More importantly, what are the consequences of hard water, and how would your home benefit from a water softener?
These are questions we’ll answer below. In the meantime, it’d be helpful for you to know what exactly hard water is. This term describes water with a high presence of the minerals calcium and magnesium in it. These minerals are not harmful to ingest, so that’s not what you need to worry about. But hard water does impact your quality of life, in more ways than you’d probably imagine.
With hard water, you can suffer from:
Soap Scum Coating the Bathtub
You may see this and wonder why your bathtub keeps appearing dirty even though you work hard to keep it clean. Well, it’s not your fault! Soap scum builds up more quickly in your bathtub when you have hard water. The minerals prevent soap from dissolving as easily as it normally would. While this issue is pretty low on the severity scale of problems, it is rather unsightly and likely something you’d like to eliminate.
Water Spots on Glasses and Dishes after Washing
Have you noticed water spots appearing on your glassware after you do the dishes? Hard water can cause this, too. The water spots are harmless, but they’re another unsightly annoyance, and can also indicate that your dishwasher and/or kitchen faucet are slowing accumulating damage from the same hard water molecules that impact your entire plumbing system.
Residue Building Up around Sinks and Drains
White or yellow residue building up around your drains is a telltale sign of a plumbing problem. This is because that buildup you’re seeing at the drains is also occurring within your pipes! Slowly, the mineral deposits from hard water build up within the pipe, restricting the volume within them and making it difficult for water to flow. Not only can this be a nuisance to get cleaned out, but eventually this can cause your pipes to corrode and you’ll need repiping services.
Feeling Dry after a Shower
This sound counterintuitive, right? Well, having skin that feels dry and raw, and hair that feels slimy after getting out of the shower but then frizzes up after you dry it is a sign of hard water. The minerals in harder water dilute shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, which is what causes this reaction.
Noticing a Clogged Up Showerhead
Over the months, mineral buildup can restrict water flow through your pipes, affecting the water flow through your showerhead, too. It can also clog up the aerator of your sinks, slowing the water pressure. Typically, you can just unscrew the end of the faucet or showerhead and clean out the aerator. However, this doesn’t solve the actual cause of the problem, as a water softener would.
Clothes Appearing Faded and Worn Faster Than You Expect
The same way soap scum builds up in your bathtub and sinks, laundry detergent and fabric softener can fail to dissolve completely in your washing machine, breaking down fabric much faster than normal. You may find yourself replacing clothes at a much higher rate as a result.
Why You Should Invest in a Whole-House Water Softener
Investing in the installation of a whole-house water softener will help you avoid the issues we outlined above. Additionally, because this system eliminates the mineral content of the water, it leaves your water tasting clean and refreshing. Ultimately, a healthier plumbing system will save you money, and hassle.
To learn more about your water quality and your options for Tampa water softeners, contact IERNA’s Heating & Cooling today!