Whether it’s from the municipal water supply or a well, most standard homes these days use hard water. Water is considered “hard water” when it contains a high level of minerals such as magnesium or calcium. Although this shouldn’t be a concern when it comes to your health, it can change the taste of your water in an unfavorable manor as well as creating issues for your plumbing system.
What are some common problems of hard water?
There are many problems that can be caused by hard water. The minerals in hard water cause a reaction to substances like soap and cleaning products that often leave residue. Here are some other common problems caused by hard water:
- Scale deposit which can reduce the life of your water heater.
- Trouble washing off the soap and/or shampoo. It can cause hair and skin to feel dry.
- Increases wear on clothes while washing. This can be less effective in washing clothing.
- Spot deposits on dishes and glasses cleaned in the dishwasher.
- Mineral build-up around bathroom fixtures and sinks.
- Damage to appliances that use water like coffee makers and ice makers.
What effects can hard water have on your plumbing?
The high levels of calcium in hard water can cause ongoing issues in your plumbing. If you look around the outside of your fixtures, you may be able to see hard water “stains”. This is calcium build up. What you cannot see is the amount of buildup that is happening within your pipes. If gone unchecked, calcium can build up over time and cause the pipes to narrow. This can cause a lack of water pressure in your showers and faucets. If it continues to go unchecked, you can even develop a clog within the pipe. Mineral deposits can also increase stress on your pipes, causing them to wear down faster and operate less efficiently.
What can you do to prevent hard water build-up in pipes?
Testing: The first thing you can do a test for hard water. You can either contact your water provider and request your water to be tested or go for the low-tech way. Take a cup of water, put a small amount of dish soap in, and shake it up. If it does not produce a lot of suds, chances are you have hard water.
Install a water softener: There are four different types of water softeners: Reverse osmosis, magnetic, Ion exchange, and salt-free.
Reverse osmosis softeners: This softener removes up to 98% of impurities by using pressure to remove them through a semi-permeable membrane.
Magnetic softener: This system uses magnets either in or around your water pipes which create a magnetic field that alters the water. A major downside to this system is water will return to a hard stage within 48 hours after leaving the magnetic field.
Ion- exchange system: Water that enters the home will go through a resin bed, which removes the hard ions such as calcium and magnesium and ad soft ions like sodium or potassium. This will “soften” the water. There is maintenance that is required for this water softener. Once the bed is filled with hardened minerals, it needs to be cleaned out and the salt needs to be replaced.
Salt-free descaling softener: This is the preferred system among consumers as it does not use any chemicals to soften the water. This system changes the structure of the molecules from scaling to non-scaling. This new structure of molecules can affect the existing mineral build-up within your pipes, causing the plumbing system to de-scale. This system addresses some major drawbacks that the Ion- exchange system has. The water doesn’t feel slippery like a salt softener does. This system requires less maintenance than an ion-exchange since it does not require salt to be replaced. Since there is no regeneration cycle, water is not wasted. You are not introducing chemicals into the wastewater system or your drinking water and the best part of all is you do not need electricity to run this system.
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