Depending on where you live, your home may use hard or soft water. While both types of water are healthy and safe to drink, there are certain concerns you should watch out for. If you are worried about how hard water is affecting your plumbing system, the plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can help.
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water basically means that your water has a higher mineral content than normal. It may contain magnesium, calcium, and other minerals. Even though it has a higher mineral content than average, the water is still perfectly safe to drink.
Hard water can happen with well water or city water. As more calcium and magnesium build up, the water becomes harder. This can cause stains to develop on your tubs, sinks, and faucets. Because your appliances have to work harder, it can also increase your utility bills.
What Are the Signs You May Have Hard Water?
There are a few common signs that a home has hard water.
- There are ugly stains on your white porcelain.
- The faucets in your home have scale buildup.
- Your dishes and dishwasher may have a chalky residue.
- Because soap doesn’t rinse off completely, you may have dry skin.
- Your clothes and sheets may feel rough to the touch.
- Because hard water can clog pipes, you may suffer from low water pressure.
How Does Hard Water Affect Your Plumbing System?
Hard water can be incredibly rough on your plumbing system. This buildup can clog your pipes. Over time, this can reduce your water pressure and make your plumbing system work harder. As a result, parts may break sooner and need to be replaced.
Other than clogs and low water pressure, you may also deal with corrosion and appliance damage. Hard water corrodes pipes and any metal materials it comes in contact with. This can cause your pipes to weaken and burst.
How You Can Mitigate Hard Water
At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, we have helped many homeowners and business owners deal with hard water. There are a few simple things you can do to mitigate the impact of hard water.
- Shower filters: A shower filter can decrease the effects of hard water on your tub, so you don’t have to spend as much time cleaning it.
- Water softeners: Water softeners can be installed to remove calcium and other minerals. This can help reduce the impact of hard water on your appliances, pipes, and skin.
- Vinegar: If you have a lot of stains from hard water, you can use vinegar to dissolve the stains.
Learn More About Your Options for Managing Hard Water
Whether you want to install a water softener or a shower filter, there are many techniques you can use to mitigate the effects of hard water. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, we can discuss the best options for your home. In addition, our plumbers can inspect your plumbing system to make sure hard water hasn’t caused lasting damage to your pipes and appliances.