Hard water damage shows up everywhere. It dulls your surfaces, clogs your appliances and dries out your skin. No amount of scrubbing or supermarket cleaner will keep it at bay for long. The only permanent fix is a water softener that removes the calcium and magnesium before they ever reach your taps.
Indeed, hard water damage is the single biggest reason our customers in Wiltshire and the South West eventually pick up the phone. Below, we walk through the most common ways hard water ruins a home, and what a softener changes.
Cloudy surfaces and limescale damage
Hard water leaves limescale on every surface it touches. Marble, granite, quartz, glass, polished wood, stainless steel, laminate, tile, copper and ceramic all suffer. Over time, limescale dulls the finish even before harsh chemical cleaners come into the picture.
The chemicals you do not want in your home
Most descalers carry warning symbols for a reason. They contain acetic, citric, glycolic, formic, lactic, phosphoric, sulfamic or hydrochloric acid. These acids dissolve calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), the main components of limescale.
However, the reaction releases carbon dioxide gas (CO2) and a soluble salt. You then rinse the residue away with, yes, more hard water. Consequently, the limescale is back within days.
CO2 accounts for around 76% of total greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels. We all want to do our bit to reduce CO2. To be more environmentally friendly and protect our wildlife, flush fewer chemicals down the drain.
The leaky loo problem
Speaking of drains, do you have black or green streaks on your toilet bowl? That is hard water damage too. It can also mean you have a leaky loo, with water trickling constantly into the bowl. If you are on a water meter, that drip costs you money on top of the elbow grease.
Hard water damage to pipes and appliances
Limescale builds up inside shower heads, pipes, taps, boilers and kettles, especially anywhere hot water flows. As a result, water flow drops and energy bills creep up.
White goods take a heavier hit. Dishwashers and washing machines work harder until, eventually, they break down completely. Heating systems suffer too. Limescale settles in heating pipes and reduces their thermal efficiency. In short, every part of your plumbing pays for hard water in maintenance, energy and replacements.
Hard water damage to skin and hair
Hard water does not only damage your home. It also has a daily effect on you.
Skin and hair
Washing in hard water can leave your skin dry and your hair dull. With softened water, hair feels silky and looks shinier. Most people also use less shampoo, conditioner and rehydration product as a result.
Skin feels cleaner, smoother and less irritated. That tight feeling after a shower or bath becomes a distant memory. In fact, some skin conditions like eczema or acne improve too. The BBC reported on a trial of softened water for eczema sufferers, and Kinetico has published a similar eczema report.
Soap scum and laundry
Notice that grey ring around the sink or bath after washing? That is soap scum, caused by calcium ions (Ca2+) in hard water reacting with soap. Rainwater flowing through rocks picks up these salts, and the South West of England gets it worse than most. This Fuse School film explains the chemistry in two minutes.
Your laundry will also notice the difference. Whites come out brighter, towels feel softer, and you use less detergent. In short, your daily routine starts to feel more like a spa day.
Stop hard water damage at source
The only permanent way to stop hard water damage is to remove the minerals before they reach your home. A water softener does exactly that. To find out how much hard water is costing your home, book a free home survey with W.E. Softeners. We will test your hardness, walk you through the options and leave you with a clear quote. No pressure, no obligation.
