What Are the Effects of Hard Water?

Hard water is water that has a high concentration of metallic minerals. Most commonly, these include calcium, magnesium, and iron. Hard water occurs in water supply systems that use groundwater as their source; the groundwater is drawn up through limestone and chalk deposits in the bedrock, which imbue it with large amounts of these metallic minerals. According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO), hard water is totally safe for human consumption and has not been linked to any negative health side effects. In fact, some experts even suggest that if an individual has a calcium or magnesium deficiency, consuming hard water could help fill this void.

That said, an abundance of metallic minerals certainly can affect the way that tap water interacts with different surfaces and substances in your home. So, what are the effects of hard water?

Limescale Buildup

Perhaps the most visible indicator of hard water is the crusty whitish-yellow residue that it can leave on and around faucets and water-using appliances such as the coffeemaker. These chalky deposits are little more than a visual nuisance and can be cleaned with vinegar, lemon juice, or other special cleaners. However, if you have visible limescale build-up on the outsides of your faucets and showerheads, then that means it’s inside your pipes as well. Over time, too much limescale buildup can cause pipes to clog or even break. This is something to keep an eye on, particularly if you have an above-ground water heater, as a broken pipe on this type of unit can potentially cause flooding inside your home.

Spotty Dishes

You spend all night slaving away in front of your kitchen sink, scrubbing every last dish, from the massive cast-iron skillet down to the little shrimp forks. When you shut off the light, all of the dishes are gleaming. But when you come back in the morning, they’re all covered with cloudy white spots! Are your dish-washing skills falling by the wayside? No…it’s just the hard water. This, too, may just be a visual nuisance, but for many homeowners, speckled dishes can be a real pain.

Stiff, Scratchy Laundry

There are few things in this world as wonderful as a load of soft, sweet-smelling laundry, fresh out of the dryer. However, if you have hard water at your home, you may find that when your clothes come out of the wash, they feel a little stiff and may even be rough against your skin. A little fabric softener can help combat this problem, but at the end of the day, hard water will always be tougher on clothing and linens than soft water. What’s more, water that is quite hard can also cause colors to fade more quickly, so if your red T-shirts have been looking a little pink lately, it may be time to have a water softener system installed.

Dry Skin and Hair

Similar to your laundry, your skin and hair may feel a little dry or scratchy after you get out of the shower. What you’re actually feeling isn’t dry skin so much as the faint residue of metallic minerals. Much like the dishes, you’re actually covered in spots, but you just can’t see them! Hard water also makes it more difficult for soap to come to a full lather; instead, it forms a curd-like substance which is commonly called “soap scum.” Because of this, if you have hard water at your home, you may not feel sufficiently clean after taking shower.

Contact Miami Water & Air Today

If you’re ready to say goodbye to the negative effects of hard water once and for all, turn to the professionals at Miami Water & Air. For more than 30 years, we’ve been helping residents throughout South Florida improve the quality of the tap water in their homes. As the area’s premier RainSoft dealer, we can provide you with an industry-leading water softener system that will effectively reduce the high concentrations of metallic minerals in your water, so that you can enjoy clean faucets, spotless dishes, soft clothes, and lustrous locks after your evening shower.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We’ll be happy to provide you with a complimentary water test to determine which water softener system would be best for remedying the hard water at your home.