subject: Lead Free Brass - The Advantages Of Switching [print this page] You don't have to be a utility company or a plumbing business to worry about what's going in the water. Homeowners and families of every stripe want to know what is coming out of the tap, owing much to booming industries of filtering and bottled water. But no matter how much filtering is done to the water, you can't necessarily get out every chemical leeched there by unsafe metals. This is one reason why experts in the industry and, increasingly, lawmakers are advising a switchover to lead free brass when it comes to plumbing components. Here are some of the advantages such a switch can offer.
Safe Metal
There was a time when we didn't think of metal as something that could hurt us, save being clonked over the head with a steel pipe. Today, we know better. Those same metal pipes and fittings used to transport water to our homes could be poisoning us at the same time. Lead free brass offers an advantage over traditional fittings and the reason why is all in the name. Numerous studies have shown what this particular metal can do to our bodies when we are exposed to excess levels. As a parent, you've likely taken steps to make sure your children's toys and the house paint is free of it; it is time to do the same for your water.
Dangers
Switching to lead free brass is about reducing the dangers that can come with using materials that use lead as their primary element. Children and the unborn are particularly susceptible to the risks. As a parent, you must do everything in your power to protect your children from hidden and unseen dangers. As a utility company, you have a responsibility to the community to make sure your water is safe to drink and bathe in. As a plumber, you can take the extra step that ensures that you do no harm when you enter a home.
Leeching
While we've known for some time that snacking on paint chips is a first class ticket to some big problems, it is only recently that we've become fully aware of the dangers behind metal leeching into the water we drink. It can be just as harmful, if less acute in its insidiousness. While drinking water distributed through leaden pipes may not send you directly to the hospital, it could have mounting health effects over a longer period of time. By switching to lead free brass, you are removing these dangers from your home and from the homes of your customers.
