When water contains a certain concentration of minerals, it’s considered “hard.” Hard and soft are designations given to water based on its mineral content. When there is a certain level of minerals, namely calcium and magnesium, it changes how the water reacts with items around it.
This change can be minor or significant, depending on the quality of the water. But either way, hard water can be detrimental to your home plumbing system. Here’s how hard water can have a negative effect on your plumbing.
Clogged Pipes
Perhaps the most significant risk to your plumbing is the potential for clogged pipes due to hard water. When hard water flows through your pipes, it leaves behind mineral deposits. Over time, these deposits gradually make your pipe smaller.
These deposits can lead to clogs or corroded pipes, both of which are preventable by treating your hard water. With hard water deposits, your pipes are more vulnerable to leaks as water pressure builds and clogs form. You may also experience reduced water pressure from the blockages in the pipe and on your fixtures.
Fixtures
Those mineral deposits can also be left behind on your plumbing fixtures. You may notice a green or while limescale around the holes on your showerhead or the aerator on your faucet. This can hinder water flow and require your fixtures to be cleaned more often. It can also wear your fixtures down faster, which means you’ll need to replace them sooner.
Hard water can also cause issues for your water-based appliances like your washing machine, dishwasher, and water heater. Hard water can create mineral buildup and wear these machines down faster than normal, which can be a costly problem.
Hands & Hair
Hard water can also negatively affect your personal cleaning habits. Not only does it cause issues for your washing machine itself, but it will also cause the clothes inside to feel stiff and dry after washing.
Hard water may also leave a film behind on your glassware when it comes out of the dishwasher. You may also notice that soap has trouble lathering, another symptom of hard water. This issue can make it hard to wash your hands and shower. Plus, the hard water can leave your hair and skin feeling dry.
Solutions
Considering how much we use water, it’s likely no surprise that hard water impacts so much of how we operate and live at home. The solution for hard water is to install a water softening device. This is different from a water purification system or general water treatment device, as it focuses only on removing minerals like calcium and magnesium to reduce limescale buildup throughout your home plumbing system.
Many people don’t realize they have hard water. It’s not harmful to drink (though it does alter the taste) or use, but it does cause a host of problems around your house. The cost of a softener is nominal compared to prematurely replacing pipes, appliances, and fixtures.
Solutions for Your Hard Water
Hard water can cause a lot of problems in your home. Luckily, the Mercy Plumbing team is highly experienced in all aspects of water treatment. Contact us today at (832) 734-9731 for more information on how we can improve your water.
