How to Avoid Buying a Faucet With High Lead Content

Did you know that kitchen and bathroom faucets are mostly made of brass (which contains LEAD) and that they are regulated commodities in the USA? If you purchase a faucet that is NOT certified you could potentially be exposing yourself and anyone else that drinks or cooks with water from that faucet to long term health problems created by ingestion of lead which is known to cause health issues and contribute to birth defects. A PROPERLY certifed faucet goes through an exhaustive array of mechanical, chemical and finish testing in order to be considered SAFE for use by the general public. Think seriously about this... How many childrens toys were recalled due to lead paint issues recently? My kids don't lick their toys or walls that may have had high lead content used in the manufacturing processes, but it is far more likely they will ingest lead from drinking water, or using water from the faucet for cooking if the faucet is not properly certified. That is why it is very important to make sure you buy a properly certified faucet

Steps

1. The first step in determining if your faucet is certified is to inspect the packaging of the product you are considering purchasing. You should look for any of the following markings on the exterior of the products packaging: IAPMO, UPC, NSF, CUPC, TUV. There are other approved regulatory agencies, but these are the most common.
   
2. If you already have a faucet installed in your kitchen, bathroom or bar area and you want to see if it is a certified product then you can check the back of the faucets spout and you should see one of the same marking as referenced above: IAPMO, UPC, NSF, CUPC, TUV. Again, these are the most common certification markings, those are the most common. NOTE: Lack of a marking does not automatically mean the product is not certified, therefore you would need to contact the manufacturer of the item and ask them if the product is truly certified.
   
3. Another quick way to see if you have a good quality product (not necessarily certified)is to look at the aerator assembly on the spout of the faucet. The aerator is the part of the faucet where the water actually comes out of the spout. Usually the aerator has a screen in it to filter out any particles before final use. The aerator should have the letters ASTM.118.1.1 on the aerator assembly to show that it is compliant with water conservation requirements.
   

Tips

• You should only buy CERTIFIED kitchen and bathroom faucets.
  
• You can look up a faucet certification on the following website: http://pld.iapmo.org/
  
• If you have doubts about the certification of your product ask the manufacturer.
  
• Do NOT buy uncertified faucets, it's not against the law to, the final decision rests with you.
  
• Write to your legislature about banning un-certified products that are sold in the USA.
  
• Ask the seller if the product is certified BEFORE you commit to buy, if you are buying online.
  
• Remember, you get what you pay for!
  
• There's a reason the decorative faucet online is less than the brand name style and design.
  

Warnings

• Buying a(n) uncertified faucet can lead to long term health issues due to ingestion of lead.
  
• Children are more susceptible to issues realating to ingestion of lead.
  
• Lead can cause birth defects.
  
• Purchasing faucets that are not certified can result in the denial of an insurance claim if the product causing the damage is found to be defective and un-certified.
  
• Most of the "imported faucets" sold on the internet are not certified and are potentially dangerous from a health and safety perspective.
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.iapmo.org/Pages/splash.aspx
  
• http://www.iapmortl.org/Pages/LabCapabilities.aspx
  
• http://pld.iapmo.org/
  
• http://www.nsf.org/
  
• http://www.nsf.org/consumer/
  

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