lead pipes health problems

[seediy]

A guy was telling me the other day that he was working on a house where all the plumbing was in lead pipe must be over 100years old ,are there unforseen health problems when all their drinking waters is supplied in lead pipes? i was reading on another post about plumbers years ago suffering from mental health problems because they worked with lead a lot is this true.

 

[dextrous]

Old lead pipes are reasonably safe to use (ie drink from) as they will have developed a coating of limescale internally- otherwise we'd all be mad and dead a lot younger.

Plumbers (who incidentally as you probably know get their name from plumbum - the chemical name for lead) would have become ill through ingestion of lead through contact, and inhalation the fumes emitted whilst melting it.

 

[spikebmth]

its advised that any lead found on the drinking water system is removed, and of course only lead free solder can be used on drinking supplies.

 

[neds]

As said the old lead pipes are lined with Patina over time so pretty safe. Its when the pipes are disturbed is when problems can occur. Also anyone who is in close contact with lead needs to have regular blood tests to make sure, my OH nurse pointed out every 6 months! although I doubt I will be doing much lead work in the near future.

 

[seediy]

Thanksguys no i did not know how plumbers got their title from very interesting thanks again have a nice day.

 

[JohnD]

the lead pipes may not do much harm when you drink water out of them (assuming you are in a hard, not a soft water area), but builders and plumbers who have worked with it (and burning off lead paint) may suffer damage. I know a retired builder of about 65 whose memory went in the last 5 years, the hospital thinks it was brain damage from working with lead, he is now mentally like a man of 85 and has to be led around by his wife as he is not safe in the street and can't find his way home

 

[Nige F]

A guy was telling me the other day that he was working on a house where all the plumbing was in lead pipe must be over 100years old ,are there unforseen health problems when all their drinking waters is supplied in lead pipes? i was reading on another post about plumbers years ago suffering from mental health problems because they worked with lead a lot is this true.

I`m afraid it is but Care in the Community isn`t too bad now.