Lead pipe replacement

Replacing lead pipe for a customers water supply

Glasgow is famous for lead pipes.  Once the number one choice for piping for fresh water supplies to homes across the city, we now know of course that lead pipes can be bad for your health.

Most homes have had their lead pipes replaced but considering how many old homes there are in Glasgow, it is little surprise that there are still many homes that have lead pipes for their plumbing.

What a lot of people DON’T know is that while their home may have replaced its lead pipes many years ago, the water pipe that comes into the house may still be made of lead!

And that is exactly what we had this week when a customer called us because of a leaking pipe and a drop in the water pressure coming into the house.  As one of the most recommended plumbers in Glasgow, we managed to quickly trace the issue to an old lead pipe that have sprung a leak purely down to old age.  We replaced all of the lead pipe for the customer who was understandably rattled by the news that their water had come through lead pipes.  There drinking water is now safely entering the home through modern, safe piping and it is on to the next job for our plumbing team.

The dangers of lead pipes (taken from NHS Scotland)

Homes built prior to 1970 had a higher chance of using lead pipes to connect a property to the main water supply.  Lead pipes are a dull grey colour though are easy to scratch and reveal a shiny silver colour underneath.

Lead pipes can expose people top harmful levels of lead, especially in unborn babies and young children. Children absorb more lead than adults because their bones are growing.

The signs and symptoms in young children can include:

• irritability and fatigue
• loss of appetite and weight loss
• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• constipation
• hearing loss
• developmental delay and learning difficulties

Symptoms in adults can include:

• high blood pressure
• abdominal pain
• constipation
• joint and muscle pain
• pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
• headache
• miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
• fatigue
• memory loss

We replace lead water mains. Lots of houses in Glasgow still have lead pipework coming from the street into their house. Call JSL Plumbing today on 0141 406 1658 for more details.