One common problem among householders is that of hard water. If you’re living in an area with high sediment, you’ll find large amounts of dissolved minerals in your water supply. Although that might not seem to be too big a problem, the minerals deposits that it leaves on surfaces after the water has evaporated can be a huge pain to remove.
While some people think that hard water isn’t healthy to drink, in fact this isn’t the case. In fact, it may help to prevent diseases and boost your intake of minerals every day. However, despite the fact that it won’t physically harm your body, it will have a major impact on your appliances and plumbing system.
Hard water leaves white residue on sinks, glassware and dishes. It also reduces the working lifespan of your plumbing system while contributing to a host of issues like rusting, scale buildup in your pipes and less effectiveness of cleaning products. The scale which accumulates from the buildup may also cause your plumbing system and water heaters to use more energy and this will end up increasing your energy bills.
So, how can you resolve the problem? Here are some options to consider.
Vinegar
As calcium is the biggest component of hard water, it’s very reactive to acids. Vinegar is one such acid which will help to break down hard water deposits and keep your home looking its best. Put any fixtures which have been covered with scale into a large bowl of vinegar which has been heated. Within an hour, the deposits will have been dissolved. You can also clean your appliances and glassware with distilled vinegar to remove the residue.
Reducing Temperatures
One problem that contributes to scale buildup is the temperature of the water. Most people don’t know that if they run hot water through their hot water heat, mineral buildup will be increased because of the process of mineral precipitation which occurs in the plumbing system’s hottest areas. If you turn down the heater’s temperature, accumulation will be delayed. You should also flush out your heater regularly so that sediment won’t be able to clog the fixture.
Use A Rinse Aid
When you have hard water, it’s common to have to use even more soap if you want it to actually foam. If you want to minimize the amount of hard water deposits accumulating on your glassware and dishes you should always use a rinse aid. This will remove the film, stains and buildup leaving your utensils and crockery looking their best. Make sure to choose a product which has been formulated especially for use in a hard water area.
Use An Appliance Cleaner
Hard water deposits build up on and in your appliances and this reduces their lifespan and reduces their effectiveness. Calcified buildup is very difficult to remove so you should clean your appliances and pipes frequently to keep them in good condition. You can use a specialist appliance cleaning solution which will remove the buildup due to its abrasive or acidic.
Use A Water Softener
A water softener can resolve all your hard water problems at home. There are three types of water softener – a salt-free version which uses no chemicals, an ion exchange version and a reverse osmosis softener. While salt-free softeners are ideal for preserving natural minerals in the water, they aren’t going to be effective enough to address very hard water. In the most extreme cases, an ion exchange softener which uses sodium or potassium ions to soften the water will be the best choice. These water softeners are very good for home appliances like washing machines or dishwashers, but if you use this type of softener you won’t be able to drink the water. The third option – the reverse osmosis softener – is known to be the best option on the market, using pressure to remove impurities from the water. You can find out more here about how to choose the right water softener to suit your needs.
