What is Hard Water? Some advice from a Campbelltown Plumber

Contrary to what the name depicts, hard water is not, in the actual sense, hard or ice. Hard water simply means water with high mineral content. The opposite is “soft” water – which has low mineral content.  Hard water can be found mostly in sedimentary areas that have high mineral deposits. The reason is that water becomes hard when it flows through sediments of chalk, gypsum, or limestone, collecting sulfates, bicarbonates, calcium, and magnesium carbonates along the way. During evaporation, hard water leaves behind mineral deposits also called hard water stains.

Is Hard Water Harmful to Your Health?

Research shows that hard water is not in any way harmful to the human body. It is, in fact, good for humans.

First of all, hard water can be used as a dietary supplement for essential minerals, including calcium and magnesium. Some reports even suggest that hard water can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, though these findings have not been substantiated with sufficient research.

Please note that hard water is harmless to the human body, whereas the same conclusion does not apply to plumbing and household appliances.

What Are the Effects of Hard Water on Household Appliances?

Hard water can be very hazardous to plumbing and drainage systems. As a result of the mineral deposits, hard water leaves behind some white residue on anything that it comes across, like sinks, dishes, glassware. Likewise, when the remaining calcium deposits mix with soap, the resulting mixture produces soap scum, which can be very tough to remove when it accumulates in your sink and shower.

Such mineral deposits can be devastating to plumbing installations because they can accumulate inside your pipe and hinder the flow of water. Moreover, the mineral buildup can cause a blockage to showerheads.

In addition to the effects mentioned above, hard water causes more damage to property. It can exert pressure on plumbing systems and cause cleaning agents to rust. Also, the mineral buildup may slow down the efficiency of the dishwasher. Finally, the overall damage done by hard water to appliances is not only energy-consuming but also costly financially.

Treatment of Hard Water

You can use a hard water test kit to test for hard water. If the test is positive, select either of the two hard water solutions (chemical and mechanical) to reduce the mineral content of the water.

Chemical hard water solutions

Instead of removing the issue, chemical hard water solution hides the effects of hard water, such as scum. This solution is only temporary because the cleaners do not entirely remove the root cause.

Mechanical hard water solutions

Unlike its chemical counterpart, mechanical hard water solutions leave a long-lasting effect on appliances. Add water softeners to your plumbing system to mix sodium ions with the water, thereby displacing the mineral in the hard water. If you are utilizing an ion exchange water softener for hard water treatment, use a water filter because the sodium ions can give water a salty taste. If you have health challenges, such as edema or high blood pressure, install a water filter to prevent excess sodium from worsening your health challenges.

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