3 Ways Old Plumbing can Contaminate Your Home's Tap Water

Anyone who owns an older home knows there’s an endless list of things to fix. Some things break while you’re there, and some are just old and need to be replaced. 

As the old phrase goes, out of sight is often out of mind. One thing hiding out of sight may not be on your to-do, but it should be. Your older home’s pipes are likely not up to scratch. 

What does this mean? Well, the majority of Americans drink tap water regularly . This means that the water you drink, wash, and bathe in every day comes through your home’s pipes. If your pipes have problems, so will you. 

What kinds of problems can pipes have or cause? Here are three ways your old home’s plumbing can be contaminating your tap water. 

#1: Out-of-Date Materials 

If your home was built before the 1980s, you need to have your pipes looked at ASAP. Before the 1980s, copper joined with lead was the common choice. Lead is, of course, toxic. Copper can begin leaching harmful chemicals as it begins aging, too. These chemicals can range from mostly harmless to carcinogenic.

“But my house has had regular maintenance!” That might be true, but the quality of that maintenance has likely varied over the years. 

The problem with older homes like this is that there may not be good records. The plumbing industry has shifted rapidly over the past 100 years. Record-keeping has been shaky or almost non-existent at times, so it’s hard to be sure what kind of work has been done on your home. 

#2: Breaks or Breaches

The older something is, the more likely it is to break. (As you well know!) The pipes in your home are connected to those of the whole street, then city, and so on until they connect to the main water treatment plant. 

This means that whether old or new, pipes go through a lot. The water and pressure varies constantly, and of course there will always be backups. 

When old pipes are faced with some kind of back-up or pressure change, they’re more susceptible to breaking. Those breaks can cause bursts, breaches, or leakage in your home or underground. 

First off, this can cause property damage and panic. No one would like a clean flood, much less one of sewage. Besides the mess, breaks or breaches can contaminate your water by introducing harmful bacteria. If the break is smaller or connects to an under-used pipe, this can make the problem even worse. 

#3: Bacteria and Mold Growth

Breaking pipes isn’t the only way harmful bacteria can be introduced into your water system. If your pipes are old, they may be harboring bacteria from previous plumbing issues. Old materials, weakening soldering, or even a tree root breaking through the pipe can also bring bacteria or mold into your home. 

Again, when these things are in under-used sections of plumbing, they grow and spread. Eventually, this bacteria and mold growth can make its way into your drinking water or your home. 

Depending on the problem, growths can cause health issues or property damage. If you’re in doubt about your plumbing health, it’s worth getting a check. 

Keeping Your Water Clean

Old homes are endearing and important. The charm of an old home shouldn’t be ruined by something as small as bad plumbing. The good news is that, like anything else, it’s a problem that can be fixed. 

If you don’t have recent records of your home’s pipes being replaced, contact a professional . Our friendly, expert plumbers can help with old pipes or any other issues that cause your water to appear dirty.