Anyone have a good narrative for lead service piping? Internachi narratives doesn’t address lead pipes. Thanks
Lead water supply lines was still in use. Recommend replacement. More information on lead can be found here by clicking on this link, http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/lead1.cfm
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Lead water service main incoming line noted. Lead can be hazardous to your health. Safety concern Recommend having water quality tested and system evaluated by a qualified contractor. In the meantime it is recommended that water be run for a few minutes before using.
How do you know its lead?
This post is quite old (2016 / now 2023). I came by looking for a narrative on this as it is somehow STILL not included in the InterNachi narratives. How is this possible? I have my own narrative for it which is more extensive than anything suggested here, but was curious what others might say.
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“How do you know its lead?”
By the ball connection in the second photo, scratching the pipe and finding it to be soft and gray-silver as in the third photo, and it will also not be magnetic (although only steel is so that is only so helpful).
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Plumbing: Pipe entering the building. Lead.
Main domestic water supply pipe material entering the building is lead. (Red Flag item)
I keep it very simple.
Water supply pipe material was visually consistent with lead. Lead water pipe is a known health hazard and should be replaced by a qualified plumbing contractor. Testing this material or the water is outside our standard of practice.
I also provide a link: Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water | US EPA
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This post is quite old (2016 / 2023 / now 2025). Are you still getting calls from homeowners?
What are you selling?
Jeff, I’m not selling anything here. Just wondering if any InterNACHI® inspectors have been asked to do a ‘home inspection’ that determines if they have either lead or galvanized water service lines (i.e. from the property line or meter box-to-house).
A lot of East Coast homes have their water meters in the basement, so the inspection would go from the basement meter to the property line.
Home inspectors are only going to inspect the visible components. Any experienced inspector can tell that the original photo is lead. An inexperienced inspector can scrape it to figure out if it is lead. Determining the service material from the foundation to the corp would require exposing it.
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Electrical resistance testing (approved by the US EPA, Dec 2024) verifies pipe material(s), without digging or hydro-excavating.
Lead potable domestic water supply pipes/lines are a health concern.
Concern; lead particulate released into drinking water leading to lead contamination. Most notably in humans, causing brain degradation, nervous system disorders, and disorders to the blood and kidney functions.
Even without a lead domestic potable water supply pipe/limes, lead can be present in internal plumbing materials such as old solder that was used to join pipe, brass fittings in faucets and in plumbing valves.
Corrosiveness of water can inadvertently negatively influence how much lead leaches into the water.
What to look for.
Lead pipes usually/typically have a dull grayish appearance. The metal, soft.
If you think you have lead pipes or that lead solder may have been used, purchase a water filter certified to remove lead and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use.
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Thanks Robert. You are spot on. Home inspectors also need to know that visual inspection of the meter box + hose bib ≠ buried pipe material (that connects the two).
Anyone think we need an ‘underground’ House of Horrors®?
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My Pleasure, and thank you for the informative material.
Help me out, Chuck. What do you mean by an underground House of Horrors? Seeing I have never attended a House of Horrors® in person, or helped with a project therein, any answer to that question would be moot.
Robert, I see a catch-all asset category for stuff like irrigation systems, sewer connections, water service lines, water wells, etc. Anything below ground that can’t be seen, but can easily bite the homeowner or new buyer.
Being an old building permit system software provider, I loved the idea of the House of Horrors® the minute I saw it. Might need a few cool graphics.
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Thank Google, as the majority of what he posts is ‘Copy/Paste’!
Next time, save time by Googling it yourself!
Lol, You are pathetic..
I hope not. It’s a visual noninvasive inspection.
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