Brass fittings contain lead?

mtk369

I got most of the (Sharkbite) fittings for my bathroom remodel. Then I later found out on their site that the fittings come in normal and lead-free versions, and it turns out that the ones I got are NOT lead-free.

Is it OK to use fittings with lead in them for potable water?

TheEplumber

This thread might help
Carcinogens in brass fittings?

mtk369

Does the lead dissolve into the water?

Newberry Spring

Be thankful that you have the regular fittings. I live in California and all that is sold here are the lead free fittings. I may need to acquire my fittings from out-of-state.

There is basically no health difference between the two types. Lead pipes could be a factor, but your fittings are only inches in length and are basically brass. Lead is only used in the fixtures as a hardening element for the brass. Lead free fixtures are not as strong, and you want the strongest fixtures possible when they are placed behind walls.

So don't be alarmed. You've got the best better product.

Alan

We need to take all of the safety nazis, put them in their little bubble that they want the whole world to be in, and then push it out into space.



I'm tired of lead free.

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Journeyman Plumber

TheEplumber

Throw the Lobbyists in with 'em

joecaption

You now have to have a special licence to even work on any wood work in a home older then 1970 home, All lead has been removed from solder and plumbing parts. Now be honest, have you every once heard of anyone you know have lead poisioning?
Lead was used in all solder joints for about 30 years, ever once heard of anyone getting sick from it?

ActionDan

Yes, SharkBite fittings can be used for potable water. The amount of lead in the fittings is minimal, and the new lead free fittings still contain lead as well, just at the most 0.25%. Plus the SharkBite fittings are ASSE 1061 and NSF 61 certified for potable water. I think eventually all SharkBite fittings will transition to Lead Free, but currently the Lead Free ones are being made for California and Vermont and anywhere else that has more strict plumbing codes.

Daniel Holzman

Lead poisoning was and remains fairly common, and very serious. Most lead poisoning is associated with children eating lead paint and lead containing varnish, because the paint and varnish apparently have a somewhat sweet taste which is attractive to small children who crawl about on the floor. Lead poisoning is certainly not new, in fact the men of the Franklin expedition some 200 years ago likely died from lead poisoning from eating food from lead sealed cans.

That said, you are most unlikely to get lead poisoning from a small amount of lead in a brass fitting, although the lead can definitely leach into the water over time. By the way, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, lead is not an essential part of it, but as was pointed out by another poster, is used to harden the alloy.

Wildie

As a child, I grew up in an area that was serviced by a lead water main. That main is still in service today and is likely 100 years old.
I drank water supplied by that main for 15 years and am still here, 60 years later.

Daniel Holzman

Lead poisoning, unless extremely severe, does not cause death. It does cause the following symptoms in adults (from the Mayo Clinic)

Symptoms in adults
Although children are primarily at risk, lead poisoning is also dangerous for adults. Signs and symptoms in adults may include:

• High blood pressure
• Declines in mental functioning
• Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
• Muscular weakness
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Memory loss
• Mood disorders
• Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
• Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women

So we get that you are still alive, but perhaps some of the above still apply?

ddawg16

If you think lead is bad, you should see what the dihydrogen Oxide in the water does to you....

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md2lgyk

Yes, and we used to play with Mercury in science class too. Nowadays, somebody drops a thermometer, the building is evacuated. What nonsense. The only lead poisoning to be concerned about is being shot.

Wildie

Well, I have most of these symptoms! Especially the mental functioning. Here I was thinking it was from old age!

pyper

Most people over a certain age have it to some degree. This is one factor in why people are smarter today -- exposure to lead impacts a person's intelligence.

But I heard a health official talk about this on the radio once, and what they said made good sense. Back then (before 1970, say), lead was everywhere, and it was a serious problem and there were negative consequences broadly in the population. Then we got serious and got rid of most of the environmental lead quickly. But here's the deal -- lead is easy to measure. Therefore, this person said, we continue to fixate on it, instead of looking to other areas where measurement was not as easy but problems were much worse.