5 Ways Hard Water Can Damage Your Cumberland GA Home

10/10/2019 (Permalink)

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So you’ve probably seen the late night infomercials advertising water treatments and devices that prevent hard water. You might have wondered to yourself, “What is ‘hard water’ and can it actually affect my home?”. Let's take a quick look at what “hard water” is and how it can affect your house.

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Hard water is just water that has a high content of minerals like calcium, magnesium carbonate, bicarbonates and sulfates (minerals commonly found in limestone and gypsum). These minerals are suspended in solution and are so small they can not be seen by the naked eye. To find out if you have hard water you can use a home test kit or by calling your local water department. Levels of hardness in water varies regionally. You can check to see if your water falls in line with Georgia’s average on the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) website. 

If your water has a slight metallic taste or smells like rotten eggs, you might have hard water. Hard water is typically not harmful to humans or animals, and some studies even suggest that water with slightly elevated mineral levels can be beneficial. The human body needs to take in many different types of minerals. The primary way we take in these minerals is through the food we eat and the liquids we drink. Household plumbing and appliances on the other hand are another story. Over time, hard water can cause major issues in homes, and can also cause minor discomfort to the occupants. Let's take a closer look at how hard water can affect your home.

5 Major Ways Hard Water Can Affect Your Home

• Hard water shortens the lifespan of your hot water heater and other appliances. Minerals can build up inside of your hot water heater causing it to fail. This can result in costly and time consuming repairs. By having your hot water heater and other appliances regularly serviced according to the manufacturer, you can prevent mineral buildup and prolong the life of your appliances and hot water heaters. 
• Hard water can cause faucets to drip and can discolor brick and other sidings. Hard water minerals can build up on just about any surface they come in contact with. Areas around water spigots, downspouts, and gutters are prone to discoloration for this reason. Exterior water sources are also prone to mineral buildup that can cause fixtures to drip. Having the exterior of your home pressure cleaned once a year will remove built up minerals on “high traffic water areas”, and can keep your home looking new. 
• Hard water can leave behind shower and tub rings. Overtime, minerals build up along the fill line of the tub or shower and leave them with an ugly brownish-red slimy residue that can be quite difficult to remove. Cleaning your shower regularly can help prevent shower and tub rings, and in most cases using household cleaners like CLR will remove the unsightly ring/residue. This tip also works on toilets, by preventing toilet rings.
• Hard water can cause slow draining Toilets, sinks, and shower heads. Not unlike the other examples, minerals can build up in side pipes, fittings, and connectors causing them to corrode and drain slowly. Being careful what you put down your drains is a good way of preventing blockages, but if you believe you have corrosion in your home plumbing system it would be advisable to call a reputable plumbing company you trust.
• Hard water can cause cloudy drinking water. The reason hard water sometimes appears cloudy has to do with the high mineral content (the higher the mineral content the more cloudy the water). You should never use water that you feel has been compromised in any way, but hard water is safe to drink and can help with some of your daily intake of minerals. Hard water will however, leave your dishes spotty, cause laundry to look less clean or dingy, and can leave your skin feeling dry and itchy.

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