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Hard water is one of the most common problems you will experience with your water supply. Water becomes hard when it contains too much calcium and magnesium. The problem may cause a few inconveniences or major plumbing issues. As you use this essential supply, you need to be aware of the hidden costs of hard water and how to deal with them. These costs include the following;
Higher electricity bills
Increased power bills are one of the costs of hard water you will discover. Your water heater is among the first to be affected by minerals. The heater is usually neglected until it develops serious problems. As minerals build inside the heater, it consumes more energy and takes time to warm your water. The end result is a breakdown that will require major repairs and high electricity expenditure. Both modern and old fashioned heaters are affected by the problem.
Clogged pipes
As water passes through the pipes, the minerals create sedimentation. The buildup of the minerals may not have serious effects, but you will notice reduced water flow from your taps. However, the problem can become far-reaching leading to complete blockage. If the problems really affect the flow of water, you may be forced to replace the pipes. Steel pipes are the most vulnerable as witnessed in old houses. Modern pipes made of copper and plastic are less prone to the problem of mineral sedimentation.
Laundry problems and Stains
When washing your clothes with hard water, you will be required to use more detergent than usual. Hard water does not lather easily, and people add more detergent to their laundry to get more foam for better cleaning.
The items cleaned using hard water get stains that cause discoloration. You may notice some discoloration on ceramic surfaces and also your clothes. These stains are as a result of the minerals and are difficult to remove.
Controlling the costs of hard water
Water is crucial in life, and you have no control on the water flowing in your pipes. Despite this limitation, you can reduce the costs of hard water in your home by investing in a water softener.
How a water softener works
A water softener contains negatively charged resin placed inside a tank. The negative charge in the resin is provided by sodium ions. The water in the tank has positive ions just like the calcium and magnesium. The positively charged ions of calcium and magnesium are strong and knock off the sodium ions off the resin and get attached to it in a process called ion exchange.
This process removes most of the hardness from the water but leaves small amounts of sodium which are harmless. After a period, the hard water ions saturate the resin and must be removed from the water. The hard water ions are detached from the resin by running it in a brine solution. The brine is then flushed down the drain.
Before buying a water softener, you need to determine how hard your water is. You can do this by flushing your heater and see the level of sedimentation. If it is severe, you need to go ahead and buy the softener to reduce the costs of hard water in your home you are yet to discover.
