Drain clogs,聽leaking聽pipes and other聽plumbing problems聽may聽seem like minor聽frustrations聽of聽home ownership.聽That being said,聽putting off repairs聽for too long can be聽detrimental聽to your聽health and well-being.聽An expert plumber, JD Conrad, Vice President of Product Operations with聽天美传媒, a national home services provider,聽recently discussed聽some plumbing problems that, if not聽properly聽repaired,聽can threaten good health.
Leaks聽in the聽Walls or聽Inside聽Cabinets
Small聽leaks are a聽common聽plumbing聽worry.聽You'll likely first聽notice聽a water stain on聽part of the wall聽or聽feel聽moisture聽at the base of聽a cabinet.聽Both聽are聽usually聽signs聽of slow leaks and water聽accumulating聽over time. Many聽people hope to put off calling聽a plumber, not聽realizing聽that聽even minor聽leaks聽trap moisture and聽turn into聽breeding grounds for mold.
“We聽often ask聽customers how long聽it's been since the stain appeared, and聽they might say聽several聽weeks or months. Mold grows聽much more quickly聽than聽many of us聽realize,” Conrad said. “In ideal聽conditions, it聽could start reproducing聽within聽24 hours. The spores聽establish themselves聽within about a week and then the growth聽explodes.聽As the mold spreads, people聽will start聽coughing, sneezing and feeling聽unwell, and they don’t know why.”
“Moisture聽trapped in聽walls or聽in the聽cabinets can also聽be a magnet for聽unwanted聽guests,聽including rats聽or cockroaches, which聽may be carrying聽diseases,” Conrad added.
Drain Clogs聽and Sewer聽Problems
“Clogged drains听补苍诲听a leak in your聽sewer lines聽that go聽ignored聽can聽contribute to聽the聽growth聽of viruses and bacteria.聽If it gets bad enough it聽can聽even cause聽infections聽including聽E. coli, hepatitis and salmonella.聽Drain clogs聽inside the home聽are usually聽easy to spot聽and homeowners聽are more likely to聽address them聽quickly because聽such clogs聽can聽produce a聽bad smell,” Conrad explained.聽That being said, sewer lines聽several feet underground聽can be easily聽forgotten since聽they’re “out of sight, out of mind,” but聽trying to ignore it is聽a potentially dangerous聽approach.
“If聽you might have聽leaks under the聽slab, the聽issue might聽eventually聽surface.聽You'll聽smell聽a foul stench聽outside. You聽should then see that聽your聽drains are a little聽slow, even areas聽outside聽the home might have some pooling of water聽in the yard” Conrad said. “These are all聽clues聽that it’s聽time you called a professional plumber.”
Main Water Line Leaks听补苍诲听Stagnant Water Pools
The water main聽leading聽from the聽municipal system聽to your home is聽a source of聽clean聽water for聽bathing, cleaning and more.聽Over聽time,聽your water main could聽become聽seriously worn down. Tree聽roots are聽a common culprit. One of the most聽obvious聽signs of聽a main water line problem聽is聽pools of stagnant water聽in the yard.聽Any standing聽water, even from a clean water聽source, can聽encourage聽fungi, viruses and bacteria.聽A serious聽health concern聽associated with聽standing聽water is聽,聽from聽Legionella bacteria. It聽is a severe form of聽pneumonia that聽is capable of causing聽lung inflammation.
Old Lead聽Pipes
Decades聽ago, lead聽pipes were聽the most common piping material聽used聽for home plumbing. While聽using lead for piping stopped聽in 1986, there are聽approximately聽聽still聽functioning.聽The slow accumulation of lead in聽a person’s bloodstream聽eventually causes聽lead poisoning, which may be fatal or聽significantly impact聽physical and mental development聽in children.
It’s not聽uncommon聽for聽these pipes聽to聽gradually聽fail. Homeowners聽may聽see a leak in a wall.聽Other times, a pipe聽may completely rupture,聽which will result聽in a聽plumbing emergency.聽Regardless, a home with LSLs聽requires聽re-piping.
“If聽you discover that聽your home聽still has聽lead聽Pipes,聽you'll want to start聽planning聽the process of having聽them replaced,” Conrad said.
Why It's Important to Work聽with a聽Certified聽Plumbing Technician
Unlike聽HVAC systems, which homeowners聽are recommended to聽have inspected聽biannually,聽plumbing system maintenance聽is聽not as common. However,聽a periodic schedule for inspections聽will enable us to find聽leaks and clogs聽early on,聽potentially聽saving you聽from pricey聽plumbing bills in the future.聽When you're starting to believe聽the plumbing needs聽attention,聽you should try and聽schedule an appointment聽with a聽local聽Plumbing Technician聽right away.
“It’s聽a good idea聽to聽schedule plumbing inspections聽on a regular basis,” Conrad said. “You聽should also do your best at聽fixing faucet and showerhead聽drips聽quickly,聽insulating exposed pipes, and聽being more restrictive聽about what聽goes down the drains. And聽remember聽to聽keep an eye on聽your聽water pressure and聽water bill. A聽drop in pressure聽or聽a water bill spike聽usually signals聽a plumbing problem.”
Stay ahead of major repairs and keep your home safe and healthy by learning more about the 天美传媒’聽Plumbing 天美传媒听诲颈惫颈蝉颈辞苍.
