Have you heard of “hard” water? It can cause a variety of problems in your home, but you don’t have to keep suffering through that. We can help you determine whether your water is hard and provide a solution that will save you from all the issues it’s been causing. What issues are those? And what’s the solution? We’re so glad you asked.
What Hard Water Is
If you remember some extremely basic chemistry, water is H2O. That means it only has two elements in it: hydrogen and oxygen. But the reason we use it to wash things is because it is an excellent solvent, a word for something that dissolves substances. As water passes through the ground (and anything else) it dissolves some of the minerals it comes in contact with, and tiny bits of those minerals are carried along in the water. Water with higher-than-usual levels of other minerals is called hard water. The minerals usually found in hard water are calcium and magnesium.
Problems Hard Water Causes
Calcium and magnesium are perfectly safe to ingest, so there are no serious health hazards associated with hard water, though bathing in it can cause dry skin. But it can cause some other complications. Soap does not lather well in hard water. Your shampoo won’t suds as well, and your hair may be left limp and flat. Your dish soap won’t suds as well, and your dishes may be left with white streaks. And your laundry detergent won’t suds as well, so your clothes won’t get as clean, and may feel stiff or starchy from the minerals and the undissolved soap.
Those might be the problems that are easiest to spot, but there are also worrisome things going on inside your plumbing when you have hard water. The minerals gradually settle out and are deposited in places with constant water flow. Your pipes and your water heater are two of the biggest concerns. The deposited minerals, known as scaling, will gradually reduce the amount of space available for water. This can mean frequent clogs, reduced hot water flow, and even too-high pressure inside your water heater because there’s not as much space for water as there should be.
Solutions for Hard Water
Your pipes and your water tank can be flushed or hydro-jetted to remove the existing mineral scaling. But if your water is still hard, it will just keep building up. If you’re concerned about hard water in your home, what you really need is water softener service in Duluth, GA. All the water that comes into your home can be conducted through a water softener system before it reaches your plumbing and your appliances. Water softeners generally use beads of sodium to attract the calcium and magnesium particles. The minerals stay behind, and the water that flows into your home will no longer cause all those problems.
Our team of qualified professionals can determine what water softener system would work best for your home and get it properly installed.
To speak with a member of our team, contact DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today. Fixed, At the Speed of Life!
