To ensure great water flow to different parts of the house, every home owner should make sure that an adequate plumbing system is installed. A plumbing system enables people to wash their hands, take a bath, clean the dishes, water the plants, and everything else you can think of. However, having a plumbing system is not enough. It needs to be maintained. Otherwise, a lot of disastrous things might happen—including getting sick.
If you or members of your family have been experiencing different illnesses, it’s high time to check your plumbing system. There is a high chance that bacteria stuck in your unclean plumbing system are causing your family discomfort. Some people barely have time to maintain their own garden, let alone a plumbing system. Thus, if the need arises, you can look for a plumbing service in Arlington, Virginia. They can take care of the mess for you and make sure you’re safe at your own home. Likewise, they are professionals and experts in their jobs.
Common Health Issues Caused by Bad Plumbing System
Some of the many issues that stem from bad plumbing systems are indoor leaks, clogged drains, sewer gas, rust in water heaters, molds, and mildew. All of these issues post a great health risk to everyone living in your home. Some of these health issues are the following:
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is an illness that buds out of an infection and inflammation of the digestive system. This illness can be caused by parasites, viruses, bacteria, harmful chemicals, and drugs. A person can contract gastroenteritis when there is sewer backup at home, which is caused by a bad plumbing system. Sewer backup happens when something is blocking the drainage system and will not allow the dirty water to seep through the tube. Thus, with harmful water being backed up, it tends to flow back to the system and mixes with the clean water. Once someone ingests the water that has already been affected by the backup, it will cause irritation to the stomach which will soon develop into something worse.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is an inflammatory infection of the liver. It is usually caused by a virus. However, over the years, there have been a lot of discussions in studies that rats may cause hepatitis as well. This statement might be quite misleading as rats do not mainly cause the illness, but they are able to carry it around, thus the ability to infect other people—rats have been known to be responsible of the most devastating diseases around the world. This is why everyone should be careful at their own homes by keeping it clean. This goes even for your plumbing systems as rats and mice are fond of running around and staying in damp areas. Be careful about rats in your bathroom as they might be one of the causes of sewage backup and their waste might mix with clean water and result to you or your family members getting sick.
Respiratory Issues
When you don’t clean their plumbing systems, it can cause mold to grow as well as mildew. A mold is a type of fungus which lives mostly indoors and thrives in wet and damp areas. Very similar to mold, mildew is a surface fungus that grows on moist areas. While small amounts of mold and mildew are not harmful, they can do much damage when left unnoticed, especially when someone inhales the spores. Symptoms of respiratory illness caused by mold and mildew may be itchy eyes, skin irritation, frequent coughing or sneezing, severe allergy, upper and lower respiratory infection, fatigue, rashes, sinus congestion, and fever. If these symptoms are not quickly addressed, they can turn into something worse which might end up with someone in a hospital bed.
It doesn’t hurt to be aware and informed of basic plumbing techniques. Common knowledge includes how to clean your pipes and disinfect them properly and even taking care of the moldy corners of your bathroom. You can even learn how to change your outdated faucets and clean your water heaters to avoid rust. Also, you can fix your showerhead, learn about different sealing materials to avoid leaks, remove clogs, and increase your heater’s efficiency. After all, you are enjoying the comfort of your own home, and it’s only proper to know how to properly take care of it. This will keep you safe and save you from future medical bills. It’s better to address the issue right away than wait for it to get worse.
