With more Australians wanting to invest in their personal well-being, it is important to do an occasional review of lifestyle factors that could be causing poor health.

While many people are aware of the health risks associated with eating processed foods and not exercising enough, fewer people take the time necessary to understand how the home they are living in could be having a damaging impact on their well-being.

As such, today, we are going to explore one area that is not always visible to the eye—a poor plumbing system and how to rectify damage before it is too late.

Exposure to Mould

Not only is it an eyesore, but mould and mildew can do great damage to you and your family's health if left unattended. You are at particular risk if you experience cold and damp winters and live in an older or poorly-ventilated home.

Most mould infestations develop if there are serious underlying moisture problems in your home. However, it is important to note that even a little bit of moisture can cause such issues.

Poor plumbing can be one of the culprits, where bursting pipes or leaks allow moisture to get trapped in walls, ceilings, under sinks, and floors. Mould can cause allergic reactions like asthma, nausea, headaches, and skin irritation. It can even stop the organs from functioning properly.

Children, babies, seniors and those in poor health are at a greater risk as their immune systems are unable to reject the mould spores, causing inflammation.

Rather than constantly removing mould, which can be unpleasant and tiresome to do, it is best to tackle underlying plumbing issues. It may not be apparent at first, as plumbing systems can be complex, so it is best to engage a professional plumber to have a look through the house, see what the underlying causes are and apply suitable treatment.

Water Contamination

Pollutants and chemicals can enter your household's drinking supply if water is flowing in the wrong direction, which is also known as backflow. Usually caused by changes in the water pressure, contaminated water from your property can be drawn into the main water supply system if there is a:

  • High demand on the water supply, such as when several water hydrants are opened.
  • Home using higher pressure than the pressure in the mains.
  • Heavy water is used downstream, which reduces the pressure upstream.

You can detect water contamination by the smell and colour of the water running from the faucets. However, water contamination can be hidden sometimes. A new study from Macquarie University suggests that after sampling domestic water across NSW, the researchers identified 8% of water samples containing lead contaminants that exceeded those listed as acceptable in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

They concluded that while the water supply was fine, the water in some people's homes in NSW was not.

If all of this is causing you alarm, it should. Lead is well known to have harmful effects on the human body and poses greatest health risks to infants, children and pregnant women. Lead poisoning is not evident immediately, although, over time, it can inflict significant damage to a child's brain development.

A reliable plumber will be able to apply a practical long-term solution to lead in your water by ensuring you have adequate built-in backflow protection, replacing taps and providing other cost-effective solutions to protect your home and health.

Sewage System Is Not Maintained

Sewerage can be generated from your bathroom, toilet, kitchen and laundry. For a sewerage system to function effectively, all faulty (blocked, damaged, broken or worn-out) parts must be rectified as soon as they have stopped working.

Some of the usual suspects when it comes to a broken sewerage system include:

  • Uncovered or broken septic tanks that allow effluent to escape, where the nitrate can cause serious health problems for infants, such as "baby blue" syndrome and is suspected of causing miscarriages.
  • A blocked or overflowing toilet exposes children to germs and causes bacterial and viral infections such as diarrhea, gastro and hepatitis A.
  • Leach drains from septic tanks spoil the water supply as the effluent soaks through the soil and may contain pathogens, harmful chemicals and heavy metals.

Are you concerned that your plumbing systems may be adversely affecting your family's health? At Level Plumbing Canberra, we understand the dangers of an undetected breakdown in plumbing systems on personal well-being.

For your continued comfort, safety, and cleanliness, give us a call today at (02) 6188 6088.