Hard water does more than leave water spots on your dishes and dry out your skin. The minerals in your water can affect the plumbing throughout your home and in your water-using appliances. If your home has hard water, understand the consequences to expect and how you can use a water softener to prevent early deterioration of your pipes.

Guide to Hard Water & Plumbing

How It Affects Plumbing

Hard water has unusually high amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and lime in them. These minerals in the water catch onto the sides of the pipes as they pass through them. Over time, that buildup grows until it starts to restrict the flow of water. This puts strain on the plumbing system as it cannot meet the home’s demand for water, and the pressure buildup inside the pipes can spring a leak.

Constant contact with the mineral deposits will wear down the plumbing as well. The minerals eat through the coating on the plumbing and begin to rust out the metal. You may see the rust stains from iron and lime coming out through sink faucets.

How to Preserve Your Plumbing

A water softener is the most effective way to solve this problem. A water softener uses a process called ion exchange to trade the calcium and magnesium minerals for harmless sodium. Calcium and magnesium carry positive charges, so the water is sent through a mineral tank filled with beads that carry a negative charge. The sodium ions are attached to the beads, but because the calcium and magnesium carry a stronger positive charge, they will replace the sodium and attach to the beads. The sodium is released into the water, which is now soft and safe to use in your plumbing.

A professionally installed water softener by Affordable Water Treatment will preserve your plumbing and make the water more enjoyable for your use. This family owned and operated water treatment company has served the Gig Harbor, WA, region for over 50 years. They have earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau® for their effective water conditioning services. Learn more about their residential water treatment online and call (253) 858-7644 for an estimate.