How Hard Water Can Damage your Pipes and Fixtures
Hard water is water which has a high mineral content. Two of the minerals that are particularly problematic are calcium and magnesium. These minerals find their way out of the water and bind themselves together and become what is called scale or mineral deposits. Scale sticks to the interior of pipes, household appliances and other surfaces throughout the home. Once this scale becomes attached to something it's very difficult to remove it. This is what leads to clogs and other problems within the pipes and appliances. The hardness of the water contaminated with mineral deposits is rated on a scale of 1 to 10.
While these mineral deposits cause problems in the plumbing and other places in the home, they are not health hazards. The problem is when the calcium and magnesium makes their way out of the water they can cause havoc for all sorts of appliances through which the water passes. They also stick to basins, tubs and tiles in the bathroom and to pots, pans, glasses and dishware in the kitchen. Once the scale deposits itself on a surface, getting it off can be a challenge. Left alone the mineral deposits make the kitchen and the bathroom look dirty and dingy.
Mineral deposits are not only difficult to get out of pipes, the also have a negative impact on the soaps and detergents people use to clean the dishes and themselves. Soaps and detergents do not lather well in hard water. They force people to use a lot more water for showering and washing dishes. This can drive up the water bill significantly. When the minerals in the hard water are finally washed off they cling to everything they touch and leave a soapy film and whitish residue everywhere. For many people this soap scum can be maddening and embarrassing.
While most people understand that hard water can do damage to pipes and leave a white film on dishware, tubs, showerhead and sinks, many do not realize how rough hard water is on appliances. Any appliance through which the hard water passes is liable to be damaged and eventually will have to be replaced much too soon because of the mineral deposits left by the hard water. The appliances which sustain the most damage tend to be dish washers, water heaters and washing machines. Once the loose minerals begin to cling to the internal parts of these machines they begin to falter and eventually fail.
The damage hard water does to the plumbing in a home is insidious, cumulative and devastating. At first as the minerals begin to slowly build up the homeowner may begin to wonder why the water pressure in the home seems a lot lower and it seems to take a longer time to wash everything. The mineral deposits do not always completely clog up the pipes. Sometimes it can eat through the pipes. Small holes begin to develop and water begins to leak out of the pipes under the flooring and other places inside and outside the home. Next thing the homeowner knows they're bringing in a contractor to repair water damage.
If the water damage is repaired but the rotted pipes are not replaced, the home can have repeated bouts with water damage with no clear reason why. Not only that, the deposits can build up in the faucet itself. This soon begins to affect the shutoff mechanism. Next thing the homeowner knows they have a constant drip from faucets all over the house and their water bill is going through the roof. The cause of all these problems can remain a mystery to many homeowners unless they bring in an experienced, knowledgeable Gilbert plumber who can study all the clues and identify hard water as the cause of all of them.
The most common long term result of the build up of mineral deposits in the pipes is the creation of complete blockage of the pipes. The minerals eventually will prevent any water from coming through the pipes. These blockages are more likely to occur in the pipes that feed appliances that use hot water. The hot water makes the minerals leach out of the hard water more quickly. The mineral deposits can coat the heating element in the water heater making it less effective and driving up the power bill until finally it is rendered useless and has to be replaced.
The thing that makes hard water damage so difficult to recognize is it happens slowly and its effects go unnoticed until significant damage has been done. The water pressure gradually decreases. The damage to appliances takes time. The holes in the pipes are small and often within the walls. The key is for the homeowner to have their plumbing system checked for hard water damage at least once a year.
Cadiente Plumbing - Brett Cadiente
625 W Southern Ave, Suite E-195
Mesa, AZ 85210
Office: 480-630-3981
Email: service@cadienteplumbingaz.com
While these mineral deposits cause problems in the plumbing and other places in the home, they are not health hazards. The problem is when the calcium and magnesium makes their way out of the water they can cause havoc for all sorts of appliances through which the water passes. They also stick to basins, tubs and tiles in the bathroom and to pots, pans, glasses and dishware in the kitchen. Once the scale deposits itself on a surface, getting it off can be a challenge. Left alone the mineral deposits make the kitchen and the bathroom look dirty and dingy.
Mineral deposits are not only difficult to get out of pipes, the also have a negative impact on the soaps and detergents people use to clean the dishes and themselves. Soaps and detergents do not lather well in hard water. They force people to use a lot more water for showering and washing dishes. This can drive up the water bill significantly. When the minerals in the hard water are finally washed off they cling to everything they touch and leave a soapy film and whitish residue everywhere. For many people this soap scum can be maddening and embarrassing.
While most people understand that hard water can do damage to pipes and leave a white film on dishware, tubs, showerhead and sinks, many do not realize how rough hard water is on appliances. Any appliance through which the hard water passes is liable to be damaged and eventually will have to be replaced much too soon because of the mineral deposits left by the hard water. The appliances which sustain the most damage tend to be dish washers, water heaters and washing machines. Once the loose minerals begin to cling to the internal parts of these machines they begin to falter and eventually fail.
The damage hard water does to the plumbing in a home is insidious, cumulative and devastating. At first as the minerals begin to slowly build up the homeowner may begin to wonder why the water pressure in the home seems a lot lower and it seems to take a longer time to wash everything. The mineral deposits do not always completely clog up the pipes. Sometimes it can eat through the pipes. Small holes begin to develop and water begins to leak out of the pipes under the flooring and other places inside and outside the home. Next thing the homeowner knows they're bringing in a contractor to repair water damage.
If the water damage is repaired but the rotted pipes are not replaced, the home can have repeated bouts with water damage with no clear reason why. Not only that, the deposits can build up in the faucet itself. This soon begins to affect the shutoff mechanism. Next thing the homeowner knows they have a constant drip from faucets all over the house and their water bill is going through the roof. The cause of all these problems can remain a mystery to many homeowners unless they bring in an experienced, knowledgeable Gilbert plumber who can study all the clues and identify hard water as the cause of all of them.
The most common long term result of the build up of mineral deposits in the pipes is the creation of complete blockage of the pipes. The minerals eventually will prevent any water from coming through the pipes. These blockages are more likely to occur in the pipes that feed appliances that use hot water. The hot water makes the minerals leach out of the hard water more quickly. The mineral deposits can coat the heating element in the water heater making it less effective and driving up the power bill until finally it is rendered useless and has to be replaced.
The thing that makes hard water damage so difficult to recognize is it happens slowly and its effects go unnoticed until significant damage has been done. The water pressure gradually decreases. The damage to appliances takes time. The holes in the pipes are small and often within the walls. The key is for the homeowner to have their plumbing system checked for hard water damage at least once a year.
Cadiente Plumbing - Brett Cadiente
625 W Southern Ave, Suite E-195
Mesa, AZ 85210
Office: 480-630-3981
Email: service@cadienteplumbingaz.com