Identifying the Source and Testing Your Service Line

Serving Chicago, Park Ridge, Des Plaines, and the Northwestern Suburbs.

Are you concerned about lead in your drinking water? The best way to find out is to have your water tested, but there are signs you can look for to determine if you might have a lead service line.

There are several potential sources of lead in your home plumbing. 

  • Lead Service Line connecting the water main to your house.
  • Old solder in your plumbing.
  • Older brass faucets and valves.

 

How to Check Your Service Line

To check your service line, you can start by finding your water meter in the basement and look for the pipe that runs from the meter through the outside wall of your home. Lightly scratch the pipe with a key or coin (not something sharp) and if the scratch turns silver, it could be lead. If the pipe is painted, you may need to use sandpaper to reveal the metal. Finally, place a magnet on the pipe. If it sticks, the pipe is steel (lead is not magnetic).

If you are unable to see the service line, you may have to check utility records or dig it up to determine the material. Green Tech Plumbing, based in Des Plaines, IL and serving the Northwestern Suburbs of Chicago, is available 24/7 to provide a free estimate for lead service line replacement. Call 847-518-5338 or email us to get started.
 

For More Information on Lead Testing click here. 

 

Get Expert Help for Lead Service Line Replacement

Are you concerned about the presence of lead in your water supply? At Green Tech Plumbing, we are here to help you replace your outdated lead service line with a new, safe, and code-compliant option. With over a decade of experience serving the Chicago area and Northwestern Suburbs, you can count on us to handle your water service line replacement needs.

 

The Process of Replacing a Lead Service Line

Our team of skilled technicians will start by digging a trench from your property to the street to expose the lead lines. Next, we will carefully remove the old lead service line and install a new copper service line in its place. To ensure its stability, we will backfill the trench with stone and then repair the landscaping by adding soil and grass seed.

 

Protect Your Family with a Safe and Reliable Water Supply

If you have an old lead service line you want it replaced, give us a call. We've been serving the Northwestern Suburbs for more than a decade. We can help change out that water service line from Lead to Copper, type K, which meets or exceeds building codes in all fifty states.

 

Click Here To Schedule Your Appointment

 

Protect Your Family with a Safe and Reliable Water Supply

Upgrade your water supply with a lead-free option by contacting us at Green Tech Plumbing. We can help you replace your lead service line with type K copper, which meets or exceeds building codes in all fifty states. Contact us today to schedule your appointment for a water service line replacement.

 

Chicago Lead Replacement Program
The city of Chicago is offering a valuable opportunity for residential homeowners - a free permit for water line repairs! This can help save up to $3,100 on repair costs. Additionally, if your home does not already have a water meter, the city will attach a new service line to the water main and provide a free water meter. To take advantage of this offer, the request for a fee waiver must be made as a standalone and cannot be in conjunction with any home renovation or expansion projects. Don't miss out on this chance to save big on water line repairs!

To apply for Chicago's permit waiver click here.

 

Adverse Health Effects of Lead

In Children

Even low levels of lead in the blood of children can result in:

  • Behavior and learning problems
  • Lower IQ and hyperactivity
  • Slowed growth
  • Hearing problems
  • Anemia
  • In rare cases, the ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma, and even death.

In Pregnant Women

  • Reduced growth of the fetus
  • Premature birth
  • Find out more about lead's effects on pregnancy:
  • Effects of Workplace Hazards on Female Reproductive Health (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
  • Lead can also be transmitted through breast milk. Read more on lead exposure in pregnancy and lactating women (PDF) (302 pp, 4.3 MB, About PDF)

In Adults

  • Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults exposed to lead can suffer from:
  • Cardiovascular effects increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension.
  • Decreased kidney function.
  • Reproductive problems (in both men and women).