Hard Water: Important Things To Know

Did you know that 85% of the US has hard water? Based on this statistic, it’s a pretty safe bet that the area you live in has hard water, too.

Is Hard Water Bad?

You might be wondering, what even is hard water? Water classified as “hard” contains large quantities of the minerals calcium and magnesium.

Here’s the good news: Hard water is healthy because it is rich in calcium and magnesium. In this health-conscious era, we probably don’t need to tell you that drinking lots of water – particularly water that is rich with minerals – is recommended and can be important for your health.

The downside? Despite the health benefits, hard water damages piping, boilers, kettles, washing machines, dishwashers, solar collectors, faucets, and other water-using appliances because the minerals find their way out of the water and bind themselves together. This is called “scale” or “mineral deposits”. Scale sticks to the interior of pipes, household appliances, and other surfaces throughout the home. Once this scale becomes attached to something it can be incredibly difficult, time consuming, and expensive to remove it.

In fact, the damage can be devastating if not caught early. It will start slowly at first – there will be some buildup in the pipes and you’ll notice that you have less water pressure. This can cause you to use more water than you normally would, driving your water bill up.

As time goes by without treatment, the mineral deposits may eventually cause a total blockage, leading to busted pipes and costly water damage. Eventually, you’ll have to call a local Cape Coral plumber like Avis to replace piping.

Scale may also build up in your faucets and cause them to malfunction. You may end up with a leaky or noisy faucet that keeps on leaking no matter how much you tighten everything.

Besides the damage hard water causes to your pipes and appliances, you may discover that your skin is peeling as well. Dry, flaky skin can be a direct result of your neighborhood’s hard water.

The Solution: Soften Your Water!

Installing a water softener system is the best thing you could do for the health of your household, pipes, and appliances. A water softener removes the hard stuff in water that would otherwise cause issues.

Choosing the most suitable water softener system can be confusing, so it would help to have a Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples plumber like Avis help you select and install the system that is right for your situation.

Water softeners will take care of the negative effects of hard water, but won’t help if you’re dealing with a contamination issue. You’ll need a water filter for that. Water softeners and water filters are not the same so, again, it’s worth contacting a professional Fort Myers plumbing company like Avis to insure you make the best decision for your household.

With the proper water system in place, your quality of life will improve and you’ll end up saving yourself big bucks down the road.

If you need help figuring out if you need a water softening or water filtration system, don’t hesitate to call Avis Plumbing and Air Conditioning at (239) 542-4421.

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