What Kind Of Pipes Do You Have In Your Home?

When plumbing was first installed in houses, lead pipes were used. Lead was available, durable, and seemed like a good option at the time. We now know differently. Newer materials are being used in new constructions, but we are still figuring things out as we go along building new houses. Cardigan Kitchens stays on top of the latest pipe trends and is sure to install safe piping in your house for your whole family to enjoy.

Lead Pipes

In Latin, the word for plumbing is plumbum. That literally means lead pipes. Lead was picked because it is very sturdy and resists any type of hole, big or small. You’d have to do a lot of damage to a lead pipe to get it to leak, and that’s all they knew hundreds of years ago. Now we’ve learned that lead pipes in homes can actually poison people. Chances are, if your home was built prior to 1980, you still may have some lead left in your pipes. Some major cities even still receive their water through 100% lead piping. This is alarming. A filter can be installed to make sure that none of the lead is making it through the system and into your family.

Brass

Brass pipes started replacing the lead pipes as time went on. But there can still be traces of lead in these pipes where they were soldered together. As the years go on, there are brass alloys that have been found to be lead free that make a much safer pipeline than plain lead. The aim is to get no lead in your drinking water, but the least amount possible is still better than full lead pipes.

Copper Pipes

Copper pipes started to be installed in houses as a lead-free options about 20-25 years ago. But things like the acidity of the water and time were not taken into consideration either. There was a bath of copper pipes that came to the US around the year 2004 that were installed in houses and are now causing big problems. They were made in China and can cause all sorts of plumbing problems for the home owner.

Back Ups

If the pipes aren’t running clearly, they start to back up. If residue starts to build up in a pipe line, you are just waiting for disaster to strike. It is important to make sure your pipes are well maintained and in good shape. If you haven’t had the water in your home tested recently, and you haven’t had the pipes inspected, now might be the time.

If you are looking to have the pipes in your house checked, or if you need to do some replacement work, Cardigan Kitchens is the place to call. We can have you back up and running again in no problem for any of your plumbing needs. Give us a call today so we can get you started with a free consultation.