Lead pipes

[Synchrouk]

Fairly sure our new house has lead pipes for the water to the house.

Is really neccesary to replace thse, even if they are not leaking?

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Lead is known to affect the development of children under the age of 10.

It is not compulsory to get the lead out, just a very good idea.

 

[Terrywookfit]

But even if you do replace them, the incoming main is still probably lead!!

Or ASBESTOS mains in some areas!!

If you live in a soft water area it is more of a problem!!

Hard water causes a coating of lime scale on the interior of the pipes which prevents contact with lead !!

 

[ChrisR]

Contact your water supplier wo will know the Plumbosolvency in your area. If they don't they'll come and test it. If it's above EEC guidelines, you'll probably get a free eplacement, but only UP TO your boundary, as long as you make all the internal pipework comply with latest standards.

 

[tryitandsee]

I don't know if this is right (it sounded feasible to me when told to me).
When you pull/flush the loo in the morning, by the time you have got downstairs and filled your kettle for tea, the standing water in the lead supply pipe will have flushed through.

The problem I thought, was if the water stagnates in lead over long periods of time. Happy to be better informed, but most of the older period houses have lead supply pipes and I'm not aware of mass lead poisoning in this country

 

[JohnD]

it manifests itself as brain damage particularly in babies and children.

http://search.msn.co.uk/previewx.aspx?q=lead+water+pipes+brain+damage&FORM=CBPW&first=1&noredir=1

A former builder of my acquaintance has it. His brain damage is irreversible and getting worse