ATTENTION : Plumbing Problems Can Make Your Drinking Water Unhealthy

Unhealthy Drinking Water

The number one claim people make to their home owner's insurance policies is water damage. Water in the basement, flooding in the home after a storm, burst pipes...

Most simply handle the physical damage to their home. but, they forget about the effect it will have on their home's drinking water...

Water heaters can break down without warning. During the life your home, the water heater will need to be replaced many times. One of the biggest warning signs that the heater needs to be replaced is that it begins leaking When it leaks, it doesn't just empty out, but it will continue to leak because, by nature, your water heater will refill itself automatically. So, it is often leaking for a long time before you will even notice.

Sometimes home owners will not even realize there is a leak until they are standing in a few inches of water in their basement or crawl space.

Washing machine hoses also have a tendency to leak. In actuality, you should shut the valve behind your washing machine after ever use. But, almost no one ever does this. This means that water pressure on the hose is unrelenting. Cheap hoses are not meant to be used like expensive pipes that you'd use for plumbing.

Hundreds of gallons of water will flow through that washing machine over a few uses. It does not take much for the hose to break, puncture or come loose. This will lead to leaks.

How Does This Effect Your Drinking Water?

In two ways:

1. Leaking washing machine hoses lead to mold growth. The water you bathe in, wash your clothes in, or drink can easily be contaminated with mold spores.

2. Your hot water heater is leaking and refilling with dirty water. This leads to rusting and mold growth.

Literally, it will pump rusty, mold spore riddled water into your sink. You cook with that water, take showers in it and drink it. Obviously, rust and mold are not healthy to drink. If you see a discoloration in your water or notice a bad smell, chances are you are having this problem.

It is dangerous and needs to be addressed quickly by a professional plumber. Do not wait until you or your children get sick to fix the problem.

Have a plumber check your water heater for leaks and change the hoses of the washing machine often to avoid these issues.



By Steve Morris
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8740319