More than 8 out of 10 American homes are affected by hard water—that is, water filled with dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium carbonate. While these minerals aren’t harmful for most people to ingest, hard water can cause a lot of inconveniences in everyday home life.
Below are five typical problems caused by hard water buildup. How many of these symptoms have you noticed?
1. Fading Laundry
Minerals such as iron and calcium found in hard water can react with the chemicals in laundry detergent, compromising its effectiveness and wearing the colors out of your clothing prematurely. Hard water can even leave small chalky or rusty stains or make the fabric feel stiff or scratchy.
2. Spotty dishes
Hard water can also leave your dishes looking dirty. If you’ve noticed that plates come out of the dishwasher still looking a little grody or water glasses have specks or streaks on them, chances are it’s not leftover food. It’s "curd," a combination of soap and mineral deposits that results from hard water.
3. Hard-to-clean tubs
Any bathtub or sink in regular use will need regular cleaning to get rid of normal soap scum. But hard water leaves lime scale deposits that are particularly resistant to cleaning products. Expect to devote a lot of extra elbow grease when you go to clean!
4. Dull hair
Hard water can also leave mineral deposits in your hair, diminishing its natural shine and leaving buildup on your scalp. The deposits can do double damage by blocking moisture from your hair shafts and drying them out. Simply shampooing more or rinsing longer may make the problem worse.
5. Plumbing buildup
If you notice chalky deposits on the inside of your faucets, chances are there are deposits throughout your pipes. Over time, this buildup of lime scale can restrict water flow, clog up appliances such as water heaters, and block showerheads.
Water softening in Greenville, SC
Hard water reduces the efficiency of your appliances and plumbing, making them—and you—work harder to keep things looking nice.
Thankfully, you can reverse the effects of hard water with water softening. When inserted into your home’s water supply, a water softening device uses a resin that neutralizes calcium and magnesium through the molecular process of ion exchange. The soft water then works with, not against, soaps and detergents, and keeps your hair, dishes, laundry and faucets cleaner.
If you’re tired of battling hard water in your home, give Ken’s a call at (864) 242-5511 or click the banner below to schedule service.
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