Why buy new furniture if you can improve the old furniture? When you invest in good quality furniture, you don’t have to throw it away as soon as the fabric starts to fade. With reupholstering and refinishing, your old furniture can look as good as new. I revitalize my old furniture all the time. If you want to stop thinking of your expensive furniture as disposable and start thinking of it as something that you can periodically improve, you’re on the right track. I started this blog to provide you with tips and tricks for reupholstering, refinishing, and upgrading your old furniture.
Lead is a type of metal, and for thousands of years, it was the material of choice for plumbing systems. It's easy to bend while also being resistant to leaks, so it seemed perfect for making pipes and pipe fittings. More recently, it's been discovered that lead isn't so great, after all, and is actually toxic. Many American homes have lead in their plumbing systems, which can make the water dangerous. Here's what you need to know about lead contamination in your home's water supply.
Do all homes have lead in their plumbing systems?
Lead was in use for a long time, and it wasn't until 1986 that the American government started regulating the amount of lead that could be present in pipes and pipe fittings. Under this law, pipes can't contain more than 8% lead, and pipe fittings can't contain more than 0.2% lead. If your home was built before this law took effect, your pipes could be made out of solid lead.
How do you know if you have lead pipes?
You can inspect your home for signs of lead pipes. The best spot to check is underneath your sinks. If the pipes are made of lead, they'll be a dull
The main water supply pipe can also be made of lead. You can ask your city or
How do lead pipes contaminate your water?
Over the years, metal starts to break down. It gets rusty and weak, and pieces of it start to flake off. This happens to the insides of lead or lead-containing pipes, releasing lead particles into your water.
How do you know if your water is contaminated?
If your water is contaminated with lead, it won't taste different or bad. You can't assume that your water is safe to drink just because it tastes fine. Lead contaminated water also doesn't look or smell any different than safe water does. The only way to know if your water is contaminated with lead is to have it tested.
Lead used to be a common material in plumbing materials, so if you live in an older house, you might have lead pipes. Get your water tested for lead contamination, and if necessary, have a plumber replace the pipes in your home with new, safer options. To find out more about plumbing, contact a company like Rakeman Plumbing.
Share5 May 2015
