Mineral-rich water that contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, and iron, is called “hard” water. While hard water has no significant adverse health consequences, it is not quite the ideal choice for everyday drinking water. 

Continue reading to learn about the seven major disadvantages of hard water. 

7 Major Downsides of Hard Water

  • Taste & Smell

Hard water can have a metallic taste and a sulphurous odour due to calcium and magnesium bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulphates. While these are not harmful, they aren’t all that appealing.

  • Limescale Buildup 

While the taste and smell of hard water are undeniably unappealing, the financial consequences may be considerably worse. When hard water runs through hot water equipment, such as your water heater, it can cause significant limescale accumulation. 

The more sediment builds up, the less energy efficient your water heater will be. This means higher energy costs and more issues when it comes to your heating system. If you want to maximise your water heater’s efficiency, you must first address the issue of hard water with an emergency plumber in Adelaide. 

  • Corrosion 

As you might expect, limescale accumulation in your water heater may spread throughout your plumbing system. This can obstruct the passage of water through your pipes, causing corrosion and premature piping wear. Fixing your hot water problem is a brilliant idea to avoid pipe breaking and repiping, so make sure to seek a 24-hour plumbing service if you notice inefficiencies in your plumbing. 

  • Lather

When using soap with soft water, foamy bubbles, or “lather,” should form every time you wash your hands. However, it might be tough to develop the same type of lather with hard water. This makes regular hand-washing and cleaning tough, a huge drawback for anyone worried about getting rid of germs and viruses.

  • Dishwashing Ability 

Hard water makes it more difficult to get a good lather because of the interaction between heat and the minerals in the water. This will cause the minerals to linger on your plates and glasses in your dishwasher, creating a spotty, filmy discharge that may stay on your kitchenware for extended periods. 

  • Clothes-Washing Capability 

The minerals in hard water may penetrate clothes in the same manner that they can cling to your dishware. This will give your clothes a drab appearance over time and make the fabric feel rough and scratchy.

  • Staining

Living with hard water has the negative side effect of causing discolouration wherever you use water. Check behind your toilet, sinks, and showerheads for dull, brownish stains. These are some of the places where you can find traces of hard water, and no matter how hard you try to scrub them away, they’ll come back as long as hard water runs through your system.

Conclusion 

If left untreated, hard water may cause a multitude of problems in your appliances and water systems. Fortunately, 24-hour emergency plumbing services can alleviate the consequences of hard water and scale accumulation when it’s time to repair a major household system.

Designa Plumbing, a fully licensed plumbing & gas fitter business, offers 24-hour plumbing services in Adelaide. If you need an emergency plumber or gas fitter, make sure to contact us!