The Dangers Of Polybutylene, Galvanized Steel, & Lead Pipes
Was your home built before the 90s? If so, your plumbing pipes might be made of dangerous materials. Some of them can cause problems like water damage and leaks, but others can cause more risky issues related to health, especially in children.
A California repiping company will offer more information about three of the worst plumbing pipe materials that you can still find in U.S. homes. Take note of their dangers so that you can decide the best solution for them.
Galvanized Steel Pipes & Their Dangers
Galvanized steel pipes were very popular before the 1960s, so if your house was built before that decade, there’s a high chance of galvanized pipe in its infrastructure.
This material is made of steel coated with zinc to avoid rusting. It was functional in the past, but now it has more risks than benefits.
Galvanized steel pipes fail when their zinc coating corrodes. This failure allows the interior walls of the house to rust and expand calcium deposits. It also restricts water flow, increasing water pressure on the walls. As a result, the walls of your house could collapse or break, causing a leak.
How Can I Know If I Have Galvanized Steel Pipes At Home?
As we previously mentioned, if your house was built before the 60s, it might have galvanized steel pipes. A sign of having them is having notorious decay around the pipe joints. You may need help with a Los Angeles repiping plumber to certainly know if you have this type of pipe.
It’s difficult to tell how far gone one of the galvanized pipes is by looking at its exterior. However, their average life is 40 to 50 years, so if you have not already replaced the galvanized steel pipes, then you may already be experiencing water quality problems, mostly with pressure.
Polybutylene Pipes & Their Dangers
Polybutylene was extremely popular between the 70s and the mid-90s. Over 10 million U.S. structures decided to have ‘poly’ piping in the interior walls. It was popular because of its cost; it was much cheaper than other piping materials.
Sadly, this piping material had a flaw that caused millions of dollars in water issues. If you have this material in your house, you may suffer water damage as well.
The flaw that caused such a millionaire loss was chlorine and its interaction with polybutylene. You may not know it, but public water treatment plants add several disinfectants to purify water, including chlorine. When this chlorine is treated, municipal water touches polybutylene piping, and it gets weak and leak-prone.
Some San Diego repiping systems are still having issues with polybutylene, and as you can guess, most of them are related to leaking.
Polybutylene piping failure became quite common years ago, which is why it led to many class-action lawsuits, including the famous case of Cox vs. Shell Oil.
Lead Steel Pipes & Their Dangers
Any repiping plumber in Oceanside knows the risk involved in having lead steel pipes. They have a much more serious threat because lead is a toxic material, and it can be lethal when ingested. If your house contains lead piping, you may end up having poison in your drinking water.
Lead poisoning is a serious issue, especially with children. The Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there are many documented adverse effects of lead poisoning on minors’ health. They can suffer damage to their central nervous system and their brains, resulting in issues with development behavior, speech, and learning.
How Can I Know If I Have Lead Steel Piping At Home?
The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes and fixtures. This material enters the water because of corrosion, so it may make your water very acidic.
You will know you own lead pipes when seeing them, as they are notorious for their dark gray color. Nevertheless, it’s always better to contact a repiping plumber to inspect the pipes and know if they are made of lead.
Contact a California Repiping Plumber
Now that you know the dangers related to these pipe materials, it’s time to contact Integrity Repipe and get your pipes properly inspected. If you have higher water bills, low water pressure, or your water tastes bad, contact Integrity Repipe to get professional and reliable help.
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
Integrity Repipe Inc – San Clemente, CA
927 Calle Negocio Suite O
San Clemente, CA 92673
Phone: 949-397-2404
Website: integrityrepipe.com/san-clemente
Integrity Repipe Inc – Long Beach, CA
2201 N Lakewood Blvd, Ste D #297
Long Beach, CA 90815
Phone: 562-362-5040
Website: integrityrepipe.com/long-beach
Integrity Repipe Inc – Chula Vista, CA
591 Telegraph Canyon Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: 619-313-5744
Website: integrityrepipe.com/chula-vista
Integrity Repipe Inc – Ladera Ranch, CA
27762 Antonio Parkway L1
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Phone: 949-397-2795
Website: integrityrepipe.com/ladera-ranch
Integrity Repipe Inc – Lakeside, CA
8337 Winter Gardens Boulevard
Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: 619-494-3507
Website: integrityrepipe.com/lakeside
Integrity Repipe Inc – Aliso Viejo, CA
27068 La Paz Rd #771
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Phone: 949-449-1142
Website: integrityrepiping.com/aliso-viejo-repipe-copper-pex-ca
Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
Website: integrityrepiping.com/oceanside-repipe-copper-pex
Integrity Repipe Inc – Porter Ranch, CA
19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
Website: integrityrepiping.com/porter-ranch/