Your family’s health is obviously critical to you. You take the kids to the doctor for their check-ups, you throw out expired food, and you make sure everyone puts on sunscreen before going outside. But did you know that the plumbing in your home in Temecula, Riverside, or the rest of the Inland Empire can also be a potential source of illness? If you want to keep your family safe and healthy, these are factors in your home’s plumbing that can affect your well-being. 

Lead Pipes

The effects of lead pipes once used in plumbing are a well-documented health issue. Exposure to lead in drinking water can damage a person’s skin, hair, and nails as well as cause neurological issues like irritability, insomnia, and lowered appetite. Damaged or obsolete pipes can also have an unhealthy amount of zinc and cadmium, which come with their own hosts of health issues such as stomach pains and flu-like symptoms. If your home was built before 1986, you should have a plumber inspect your pipes and make sure that they do not pose a health hazard.

Leaks

Unfortunately, even pipes made from safe materials can develop leaks. Pipe and faucet leaks aren’t just an expensive nuisance that need to be repaired; they can also promote mold growth in your home. Mold can be a major problem for family members with asthma, cause allergic reactions, and exacerbate other types of respiratory disorders. Pipes, basements, and attics are the most common areas where leaks occur, so if your family is having respiratory issues, hiring a plumber trained in leak detection to inspect these parts of your house can be a good investment. 

Clogged Drains

A mess made by a clogged drain in your shower or kitchen sink can be relatively easy to clean up, but you will want to address the root cause of the clog as well. A clogged drain is a haven for mold, mildew, and bacteria that can lead to infections and respiratory issues, so installing traps that catch hair, food scraps, and other items before they go down the drain is important. These traps should be cleaned out weekly to ensure they don’t overflow, however. 

Hard Water

Water with high concentrations of minerals like calcium and magnesium is defined as “hard water.” Unfortunately, these minerals react to soap and shampoo by forming chemicals that coagulate and don’t dissolve in water. These coagulants can make your skin dry and itchy, as well as clog your pores and cause acne breakouts. They also pull the moisture from your hair, making it dry and frizzy, and in some extreme cases, even causing hair loss. Fortunately, water softeners exist that extract the minerals from hard water and can keep it from rever reaching your shower head. 

Rusting Water Heaters

A water heater is a critical part of your home’s plumbing system and absolutely needs to be properly maintained to stay in good working condition. Unfortunately, even the best water heaters eventually develop rust in their interiors, which can infiltrate your home’s water supply and bring bacteria and micro-organisms with it. A rusty water heater also has to work harder and consume more energy, increasing your utility bill. This makes replacing it not only a sound health decision but a financially savvy one as well. 

If you want to keep your family healthy and your plumbing running smoothly, contact the experts at ProFlo. We serve the residents of Riverside, Temecula, and the rest of the Inland Empire with faucet leak repair, pipe repair, leak detection, and other plumbing services, and we offer a 24/7 emergency service for plumbing issues that require immediate attention. With over fifteen years of experience, we’re the premier plumbing service for Southern California. If you’d like to learn more about our plumbing and HVAC services or get a free quote, call us today at (951) 404-5227.