Do your faucets often have a white scale build-up that is difficult to remove? Is your washing machine not working as effectively and efficiently as it should? Chances are you have hard water which means it has a lot of minerals like calcium and magnesium in it. Water collects these minerals from the ground while traveling to your home. Excess amounts of these minerals are harmful to household items such as plumbing, appliances, and other surfaces that come in contact with hard water. Here are some of the specific areas to watch for if you think you might have hard water.

Plumbing

As hard water flows through your plumbing system, it reacts with the linings of your pipes. This leaves behind mineral deposits and scaling that will eventually clog the plumbing system. This scale can build quickly where water flow is slightly restricted. Faucets, valves, and shower heads often become clogged with deposits as well.

Water Heaters

When you have hard water, mineral deposits from inside the tank and on the heating elements of water heaters. These mineral deposits and the scaling form an insulating barrier between the heating element and water, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the water heater and increases the cost of heating your water. The prolonged buildup will even do damage that requires replacing the unit.

Water-Dependent Appliances

Dishwashers, coffee makers, and washing machines are prone to the mineral buildup that can really drag them down. As the minerals build-up, the efficiency of the heating element reduces and the time needed to heat the water increases. If the heating cycle is on a timer, it may never reach the appropriate temperature. This layer of scale can actually cause the heating element to burn out, reducing the lifespan of the appliance.

Dishes

Glassware, silverware, and your other dishes also suffer from hardness. Not only does water with high mineral content leave a residue, but it is also like sandblasting your dishes over time. Surfaces appear cloudy and rough instead of the smooth and shiny pieces you fell in love within the store.

Soap Scum

We know that minerals will stick to a home’s pipes, faucets, and appliances, but it will also stick to the soaps! The calcium in the water will mix with soaps to form a thick, sticky curd-like substance we know as soap scum. It sticks to your showers, sinks, and even your hair and skin when you bathe. This dries our bodies leaving your hair frizzy and your skin itchy.

Laundry

Hard water will fuse with laundry detergents as well, forming a soap scum that sticks to fabric and works its way into the fibers. Over time your clothes look gray, dingy and dull and leave towels stiff and rough. Clothes and linens wear out much faster, too.

You can solve all of your hard water woes with a worry-free water softener. Alamo Water Softeners has a variety of products available to solve all of these problems as well as save you money like the CareSoft Elite RC, CareSoft Elite RC Twin, or the CareSoft Elite model, we have the perfect fit for your needs.

Contact Alamo Water Softeners in San Antonio today at (210) 274-6122 to get the water quality you deserve.