Do YOU Have HARD WATER?
Hard water really makes life … well … hard! There are some extra minerals in hard water that can be hard to remove on a daily basis. Magnesium and calcium are usually more present than just those hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Groundwater often percolates through limestone where it picks up calcium and magnesium deposits. While it isn’t really dangerous to humans, it can create issues with skin and hair, as well as dishes and clogging pipes. You’re not alone! The U.S. Geological Survey says 85% of homes in the nation have hard water! Could you?
What are the signs of hard water?
Do any of these issues sound familiar? If so, you likely have hard water and could really benefit from a home water softener to remove the excess minerals.
- Funny tasting or smelling water – If your water smells like rotten eggs, it could be naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide gas or certain bacteria reacting with magnesium to form sulfates. Some people say the water also tastes like … dirt … due to sediments in the water of course.
- Strange stains appear and reappear. Hideous and embarrassing brown or reddish stains on porcelain or shower walls is a common sign. Although they look like rust, it’s the minerals (could be rust from the pipes too) causing the discoloration which takes a LOT of extra elbow grease to remove.
- Tons of soap scum. Do you have to scrub soap scum constantly? The white, hard water spots do not go away. When water evaporates, it leaves calcium deposits behind. They seem to be everywhere! It makes dishes look dirty (embarrassing!) but they really aren’t. In the bathroom, soap scum left on shower curtains can lead to the development of a microbial biofilm that might contain disease-spreading bacteria. Yikes! It takes more cleaning products to do the work.
- Showering seems problematic. Are you lacking a lather? Is there a film of soapy residue on your skin after you do shower? Yeah … that’s hard water. Bad hair days? Same.
- Clogged pipes. Showerheads can clog, but so do your pipes and this can cause major plumbing issues. Scale builds up inside constricting the flow of water and eventually leads to bursts or backups. Can you say money?
- Clothes aren’t cleaned well. Calcium and magnesium don’t work well with water, so they don’t really rinse off soaps and detergents well. Soil can actually build up on your clothes, rather than washing removing it. Clothes often look dingy and wear out fast (more money!).
- Skin irritation. Hard water tends to dry out people’s skin. Eczema is common when you have hard water. There is research indicating that bathing in hard water could cause eczema symptoms to worsen.
- Worn appliances. This is an expensive hard water problem. From your dishwasher to your water heater, if there’s hard water involved, it could require premature replacement. Plus, they’ll be inefficient. A build-up of hard minerals in your water heater can make it far less efficient. The same goes for other appliances. Poor efficiency means bigger utility bills.
Water Softeners Can Save You Money!
It’s not difficult to see how hard water can cost you money in the long run. In fact, it is estimated that hard water expenses could cost you $800 or more every year! That’s some pretty impressive savings!
There are different types of water conditioners and home water softeners for the various needs, demands and sizes of your households. Our water softeners will condition your water right at the source so hard water minerals are removed early. The perfect solution to your difficult problem is right here!
