Today, most water supplies have a hefty level of filtration and conditioning before they get to your faucets. And if you use ground water (a private well), you likely have your own water treatment system on site. But something many people don’t realize is missing from their homes is protection from hard water.
Hard water is the name for water with a high concentration of minerals in it, things like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are harmless to ingest, but may do a world of damage to your plumbing system. Hard water should be taken care of with a water softener as it enters the home, before it gets a chance to put your pipes out of commission. Check out the signs that a whole-house water softener is in your best interest.
#1: Soap scum coats the bath
It doesn’t mean you’re terrible at keeping things clean. Soap scum may build up more quickly in your bathtub because you have hard water. The minerals prevent soap from dissolving as easily as it normally would.
#2: Water spots appear on glasses after a load of dishes
Water spots that appear on glassware after you do the dishes may do so because of minerals in the water supply. These water spots are harmless, but are still an annoyance, and could indicate that your dishwasher is slowly accumulating damage from the same hard water molecules that jam pipes and cost homeowners thousands of dollars.
#3: White or yellow residue builds up around sinks and drains
This is the telltale sign of a potential plumbing disaster. The same type of buildup outside of the faucet is happening in it, and in the pipes. Slowly, the mineral deposits continue to build up, restricting the volume inside of the pipes. And eventually, you may need to replace your faucet and your water pipes far sooner than expected.
#4: Your hair just doesn’t feel right after a shower
Many people describe their hair as feeling dull after a shower with hard water, lacking in volume or movement. You may be using a shampoo or conditioner you’ve used before in a hotel room or friend’s house with drastically different results. This is because minerals may dilute the shampoo or conditioner causing this reaction.
#5: The showerhead clogs up quickly
Over a longer period of time, mineral buildup may restrict water from flowing through the pipes. In less time, however, the minerals may keep water from flowing through a showerhead or faucet. It can clog the showerhead or the aerator of your sink, slowing the water pressure. You can usually unscrew the end of the faucet and clean out the aerator, but it’s a sign of a bigger problem—something only a water softener can really take care of.
#6: Clothes don’t seem clean after laundry day
The same way soap scum builds up in your bathtub, it can fail to dissolve completely in your washing machine. This can prevent clothes from rinsing off or can make them stiff after they come out of the dryer. They may not even seem clean at all.
MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. installs and services water softeners in Verona, NJ. Call today for quality, honesty, and same-day service.