows the water that has been sitting in the pipes to drain away before you use it. You can also consider replacing your water faucets, your service line, or your plumbing components. Finally, you might want to invest in a quality water filter to help remove lead from your water.
If you are adding new plumbing to your home or building, you may need to upgrade your existing water service to sufficiently supply your whole structure with adequate water pressure – we can HELP!
We have over twenty years of experience, and have the skills and expertise to quickly fix and repair your issues before they turn into a major job. Morning Noon Night Plumbing and Sewer offers top rated Chicago plumbers in Chicagoland to serve you!
Do you need help with your water service? Call Morning Noon Night Plumbing & Sewer today!
Call Morning Noon Night Plumbing & Sewer for emergency plumbing service in Chicago or the western suburbs including Berwyn, Brookfield, LaGrange, Lyons and the surrounding towns and areas.
