As of January 4th, 2015 leaded brass products are obsolete under the No-Lead Act for potable water applications. This provides your customers with lead-free water so you need to know what has changed and what the new requirements are.
For a start, the new law has an effect on thousands of brass products. Here is a list of some of the products that have changed:
- • Copper Meter Setters and Insetters
- • Angle Stops
- • Check Valves
- • Corporation Stops
- • Backflow Valves
- • Supplies
- • Curb Stops
- • Water Heaters
- • Meter Yoke Valves
- • Indirect Tanks
- • Shower Heads
There are more but this is an example of just some of the products that are affected.
What You Need To Know
Find the answers to your questions below to see how the new law affects your business as a contractor.
- Do existing services need to be changed over to non-leaded brass parts? No. The new act doesn’t require that existing services be changed over to compliant parts.
- Why do bronze and brass products have lead in them? Lead provides filling to create cast tightness. Furthermore, it aids in soldering during the installation process.
- How do installations change with lead-free products? Overall, installation changes should be minimal. However, you may want to take special consideration in situations where you are soldering non-lead brass products.
- How do I tell if it is lead-free? While the leaded and non-leaded products will weigh and look the same, the manufacturer’s mark (an LF or NL) or cover color will be different.
- Are there any exceptions to the No-Lead law? The new law doesn’t apply to pipe fittings, pipes, fixtures, and plumbing fittings that solely for non-potable services like industrial processing, manufacturing, irrigation, and outdoor watering.
- What is the difference in the silicon used for the NIBCO Performance Bronze alloy and regular silicone? Silicon is a natural substance that strengthens copper alloys. Silicone is produced in manufacturing to make a rubberish polymer.
- Do non-lead products need to be certified by a third party? While the law has changed, there are no federal requirements set, at this time, for third-party certifications. However, there may be required certifications on the state level, as will California, for example.
While this is some information, this article does not cover a complete list of all products or a complete list of resources.
