Plumbing affects health? Linking your house’s plumbing to your personal health may not be what comes to most homeowners’ minds, but it should. The quality of your plumbing affects the quality of your health. Over time your plumbing can wear down due to use and weather conditions, which require watching out for potential problems, or replacing a few pipes if necessary. If you have some damaged plumbing, it’s important to have a plumber fix the problem right away as your health is at stake.
How Your Plumbing Affects Health
Homeowners use plumbing on a regular basis, whether it’s to cook, wash, or bathe. The quality of your plumbing affects health. The quality of your plumbing affects your water quality. A damaged water heater, for example, can rust on the inside, and that rust can leak into your drinking water. Damaged pipes or sewer lines can result in backed up sewage which is toxic to touch and spread diseases. Leaky pipes or roofs can create tripping hazards. There are several hazards that are caused by damaged plumbing. Here are three ways in which your home’s plumbing directly affects your health.
- Leaks create mold. One of the most common problems with damaged plumbing is a water leak. A leaking pipe cause more problems than just unseemly water damage, but the growth of mold. Mold and mildew grow when there is enough humidity and excess moisture, and they are toxic to breathe in. Health problems caused by mold can start off irritating, such as nasal congestion or a few sneezing fits. If any mold in your house is left untreated, however, it can lead to some serious health problems, especially for people with compromised immune systems or a chronic lung illness. If you smell something foul or musty, it could be mold and should be treated right away. Always inspect your home for any potential leaks as that can lead to mold growth. Check your floors, walls, and ceilings for any warped, bubbled, or discolored spots.
- Toxins can leak into your drinking water. Your plumbing affects your water, including the water you use to drink and cook. Your local municipality treats your water well enough, but they don’t prevent every contaminant from leaking into your tap water such as chlorine and lead. Installing a water filtration system to your plumbing ensures you’re drinking cleaner, healthier water, without the harmful contaminants. The chemicals, minerals, and heavy metals found in your houses tap water can also cause damage to your plumbing over time. Installing a water filtration system protects your health and plumbing. Damaged plumbing can also leak things like sediment, rust, and sewage into your drinking water, none of which are healthy to consume.
- Hard water can irritate the skin. Depending on where you live, your house may run on hard water, which not only takes a toll on your water heater but your skin. Hard water contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which make it difficult for the running water to form a solution with the soap, leaving behind a soapy, scummy residue on your skin. Instead of enjoying a nice lather, hard water causes soap scum to build upon your skin and clog pores, causing blemishes and zits. Hard water can also strip the moisture out of your skin and prevent the natural oils from retaining moisture in your skin. Luckily you can prevent dry and irritated skin by installing a water softener, which works by replacing the harmful minerals inside your water with something else, usually sodium.
How You Can Protect Yourself and Your Plumbing
Fixing an issue early is the best way to keep your plumbing working as it should be and that means a healthier lifestyle. Your plumbing, however, is complicated, and if it needs a repair, that’s best to be left for a licensed plumber. Luckily there are plenty of tricks that should be up every homeowner’s sleeve to ensure your house has functioning plumbing. Here’s what you can do.
- Avoid pouring greases, oils, and fats down your drain.
- Routinely clean and clear your sewer line.
- Use drain strainers to catch food waste, hair, and soap scum.
- Avoid using chemical drain cleaners.
- Don’t flush anything other than toilet paper down the toilet.
- Annually flush your water heater.
Take Care of Yourself by Protecting Your Plumbing
Your health is important, but so is your plumbing, and that means routine care and maintenance. Damaged plumbing causes much more problems than expensive repairs and higher utility bills, such as dangerous safety and health hazards. Take care of yourself by taking care of your plumbing. Don’t wait until the pipes burst, schedule an inspection with a licensed plumber today.
Call Rebmann Plumbing today for more information on how plumbing affects health!
