“Hard water” is water with a high amount, then build-up of, minerals. It typically has too much calcium and magnesium in it. These mineral build-ups are very tough to remove. What you are able to see is only part of it. There are likely more deposits, residue and build-up inside your home’s plumbing and on fixtures. It can block pipes, drains and other components in your plumbing. It can make your water smell and taste off.
Hard water can be present in hot and cold water. The issue is usually worse or causes more of an impact in hot water. Heating water evaporates it more but minerals do not evaporate, therefore are more concentrated in your water. Fixtures which run hot water more often can have deposits and mess build faster. Hard water can have numerous impacts on fixtures and plumbing parts in your home.
Poor Water Quality
You and your family need clean water for so much in your house. Food, drinking, laundry, bathrooms and more appliances and uses depend on water being safe and clean. Hard water is almost always safe, but it may not be the water you want for consuming and cleaning. Minerals can wear on appliances and fixtures. It can leave clean clothes not really clean. It can leave residue on dishes in a dishwasher. Water quality is very important to your family.
A water filtration system which gives you steady, reliable soft water can be a great decision for all the ways you and your family use water.
Poor Water Flow
Is there a faucet that has poor, slow water pressure no matter what you do with valves and other fixtures? It could be hard water and deposits. Hard water can effect how water drains and how it travels to all the fixtures. When you get layers or build-ups of minerals, it slows the pipes and creates poor water pressure.
Clogged Drains
Minerals in hard water can be on the top of a drain and down inside a drain. Even if you keep the surface of the drain clean and clear, it’s not doing much to stop the impact of hard water over time. Each time water runs down the drain, minerals can attack to the inside of drains and pipes. It can get to the point of a clog.
Corrosion to Metal
Minerals can corrode and wear metal, which means plumbing pipes and parts especially in older systems and older homes. Minerals can actually break down, and through, metal over the span of years. This leads to breaks, cracks and leaks. The rust and corrosion can cause discolored, bad-tasting water. Especially in older homes, it’s important to have a pro check pipes and metal components regularly. Hard water might mean you need to replace parts more often. Corrosion can happen on appliances and the visible parts of fixtures, too.
Energy Usage
Hard water and build-up in fixtures can decrease the efficiency of all of your plumbing, appliances and energy usage and this costs more money.
For instance, if you need to run laundry or dishes again, it’s more energy used and more wear on the big appliances. Some new,
more high-tech appliances have sensors which sense when a load is clean. The machine is trying to be energy efficient but residue on clothes or dishes will make the sensor say “dirty” and keep running.
Wear Over Time
Hard water minerals can accumulate on fixtures, pipes, drains and jets in an appliance. This stops water flow from circulating as it should. These deposits also wear the plumbing parts faster. Water can collect in parts of pipes or appliances. Along with the hard water itself, mold and other substances can gather and stay on or inside fixtures. Components corrode and need to be repaired or replaced sooner. Appliances might need to be replaced sooner than you’d like. Sometimes, the span of an appliance can be cut by years just because of hard water. If you switch to soft water or have a filtration system to give your home soft water it can give you significant savings over time.
Warranties
It’s possible hard water can void a warranty on an appliance. Companies give warranties but they are made to cover only problems or repairs from what the company considers normal use of the appliance or product. A manufacturer might claim deposits or corrosion from hard water means you failed to maintain the appliance, so it’s no longer normal use and the warranty is invalidated. Even if there’s a normal problem or defect which has nothing to do with hard water or minerals, you could face the major headache of denied claims and voided warranty coverage.
Water Heater Wear or Failure
Your home water heater is a major appliance and system to itself. While washing machines, dishwashers and showers depend on the water heater, the heater and tank itself can wear more over time because of hard water. This will raise utility bills in time and could mean you’re dealing with repairs or replacement of the water heater years sooner than you’d expect. Running soft water for as much of your plumbing as possible can be a significant energy bill saver. Water heaters average a lifespan of 15-20 years. Mineral build-up and wear due to hard water may cut this by a number of years.
South End Water Filtration specializes in HALO Water Filter products including the HALO H2 Zero Whole Home Water Filter. HALO systems solve hard water problems, give your family clear, great-tasting water and are totally maintenance free. We’re just a click away to help and answer any questions. South End Plumbing and South End Water Filtration will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-486-1988 or contact us online to schedule a visit.