Hard water is one of the most common reasons why people have plumbing issues and damaged appliances. A better understanding of what hard water is and how it affects your home’s plumbing can help you determine what needs to be done.
You might wonder what hard water is.
Hard water is fresh water with a high amount of natural minerals like calcium and magnesium. When water falls from the sky, it’s just normal H2O without blending any additional minerals. But as water rolls down the hills to reach the ground, it starts to pick up debris of minerals.
Read ahead to learn why hard water can be bad for your plumbing.
How to Determine If You Have Hard Water
If you’re not sure whether you have hard water or not, start by looking at your showerhead. If you find a white chalky buildup around the faucet, you might have hard water. Another way to find out is by looking at the dishes after you run them through the dishwasher. The dishes might also have a scaly residue on them, an indicator of hard water.
How Does Hard Water Affect Plumbing?
Hard water has a major negative impact on plumbing because it instantly reacts with cleaning products.
1. Hard Water Minerals React with Soap
Hard water can create soap buildup, which can wear down appliances and fixtures much more rapidly than soft water.
The increased amount of minerals in hard water reacts with soap, inhibiting soap suds and soap scum. This means that you’re likely using more soap than required, and this buildup of minerals can affect dishes, fixtures, and clothes.
2. Mineral Buildup Can Put Pressure on Pipes
The buildup of minerals and soap can accumulate inside pipes and appliances, which can increase the stress on these fixtures. This accumulation of minerals inside fixtures can cause all sorts of plumbing problems like clogged drains, reduced water flow, and decreased efficiency.
3. The Water Heater Can Corrode
With hard water, the water heater tank can start to corrode. You might start to find scale deposits on water heaters which can shorten their life span, and your water heater might soon lose its function.
Your hard water problem can be solved by water-conditioning products or water softeners that professional plumbers can install
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