Hard water is a common problem for homeowners in and around Willow Grove. Unfortunately, it can cause serious damage if left untreated.

Knowing the difference between hard water vs. soft water is the first step in protecting your home plumbing In this blog, the experts at Stanley W. Cooper will define what hard water is, the warning signs you have hard water and how hard water affects your plumbing. Most importantly, you’ll learn what we can do to protect your home.

What’s the Between Hard Water and Soft Water?

So, what exactly is hard water? It’s water that contains high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are safe for consumption but can harm your plumbing.

By comparison, soft water has those minerals filtered out. Unlike hard water, soft water is doesn’tnot going to damage your plumbing system.

Signs You Have Hard Water in Your Home

If you have hard water, you may see several warning signs:

  • Whiteish mineral build-up on plumbing fixtures
  • Low water pressure
  • Dry skin or brittle hair
  • Stiff or faded laundry
  • Shampoo doesn’t lather up when you wash your hair
  • Spots on dishes after washing in dishwasher

If you experienced any of these issues, call Stanley W. Cooper for professional testing. We will test your water hardness levels (grains per gallon/PPM), so we have a clear understanding of your water quality and how to fix it.

Frequent Hard Water Effects on Plumbing

Why is it important to know if you are dealing with hard water in your home? Hard water causes minerals to cling to the inside of your pipes, which eventually becomes something called limescale.

Limescale buildup narrows the available space inside of your pipes, which can restrict water flow and even cause clogs or breaks.

Below are some examples of the problems caused by limescale buildup can cause throughout your plumbing system:

Plumbing Leaks

Hard water scale buildup along the inside of pipes can create rough surfaces. This increases the speed of corrosion and increases the likelihood of small leaks. This is most likely in older metal plumbing.

Damage to Home Appliances

Mineral limescale buildup in your water heater can lead to big problems. It forces these appliances to strain to operate by coating heating elements and parts with limescale, causing them to break down sooner.

Low Water Pressure

As limescale builds up inside pipes, it restricts water flow. You may notice signs of reduced water pressure, such as weaker shower streams or tubs requiring more time to fill with water.

Soap Scum Acculation and Hard Water Stains

Another effect of hard water in your plumbing is stubborn soap scum and hard water stains:

  • Soap scum: Appears when soap reacts with calcium and magnesium in hard water to form insoluble salts. This cloudy residue doesn’t dissolve.
  • Hard water stains: Formed when water evaporates and leaves behind mineral residue. It can appear as mineral rings on fixtures, as well as cloudy marks or streaks in sinks, showers and bathtubs. It can even cloud your glassware in the dishwasher. Sometimes hard water stains have rust-colored staining if your water is high in iron.

Find Ways to Protect Your Home from Hard Water with Stanley W. Cooper

How do you get rid of hard water? From initial testing to prevention, Stanley W. Cooper provides complete hard water solutions in Willow Grove. We repair existing hard water damage, offering solutions such as descaling pipes and fixtures to remove mineral acculation and flushing appliances to restore performance and flow.

Our plumbing services also protect your home from future hard water problems by installing a water softener. We also can help you find the best filtration system to remove hard water for your home. These systems reduce limescale in your plumbing, providing soft, mineral-free water.

Stop hard water damage in its tracks! Contact a local plumber from Stanley W. Cooper by calling 215-383-3163 today!