5 Common Ways Faulty Plumbing Can Make You Sick

We all know that plumbing can be a pain. But did you know it could also make you sick? Faulty plumbing systems can cause various issues, from raw sewage to bacteria and even parasites. It's crucial to stay on top of your home's plumbing system to avoid any health hazards or costly repairs. But, before you get someone to inspect your potentially hazardous plumbing system, ensure they have public liability insurance for plumbers. Accidents do happen, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

The water we drink today comes out of our tap clean and pure, right? Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. If there's faulty plumbing, it can bring bacteria and other contaminants into your home and make you sick. Here are five common ways faulty plumbing can make you sick!

Backflow Water Pollution

When there is backpressure or back-siphoning, wastewater can pollute your clean water supply with microorganisms. When the downstream pressure exceeds the supply pressure, polluted downstream water is driven back up to your clean water supply, causing backpressure.

Cross-connection can also happen if the water pressure drops. The water pressure lowers and generates a vacuum when a water main breaks or a fire hydrant is used. Contaminants might be sucked into your pipes by this suction.

Cross-connection is not common, but it could happen if your sinks and tubs are older. For example, sometimes dishwashers and washing machines can be contaminated by dirty water from toilets, garden hoses, and swimming pools in older plumbing systems.

Mold Caused By Leaks

Mold flourishes in organic matter that is wet. It thrives in leaking roofs, basements, bathrooms, kitchens, blocked gutters, and other locations. It can cause many health difficulties, from a simple runny nose and headache to more significant problems, including asthma attacks, sinus infections, and other respiratory ailments.

Infections Caused By Poor Plumbing Installation

Your house plumbing system is a complicated and important part of your home. When it malfunctions, you might experience cross-contamination or reverse siphonage (a situation where dirty water backs up through the sink), wastewater backup into other areas in the house such as crawl spaces beneath floors which can lead to mold growth due to high moisture levels there; even leaks that result from component failure! These problems can lead to serious health risks, including infections.

To avoid these problems, always use qualified licensed plumbers to address these issues. They will assess the situation and take steps to ensure that your home is safe and healthy.

High Water Acidity

Acidic water can cause many problems for your home, including corrosion of toxic metals and staining. Keep your pH balance in check and you won't have to worry about any toxic elements getting into places where they don’t belong.

In addition to causing damage to your plumbing fixtures, high water acidity can also lead to a variety of health problems. These include bone loss, cavities, gastrointestinal issues, and heavy metal poisoning.

Pipes Made of Lead

Although lead has long been utilized in plumbing, new research has shown that it is hazardous to people. Have your plumber inspect your pipes, fittings, and fixtures to ensure that lead does not leach into your drinking water.

If you drink this contaminated water, it can potentially cause neurological problems or high blood pressure.

Final Thoughts

It's important to be proactive in maintaining your plumbing and water quality. If you suspect faulty plumbing is making you sick, your first step should be to call a plumber. You can also protect yourself by using water filters and taking precautions like running the tap for five minutes before brushing teeth or drinking anything.

Can you name any other dangers of tap water?