How to check for Lead Pipes

A bit of guidance to identify lead water pipes within your home or business:

1. If you are unsure of the make up of your drinking water supply pipes you can make a simple check:

• Inside your home

Look in or behind the cupboards in your kitchen, You may also need to look in other places, e.g. the cupboard under the stairs.

• Find the pipe leading to the kitchen tap. Check if it is lead along as much of its length as possible. Unpainted lead pipes appear dull grey. They are also soft and if they are gently scraped you will see the shiny, silver-coloured metal beneath. You can book the Lead Water Replacement Company to carry out this check for you.

• Book a lead pipe survey here

• Outside your home

Open the flap of the stop valve outside your property. Examine the pipe leading from the stop valve to the property. You should ask your water company or the Lead Water Replacement Company to carry out this check for you as in some cases as access may be difficult.

Other pipe materials in common use are:

• copper - bright, hard and dull brown

• iron - dark, very hard and may be rusty

• plastic - typically blue but if older it may be grey or black.

if you need any further advice

#Leadwaterpipes #Copperwatersupplypipes #MDPEwaterpipe #Leadpipereplacement