Hard water damage can have significantly impact your home’s water supply. As water travels to your home, it tends to collect minerals during its journey through your pipes. Although this isn’t highly dangerous, it can cause problems in the long run. When you have hard water, a build-up of calcium and magnesium (as well as iron, zinc, barium, copper and aluminum) in your supply typically causes several inconvenient issues such as:
- High amount of soap scum on dishes and glasses
- High cost of water heating expenses
- Residue or filmy texture on your hands after washing
- Damage to appliances, faucets, drains and pipes
- Dull, stiff clothing after washing
You don’t want any of these complications to cause a costly mess in your home. Consequently, an in-depth solution may be necessary to clear up your water and get it back on track. In most cases, hard water can be eliminated with the help of water softeners. Softeners will:
- Save you money on soaps, detergents and cleansers
- Decrease water heating costs
- Extend the lifespan of all your major appliances
- Brighten your clothing
- Give you smoother skin and healthier hair
- Remove scale and water spots
The damage to pipes in particular is a costly problem, but exactly how are they affected and what can you do to mitigate this issue? Maybe you’re having problems with your pipes and you are curious about what could be causing it. Perhaps you are unsure if a softener is the right choice for you. When magnesium and calcium accumulate over time, they can cause damage to your home’s pipes in a number of ways.
Clogged Pipes
As the temperature of water increases and causes evaporation, limescale slowly accrues in pipes. While these minerals are too small to harm your water supply on their own, they fuse with soap to create solid scale. Eventually, your pipes will clog due to these deposits and stop functioning properly. You may then notice low water pressure in your faucets, or appliances that no longer operate. However, a host of other problems could also occur as a result of clogged pipes.
- Slow drains. Nothing is worse than slow drains when you’re washing dishes. Waiting for the sink to drain is inconvenient and it can cause an unsanitary situation. If hard water backs up in your pipes, it can also interfere with your garbage disposal and bring old scraps to the surface. It’s never a good idea to clean dishware with dirty water that contains traces of yesterday’s dinner.
- Clogged toilets. If you don’t want garbage re-entering your sink, you definitely want to avoid bodily waste reappearing in your toilet. This isn’t just repugnant to see, it’s unhygienic for you and your family. The internal structure of your plumbing may also be impacted by hard water blockages and pinhole leaks, or joinery gaps may crop up as well.
- Added pressure. If your clogged pipes go untreated for a long period of time, it can cause a build-up of pressure in your pipes. On a small scale, this might mean you’d experience fungal growth or water trickling down your walls. If they burst, however, this could trigger major flooding in your home. That can be extremely expensive to fix after the fact.
What to Do Next
You shouldn’t wait to address issues with your pipes. Even if you’re unsure if hard water is the cause, you should take care to find the root of the issue ASAP. If you ignore any problems with your pipes, it could cost you significant time and money later. Therefore, the first thing you should always do is contact your local water experts. You wouldn’t want to self-diagnose a medical issue, and it’s the same for your water supply. There is no way to know exactly what’s wrong until experienced professionals evaluate your problem. Starting with a comprehensive water test is the best way to begin. Contact Hague Quality Water of Maryland today at (410)-881-3638 to schedule an appointment.
If you do have hard water, we may recommend the following softeners for your home. They offer a variety of specifications depending on your needs, so we suggest that you take a closer look to see what works for you.
- Hague WaterMax®
- Hague WaterMax® for City Water
- Hague Maximizer
- Hague Hydroclean
- Pura-tech
- HomeGUARD®
Learn More about Hard Water with Hague Quality Water of Maryland
If you are concerned about hard water or the overall quality and contents of your water, we are here to help with your water improvement projects. We offer a variety of water softeners and can help you choose the product that is best for your home. For additional assistance, call Hague Quality Water of Maryland
