Everything You Need to Know About Hard Water

Everything You Need to Know About Hard Water

You’ve probably heard of “hard water.” You might even know that you have hard water. But do you actually know what hard water is?

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that contains a high concentration of minerals, like calcium carbonate. These minerals build up inside your pipes and on surfaces your water comes in contact with, causing scaling and staining. In serious cases, it can reduce water flow and even completely block a water line.

Soap scum is also caused by hard water. When soap interacts with the minerals present in hard water, the result is a buildup of residue on your fixtures, sink and even on your skin and hair. You might also notice hard water residue on your dishes if you use a dishwasher.

Effects of Hard Water
Hard water isn’t toxic, but it creates extra work for homeowners and damages plumbing systems and fixtures. Having hard water means needing to use more soap in the shower and more detergent in the dishwasher and washing machine. You might even find yourself needing to hand was your dishes to remove soap scum after they go through the dishwater.

Hard water is also hard on your skin and digestive system. Its affects are especially noticeable among children and the elderly due to their weakened immune systems.

Hard water…

• Reduces the lifespan of water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.
• Increases water consumption.
• Raises water bills and water heating costs.
• Contributes to staining and scaling.
• Damages skin, hair and clothing.
• Reduces water flow and clogs pipes.
• Causes bad tasting water.

Do You Have Hard Water?

If you live in the United States, you probably have hard water. Unfortunately, most of the water in Illinois is classified as “Extremely hard” and contains high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. For a clearer picture of how hard your water is, hard water test strips are available at most hardware store.

What You Can Do About Hard Water

If you’re concerned about your home’s hard water, give us a call right away at (815) 205-6913 to discuss your options and learn more about the benefits of having a water softener installed. Our sell, install and service water softeners of the highest quality, and we’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.