Maintaining a healthy indoor environment is critical for a person’s health and overall well-being. One thing that plays a far bigger role in health and well-being than most people realize is a building’s plumbing, drain and sewer system. Here, we’ll explain the various ways that good plumbing can protect your health as well as how plumbing issues can negatively impact health. We’ll also provide some simple tips on ways you can help avoid plumbing issues that could lead to a health concern.

Preventing the Spread of Harmful Pathogens

One of the biggest roles modern plumbing and sewer systems play is in helping to avoid the spread of illness and disease. Human waste can potentially contain a variety of dangerous pathogens, which can quickly spread when people come into contact with raw sewage. Modern sewage and water treatment systems are essential for preventing or at least lessening the risks of that happening. In fact, they are the main reason why certain diseases like cholera have mostly been eradicated in the United States and most other industrialized countries.

In terms of how a home’s drain and sewer system can impact health, the biggest concern is if the system starts backing up. Backups most commonly occur due to a clog in the building’s sewer line, but they can also happen as a result of sewer line damage. When a sewer line is backed up, it usually results in raw sewage coming out of various drains within the building. This can then pose a serious health risk to whoever has to clean the sewage up since human feces often contain dangerous and potentially deadly bacteria like E. coli.

E. coli is one of the many different types of bacteria that make up a person’s gut biome. The strain of E. coli that lives in our large intestines is usually harmless and actually plays an important role in good health. The issue is if it gets into other parts of the body or the person’s immune system is compromised and can’t fight it off. For instance, if it got into your bloodstream such as through a small cut on your hand, you could develop sepsis and potentially die without prompt medical treatment.

The fact that human waste usually contains dangerous bacteria and viruses is one of the main reasons why regular sewer inspections and maintenance are so critical since they reduce the risk of a sewer system backing up. A sewer line that is professionally inspected and cleaned out at least yearly is far less likely to back up. It’s also important that you’re careful about what you flush down the toilet and put down your drains.

Flushing things like feminine hygiene products, paper towels and wet wipes will almost certainly cause your sewer to back up at some point. Even wipes that are marketed as flushable aren’t safe. The term flushable just refers to the fact that the wipes usually won’t clog a toilet and is mostly just a marketing term. While flushable wipes will go down the toilet, they typically don’t get flushed out of the sewer line. That means they continue building up over time until you end up with a major blockage that can potentially even cause the sewer line to break.

Facilitating Proper Cleaning and Sanitization

Another critical part of a plumbing system that plays a role in health is the water heater. Having adequate hot water is crucial for ensuring you can fully wash your hands after using the bathroom, wash your body properly, get your dishes fully clean, etc. While water heaters are important for proper cleaning and sanitization, they also have the potential to harm your health. The main concern in this regard is if the water heater temperature is set too low or if the unit has issues properly heating the water to the right temperature.

Setting a water heater to at least 120 degrees is essential for preventing bacteria and viruses from growing within the hot water tank. The biggest risk when the water temperature is below 120 degrees is that it can result in a harmful bacteria known as Legionella growing in the water. This bacterium is what’s responsible for causing Legionnaire’s disease, which is a potentially deadly form of pneumonia. You don’t even have to drink water with the bacteria for it to get inside your body. That’s because it will also be present in mist, meaning you could easily breathe it in while showering, washing your hands, doing dishes, etc.

The risk of viruses and bacteria being present within hot water is one of the many reasons why regular water heater maintenance is so important. Maintenance ensures that a water heater works properly and can heat the water to a high enough temperature that any bacteria or viruses that are present get destroyed. It also lessens the chances of your water heater breaking down to help ensure you always have hot water for all of your needs.

Ensuring Access to Clean Water

A well-maintained plumbing system is also essential for ensuring the water you drink and cook with is fully clean. Some buildings and municipal water systems have various issues that can allow contaminants to get into the water supply. This includes things like leaky water mains and old, corroded pipes. Two of the biggest concerns are if an old building still has galvanized steel or lead pipes. Either type of pipe allows lead to leach out into the water, which can cause severe health problems for anyone who drinks the contaminated water.

Even though municipal water is always treated, it can still contain a wide range of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, etc. This is one reason it is worth investing in a whole-home water filtration system. This type of system will fully filter, clean, and purify the water entering your home to remove any impurities, contaminants, germs, etc. An effective alternative to installing a whole-home filtration system is to invest in point-of-use reverse osmosis filtration systems for your kitchen and bathroom. While this type of filter will only clean the water that flows to the kitchen sink or bathroom sink, it will still ensure your drinking water, cooking water, and the water you brush your teeth with is pure.

Avoiding Mold Exposure

Annual plumbing inspections can help lessen the chances of everyone in the building being exposed to mold spores as well. An old or poorly maintained plumbing system can often end up with tiny pinhole leaks in some of its water lines. These leaks can be small enough that they go undetected for an extremely long time as a result of the water dripping out into hidden places like behind walls. The moist environment caused by the leak then creates perfect conditions for mold to start growing and sending out spores throughout the building.

Breathing in mold spores is especially problematic for anyone with allergies, asthma, COPD and other respiratory issues. If toxic black mold is growing within a building, it can create serious issues for even perfectly healthy people as a result of mold poisoning.

The fact that plumbing leaks are one of the most common causes of indoor mold growth is why you should always watch for any signs of a leak. Regular inspections are also extremely helpful since a plumber can easily determine if any part of your plumbing system is at risk of leaking.

If you need an honest, reliable and local plumber in the Indianapolis area, Hope Plumbing is the company to turn to. We work to the highest possible standards and can offer customized plumbing solutions to meet your exact needs. Whether it’s leak detection and repair, water filtration or just general maintenance, you can rest assured you’ll get the best service available when you choose Hope Plumbing. For more information or to schedule an appointment for any plumbing repairs, drain or sewer service, contact us today.

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