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I bought a home built in 1900 and the main water service lines coming into the home are lead, and quite corroded from what is visible in the basement. Plumber said the job would cost ~$2500 to replace the lines from the street hookup to our waterpump, but that is very expensive right now and he would have to rip up our fairly redone lawn and brand new cedar fence to dig under.
We have used the Brita pitcher water filters in the past, but I read recently these are NOT good for removing lead. Does anyone have good recommendations for filters that remove lead and won't break the bank? We don't need a whole house one. Just one for cooking/drinking water. Could be pitchers, faucet, under the sink, on the counter, etc, just want something that will work well!
EDIT: We haven't got the water tested yet, but I would be surprised if there wasn't some lead in the water since the line was so corroded the plumber said he wouldn't even touch it in fear of it breaking.
So you're not worried about the pipes leaking/breaking in the near term, considering what the plumber said? You're just going to wait until you feel like you new landscaping and fence have "depreciated" enough to feel okay about fixing the pipes? At least get someone else to look at them and get the water tested before you make any big decisions for or against.
So you're not worried about the pipes leaking/breaking in the near term, considering what the plumber said? You're just going to wait until you feel like you new landscaping and fence have "depreciated" enough to feel okay about fixing the pipes? At least get someone else to look at them and get the water tested before you make any big decisions for or against.
More so that it's $2500.... Could be more based on any complications that arise. I'm not sure if they will attempt to put the fence or sod back either, so that can be another big expense on us.
Current plan now is to keep using it till it breaks! When it does we'll shut the water off at the street and get them to come in. A $100-300 water filter sounds much better than a $2500-$3500 repair.
Current plan now is to keep using it till it breaks! When it does we'll shut the water off at the street and get them to come in. A $100-300 water filter sounds much better than a $2500-$3500 repair.
Ummm.... very short sighted. Obviously you are unaware of all the water damage that can and will occur when your deteriorated pipes burst or wear through...
I can't speak to the condition of his pipes, but it sounds like they have been working OK for the past 115 years or so - so the probability that they will burst or wear through in the short term is not that high. If the pipes remain relatively undisturbed, there is not necessarily a risk from lead in the water. I had lead pipes at my last 120 year old house. We were also part of our water districts lead pipe study, and as a result had the lead levels in our house measured every 3 months for the 8 years we lived there. Our lead levels were no where near unsafe levels, ever. The reason being that over the past century, a layer of mineralization had built up on the inside of the pipe, and the water really did not come into contact with the lead. Get your water tested, and if the lead levels are OK, don't disturb the pipes and you will be fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pitt Chick
Ummm.... very short sighted. Obviously you are unaware of all the water damage that can and will occur when your deteriorated pipes burst or wear through...
I agree that lead in the water itself may not even be an issue.
However, I HAVE had lead pipes develop pinhole leaks. And the water damage, when it became visible, was fairly extensive.
The OP said the plumber evaluated the pipes, and that the plumber would not touch them as he was was afraid breakage was imminent.
That is what my comment was addressing... the fact that the OP had deteriorating pipes and would rather wait until they break instead of repairing them now.
I would look into alternative piping, rather than waiting till you can afford copper tubing. PEX is now used widely and meets code in most places. PVC is used mainly for drainage lines, not supply.
Traditional plumbers may not suggest these newer materials. But they are much less expensive, and comparatively easy for the DIYer.
One thing is certain - there is some kind of natural law that governs the situation: If someone has been in the house every day for the last 100 years, the one weekend that they all go away is when the pipes will let go.
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