Plumbing. It has probably saved more lives than almost any other discipline developed since ancient times. Yes, really – proper plumbing means clean drinking water for an entire population. Also leading to the massive reduction of water-borne diseases which, in pre-plumbing times, literally led to the deaths of millions.
Of course, for just as long as plumbing has been around, plumbing problems have also been an issue. Plumbing is not just installed and then works from then on. Far from it – just as much as plumbing itself has been life saver throughout history, so too have plumbers.
Even today though, many homeowners go on with plumbing issues indefinitely, drink substandard water as a result and, sometimes, even put their health in danger by letting a plumbing problem go neglected.
Why You Should be Concerned About Your Plumbing
If you own a home, you ought to be both knowledgeable and constantly concerned about your plumbing.
Most plumbing problems will require expertise to fix, but they do not require expertise to identify, and you will only have the expertise of a plumber to hand if you correctly identify a plumbing problem and know to call them in.
Real estate broker CityHome Collective say that they advise all their clientsselling a home on the property marketto fix plumbing issues ahead of doing so. Moreover, they also advise all buyers that a plumbing issue is one of the major red flags that should lead to a pass on the property. This is simply because a plumbing issue means significant costs after the property has been sold, and no buyer wants that.
The Danger of Lead Plumbing
You might have heard of a well-known story from that early society that practiced extensive municipal plumbing, the Romans. The story goes that, during the reign of the firstEmperor Augustus, there was a mass outbreak of what the Roman’s simply called “madness”but which we now identify today as the effects of lead poisoning.
Continued and extensive exposure to lead can lead to many mental health issues, and we now know that this outbreak of madness in ancient Rome was indeed down to the lead they used intheir pipes. Amazingly,lead was used in the plumbing of homes in America right up until the 1980s, and many homes built before then still have lead plumbing! If this is your situation, you should seriously consider addressing the problem.
Other Plumbing Issues
Nevertheless, there are other plumbing issues besides lead contamination. Here follows a few tell-tale signs of plumbing issues and what each indicates:
Dripping Faucets
Ensuring you have turned them all off properly, a faucet that continues to drip could be an indication that you have a problem with the valves in the plumbing. This is best seen toas it can seriously hike your energy bills.
Screeching Sounds
Screeching sounds when you turn a plumbing fixture is usually an indication that you have air in the pipes. This is bad for water flow and pressure. When you hear this, call the plumber.
Poor Water Pressure
This can be a symptom of plumbing issuesand a cause of further problems down the line. There are actually many different potential causes of low water pressure, but in all casesthis is best seen to sooner rather than later.
So, this is a good span of the most common plumbing issues. For comfort in your home, as well as the maintenance of your health, it is best to see to these problems the moment you notice the indications.
