Hard Water: Hard on Plumbing

Hard water occurs naturally, but has some harmful effects on your household. We all know that hard water clings to our appliances making it a nightmare to clean. But did you know that hard water can be hard on your skin, hair, clothes, and even your plumbing?

 

What is Hard Water

Hard water is caused by high amounts of the natural minerals, calcium and magnesium. These minerals are perfectly safe to drink, but not so safe for all your expensive appliances and fixtures. These minerals are absorbed from the earth into the water in aquifer systems. Soft water has reduced levels of calcium and magnesium. The term ‘hard’ is simply referring to the high concentration of minerals, but it should be referring to how hard it is to scrub away.

 

Hard Water’s Harmful Effects

  • Dries out skin and hair
  • Wears out clothes
  • Worsens soap scum
  • Clean dishes appear dirty
  • Restricted water flow
  • Increased risk of clogged pipes
  • Wears down appliances
  • Overall decreased efficiency of plumbing

The minerals in hard water cling to appliances and plumbing. To make it worse, the minerals also react with many cleaning products and soap. This is what makes cleaning so difficult, hard water creates soap scum and residue. The residue goes unnoticed on the interiors of appliances and pipes. Without treating the effects of hard water, your plumbing really suffers.

 

Solutions

There are many different cleaning solutions and techniques to keep appliances sparkling, but the interiors are trickier. Replacing simple fixtures periodically and using drain cleaners can slow the buildup. However, your best option is to invest in a water softener. By saving all your other appliances and fixtures, a water softener essentially pays for itself!

 

A Pro Plumbing is your real solution. We make water softener installation quick and painless. We can also do a thorough inspection of all your pipes to gauge the damage and protect you from future problems. Contact us today with any questions and request your appointment online!