What are the Effects of Hard Water?
Whether or not your home has hard water may not be a thing you're actively thinking about. Typically, you start thinking about hard water when you see the white-encrusted faucets or your hair starts to look dull and feel filmy.
What are the problems associated with having hard water? Let's take a look:
What is hard water?
This term refers to water that is heavily laden with a range of minerals that can damage your plumbing if left for too long. In general, hard water has a lower concentration of sodium, but it's the other minerals that you have to watch out for.Tap water is considered hard when it contains a high concentration of calcium, magnesium or other such minerals. Once the water evaporates, it leaves behind these minerals, which can leave your laundry feeling starchy or scratchy. Hard water can even make your skin itchy after bathing or washing your hands.
Common issues
Beyond the impact on your clothes or skin, there are a few key issues that hard water can inflict on your plumbing system. These minerals left behind by hard water can cause clogs in your pipes and be trouble down the road for your washing machine, dishwasher and kitchen sink. When the problem becomes especially acute, it can even shorten the lifespan of your water heater.
Thanks to lime deposits generated by hard water, it can be more challenging to clean regular kitchen appliances and even your tea kettle. Because of this difficulty, hard water is not as efficient or convenient as its softer counterpart, although each option has their pros and cons.
What's the solution?
If you live in certain areas of the country that have a higher concentration of hard water, it might be beneficial for you to invest in a water softening system. These appliances inject sodium into your water, helping to negate some of the effects. However, for homes that don't have a water softener, you will need to have your appliances serviced regularly and have a professional assess your pipes to make sure excessive clogging has not occurred.
Contact your local Roto-Rooter today for more information about how you can minimize the effects of hard water on your home's plumbing system.