Water plays a great part of our day-to-day routines, although not every water is equal. Water hardness is one of most frequent problems that every householder faces. Most house owners are not aware of the fact that hard water may leave long-twining effects in plumbing pipelines, devices, and even own comfort. Having the knowledge that comes with knowing the symptoms of having hard water, and knowing how to handle it by using the appropriate solutions, such as a water softener, can result in saving money, time and stress.
What Is Hardness Of Water?
Water hardness is problem of how loaded your water supply is with dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. These minerals are not unhealthy because they are natural, but they will develop various issues in your house.
Hardness of water is usually expressed as parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg). The hardness level of water is determined by a higher amount. Municipal water can furnish information about water quality, however, not in all cases are owners aware about hard water existence until defects begin to appear.
General indicators of hard water
Nevertheless, it is not that easy to see hard water and there are a number of signs:
- Soap scum and residue: Hard water does not lather well when it is used with soap leaving residue on dishes, glasses and shower-walls.
- Rusty hair and skin spots: Hard water may remove natural oils in skin and hair making the hair look rusty and skin spots.
- Lime scale deposits: The white and chalky deposits on taps, shower heads and the same on appliances such as kettles or coffee machines, are a good indication of the presence of minerals.
- Increased waste of appliances: A water heater, washer and dishwasher may end up being less efficient in the future, as a result of mineral deposits.
- Higher utility bill: As the appliances are forced to operate with minimal or no efficiency, power consumption will tend to increase; hence, higher utility bills every month.
The Importance of Water Hardness
Neglecting the idea of water hardness may be expensive. With time, the deposits of minerals may block the pipes, slow down the water flow, and decrease the lifetime of expensive appliances. Hard water also results in repairing and changing of equipment, not to mention the additional expenditure in cleaning agents to fight the deposits.
The effects of hard water can even touch the level of comfort experienced on a day-to-day basis within the family. It can also make clothes fade or dry clothes be stiff after washing, most individuals complain that their skin and hair are in poor health because they are exposed all the time to mineral-containing water.
Do You Need a Water Softener?
When you are having any of the above problems, you may want to put into consideration installing a water softener. The principle behind the softener is that this software removes the calcium and magnesium ions in your water supply and replaces them with sodium or potassium ions in a process known as ion exchange.
Wondering whether your water could be considered hard? This is the way you will find this out:
- Home testing Water kits are accessible and simple to deal with.
- A professional plumber will be able to analyze your water and suggest a personal solution.
To find out more about reasons and situations you may need a softener, refer to this extensive guide on hardness of water.
Final Thoughts
At first, water hardness might not appear like a big problem but eventually, this can be degrading to your home and body. With the knowledge of what constitutes hard water, how you can spot it, and even some possible ways to solve the problem with it, such as by installing a water softener, you can save your plumbing, enhance comfort, and stay with improved water quality many years.
Hard water is not worth letting ruin your home, read on and find out what you can do about it.
