Are you aware of the fact that many Atlanta homes are dangerously exposed to lead poisoning? Many of the older homes in town still have lead pipes and fixtures in their plumbing system. The city authority has made it public that any home built before the mid 50s may still have lead pipes in their home’s plumbing system, leading to lead contamination for the residents. It is also known that some of the city homes built between the 50s and the 80s may still have some old plumbing fixtures made of lead. The only remedy for such homes is to immediately replace all their pipes and plumbing fixtures that are made from lead.

Lead is a corrosion resistant, soft, grey metal that is considered to be one of the most dangerous environment contaminants. The use of lead for water piping was started thousands of years ago by the Romans. In fact, the term plumbing has been derived from the word ‘plumbum’, the Latin word meaning lead. However, in the present day context, lead is no longer recommended for any of its previous applications such as manufacturing ceramics, paints, batteries, cosmetics, gasoline, and pipes. Lead is considered to be one of the most severe of all types of brain poisons. Lead exposure in very small proportions can cause serious harm to the development of the nervous system and the brain for young children. Some of the probable negative health impacts include liver damage, kidney problems, high blood pressure, nerve related problems, coma, convulsion, brain damage, and even death.

Now, the objective of this post is not to scare you at all. However, now you know why it is so important to replace all lead pipes and fixtures that still remain in the older homes in town. The first task in this regards is to find out whether your house has any lead made component in the plumbing system. You may consider yourself fortunate if you live in a large condo or an apartment. Any large apartment with more than three floors would require a plumbing material that is stronger than lead. All other households are advised to check their plumbing systems to be sure.

To know whether there is any lead contamination at your home, call an experienced plumber. They can carry out a simple test and let you know whether there is any need to change your pipes or fittings. In case you need a replacement, you can contact us without wasting any time because this is what we have been doing since many years. Remember that if you live in a home built before the mid 50s, water service replacement for the city owned part would be provided the city authority. The entire water line upgrade job must be carried out in coordination with the city so that both the upgrades are completed more or less at the same time. It is a great idea to install a filter because it provides you an added layer or protection.

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