How to Solve Hard Water Issues

What is hard water?

"Hard water" occurs when there is an overabundance of minerals in your home's water supply. Over half of the earth's water comes from ground water. As water passes through the ground, it picks up minerals from the

Side effect of hard water: pipe is being corroded from the inside, resulting in leaks.

soil and rock. These minerals create deposits of calcium and magnesium. These deposits wind up inside your home's plumbing. It isn't harmful to drink hard water. However, it can be very damaging to your water and heating system.

How can I tell if I have hard water?

Side effect of hard water: pipe is being corroded from the inside, resulting in leaks.

If you think you have hard water, you can call an environmental laboratory to have a water test done. There is also a simple test you can do yourself. You will need dish soap and an empty 16oz. water bottle. For instructions, please watch this YouTube clip. A sign that you have hard water is if you've found scale buildup on your shower fixtures or tub drains. If you know how to take the aerator off your faucet, take a look inside it. Do you see white scale buildup? That's another indication of hard water presence.

How does hard water affect my home?

If hard water is left untreated, you will begin to have leaks and drips. Hard water will eat away at your home's pipes and plumbing fixtures from the INSIDE, out. You won't be able to see the damage until it's too late. Your pipes and fixtures will look "normal" for quite some time. Eventually, they will begin to turn almost a minty color. If you see this color, you should call a plumber sooner, rather than later. This color means that the pipe is extremely thin and will either burst or begin to leak soon. The pipe will have to be replaced. If you have a boiler heating system, you could face a major unexpected expense. Since you can't see all the plumbing that's inside the boiler, you don't know what kind of damage is being done.

What is the solution for hard water?

There's no way to eliminate hard water, since it is naturally occurring. The solution is to install a water treatment system. A water softener is a type of water treatment system that will reduce the hardness of your water. Note: This type of system uses salt to condition the water. If you have infants or a sodium restricted diet, you may want to do further research. You can read about the additional benefits of a water softener here.

Water softener system we installed in East Hampton CT

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