People are concerned about the quality of the water coming into their homes. Although most people think of the possible health problems from poor water quality due to lead, pesticides, and heavy metals, a more common problem is with hard water, which is found frequently in Southern California. Hard water isn’t harmful to drink, but it creates serious troubles in the plumbing system of the home. It needs the same attention from water treatment professionals as other water quality issues. The sooner you call after you find out you have hard water, the better!
Hard Water vs. The Residential Plumbing System
The term hard water refers to water that has a higher concentration of minerals suspended in it than normal. The specific minerals in hard water are magnesium and calcium. As these are minerals found in many foods, it isn’t harmful for people or animals to drink hard water. In fact, it may even have minor health benefits.
But the damage hard water does to the actual plumbing in a home is substantial and costly!
- Limescale deposits: The biggest concern with hard water is that it creates limescale along the inside of pipes. This scale is the product of the minerals dissolving out of the water. Limescale will eventually accumulate in pipes to the point where it will reduce the volume inside the pipe, creating a spike in water pressure. This higher pressure can create leaks and damage appliances attached to the plumbing system.
- Corrosion: The reaction of limescale along metal can lead to corrosion inside the pipe. The more limescale, the more quickly the pipes will need to be replaced.
- Busted water heater: The issue with limescale is most serious in the water heater. The high temperature in the water heater tank will rapidly force hard water minerals to dissolve into limescale. When limescale develops along the tank interior, it will slow down standby heat loss—and force the water heater to overheat! Limescale can lead to having to replace the water heater. It’s also terrible for tankless water heaters, since the deposits will quickly clog up the intakes.
Hard Water Inconveniences
Hard water also creates problems around the house that lead to inconveniences. Soap doesn’t lather well or dissolve thoroughly in mineral-heavy water, so you’ll find that bathing, showering, and washing dishes by hand is tougher. Hair will be stringy and flat and skin itchy because of the presence of scale. The limescale will also leave behind unpleasant films on surfaces like glass and porcelain and damage clothing and fabrics in the laundry by bleaching away their colors. If you are already having these problems in your home, consider this your warning you may have hard water.
For water treatment systems in Carpinteria, CA or elsewhere in the Greater Santa Barbara and Ventura County Area, rely on our plumbers. You can schedule service with us to find out if you need a water softener to counteract hard water issues. Our water testing will find out exactly what type of water treatment system will help you the most.
Call Husted Plumbing, where we treat our customers like family. We’ve been family-owned and operated since 1935.