Hard water is a frequent issue faced by homeowners in and around Sandpoint. Unfortunately, it can cause serious damage if left untreated.

Understanding the difference between hard water vs. soft water is the first step in protecting your plumbing, appliances and fixtures Below, the pros at Age Heating & Cooling will explain what hard water is, the warning signs you have hard water and how hard water affects your plumbing. Then, we’ll explain how we can protect your home.

What’s the Between Hard Water and Soft Water?

How do we define hard water? It’s water that has a high level of of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are not dangerous to drink but can harm your plumbing.

On the other hand, soft water has those minerals removed. Unlike hard water, soft water is plumbing-friendly.

Signs of Hard Water in Your Home

If you have hard water, you may see several warning signs:

  • Whiteish mineral build-up on plumbing fixtures
  • Reduced water pressure
  • Dry skin or brittle hair
  • Stiff or faded laundry
  • Shampoo doesn’t lather very much
  • Spots on dishes after washing in dishwasher

If you see any of these warning signs in your own home, call Age Heating & Cooling for expert evaluation. We will test your water hardness levels (grains per gallon/PPM), so we can accurately measure your water hardness and how to fix it.

Frequent Hard Water Effects on Plumbing

What’s the benefit in knowing if you are dealing with hard water in your home? Hard water causes minerals to attach to the inside of your pipes, which hardens into something called limescale.

Limescale accumulation narrows the interior of your pipes, which can reduce water pressure and even cause clogs or leaks.

The following are examples of the damage hard water limescale buildup can cause in your plumbing:

Leaky Pipes

Hard water scale buildup inside pipes can create uneven surfaces. This accelerates corrosion and increases the likelihood of small leaks. This is a greater concern in older metal plumbing.

Appliance Damage

Mineral limescale buildup in your dishwasher can cause serious issues. It forces these appliances to run less efficiently by coating heating elements and parts with limescale, causing them to wear out faster.

Low Water Pressure

As limescale accumulates inside pipes, it chokes off water flow. You may notice signs of low water pressure, such as less powerful showers or tubs needing extra time to fill with water.

Soap Scum Acculation and Hard Water Stains

Another effect of hard water in your plumbing is noticeable soap scum and hard water stains:

  • Soap scum: Develops when soap reacts with calcium and magnesium in hard water to create insoluble salts. This grimy buildup doesn’t rinse away.
  • Hard water stains: Formed when water evaporates and leaves minerals behind. It can appear as chalky buildup near faucets, as well as spots, streaks or rings in sinks, showers and bathtubs. It can even leave residue on your glassware in the dishwasher. Sometimes hard water stains have a reddish tint if your water is also high in iron.

Find Ways to Protect Your Home from Hard Water with Age Heating & Cooling

How do you get rid of hard water? From initial testing to prevention, Age Heating & Cooling provides complete hard water solutions in Sandpoint. We fix hard water damage, offering solutions such as descaling pipes and fixtures to remove build-up and flushing appliances to restore water flow.

Our plumbing services also protect your home from future hard water problems by installing a water softener. We also can assist you by finding the best filtration system to remove hard water for your home. Water softeners and filtration solutions reduce limescale in your plumbing, providing soft, mineral-free water.

Stop hard water damage today! Contact a local plumber from Age Heating & Cooling by calling 208-603-2210 today!