5 Signs You Have a Hard Water Problem

Oct. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Minnetonka, MN -- October 29, 2012 ­­­­-- Hard water affects many households across the United States. Its chief cause is a high content of calcium and magnesium carbonates in the water entering your home. Although not detrimental to your health, hard water can have a damaging effect on your home’s appliances and water pipes. If you notice any of the signs below, you should have your water tested to determine the hardness level and whether a water softener may be appropriate:

1.     It Takes Longer to Get Hot Water

Is it taking a long time for hot water to come out of your faucet? Are you waiting for long minutes for your shower to warm up? You could have lime build-up in your hot water heater. As hard water passes through a water heater, lime deposits begin to build up on the heating elements. The deposits grow over time, forming additional layers of lime that the heat from the heating elements must pass through, before eventually heating your water. The results are: an inefficient water heater; higher operating costs; and a shortened life span for your hot water heater.

2.     Soap Scum on Shower Walls and Sinks

Soap scum is formed when the calcium and magnesium ions in hard water react with soap to create a layer of scale, making it difficult for the soap to lather. The end result is a layer of white scale build-up on shower walls and fixtures. Soap scum is a prime breeding ground for algae and molds.

3.     Water Spots on Dishes or Cloudy Glasses

When dishes are washed with hard water, small calcium and magnesium deposits are left behind as the water evaporates. This results in hard water spots on dishes and glassware. Because hard water makes it harder for soap to rinse cleanly, a thin layer of detergent may also be left behind on glasses, resulting in a cloudy appearance.

4.     Dingy Clothes After Laundering

The minerals in hard water work against washing machines in several ways. The calcium and magnesium ions in hard water make it harder for detergents to rinse cleanly and can leave behind a residue of soap scum or lime scale. This causes clothes to look dirty or dingy after being laundered. If left untreated, hard water can result in the build-up of lime scale on the machine’s internal components, such as the heating element and pump, requiring the washer to work harder and shortening its lifespan.

5.     Clogged Showerheads or Faucets

As hard water passes through water heaters and pipes it leaves small mineral deposits that, over time, can corrode and clog pipes. Hard water deposits can result in issues such as clogged shower heads and faucet aerators, toilet bowl rings, clogged pipes and reduced efficiency of hot water heaters.

Hard water is a common water problem (http://culliganwater.com/residential/common_water_problems) that is fairly simple to resolve. One of the most efficient methods of treating hard water is with a home water softener. For more information on how treating hard water with water softeners (http://culliganwater.com/residential/water_softeners) can help to both reduce water usage and save money on water, visit: http://www.culliganwater.com