Water is classified as “hard water” when high amounts of calcium and magnesium are present. While it is not unhealthy, it can cause a number of problems such as:
Hard Water Scale– If you are constantly dealing with a white film around your faucets or stubborn deposits that are hard to scrub off, that's a sure sign your have hard water. Mineral deposits will form on any surface that comes into regular contact with hard water, so it's not just where you see and where you can try to scrub it off. Hard water scale will eventually clog pipes and decrease the life of toilet flushing units, water faucets, washing machines, dishwashers and more.
Water Heater Damage– Hot water heaters in particular are commonly damaged by the ward water scale on the heating element and minerals deposited on the bottom of the tank. This shortens a hot water heater's lifescan by as much as half, depending on the amount of minerals in the water. That's 4 to 6 years lost from the average water heater due to hard water.
Scummy Residue– Whether it results in spotty glasses, dull silverware, streaky floors, or soap scum on shower curtains, the calcium in hard water makes it harder for soap to dissolve and rinse away. That results in more time spent cleaning everything.
Laundry Issues– All your laundry looking yellowish-gray and dingy? Colors fading and clothes wearing out more quickly? Another common complaint in households with hard water. The high mineral content prevents the detergent from cleaning your fabrics as effectively, and also leaves deposits in your clothing,
Itchy, Dry Skin– For the same reason dishes don't wash off completely with hard water, skin can get dry and itchy and hair dull and limp from soap residue as well. If you or your child has sensitive skin, the residue can be especially problematic.
Shower Problems– Showerheads are often one of the first things to suffer from hard water. Because the holes are so small, the deposits from hard water clog it quicker than some of the other fixtures in the house. White chalky film shows up on the showerhead, water pressure is reduced, or you even could have water spraying at weird, erratic angles.
So now that you know some of the sad facts about hard water, the good news is our experts at AquaCare can guide you on what water conditioner/water softener is best for your needs. A Water Softener is an ion exchange system that works by removing calcium ions and magnesium ions that make up hard water. When water flows through a Softener, the system exchanges these hard water minerals, and the softened water then leaves the water softening system.