Hard water is a frequent issue faced by homeowners in and around Eugene. Unfortunately, it can result in costly damage if left untreated.

Knowing the difference between hard water vs. soft water is the first step in protecting your plumbing system and appliances. In this blog, the experts at Home Comfort will explain what hard water is, the warning signs you have hard water and how hard water affects your plumbing. Most importantly, you’ll learn what we can do to protect your home.

What’s the Difference: Hard Water vs. Soft Water?

What is hard water? It’s water that contains high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are harmless to drink but can damage your plumbing.

On the other hand, soft water has those minerals neutralized. Unlike hard water, soft water is plumbing-friendly.

Signs You Have Hard Water in Your Home

Hard water often leaves telltale clues around your home:

  • Chalky buildup on fixtures
  • Low water pressure
  • Dry skin or brittle hair
  • Stiff or faded laundry
  • Shampoo doesn’t lather up when you wash your hair
  • Spots on dishes after washing in dishwasher

If you see any of these warning signs in your own home, call Home Comfort for a professional water quality assessment. Our team will test your water hardness levels (grains per gallon/PPM), so we can accurately measure your water hardness and how to fix it.

Frequently Reported Hard Water Effects on Plumbing

Why does it matter if you have an issue with hard water in your home? Hard water causes minerals to stick to the inside of your pipes, which hardens into something called limescale.

Limescale accumulation narrows the available space inside of your pipes, which can restrict water flow and even cause clogs or breaks.

The following are examples of the problems caused by limescale buildup can cause in your home’s pipes:

Leaky Pipes

Hard water scale buildup along the inside of pipes can create uneven surfaces. This speeds up corrosion and raises the risk of small leaks. This is especially true in older metal plumbing.

Damage to Home Appliances

Mineral limescale buildup in your washing machine or boiler can result in costly damage. It forces these appliances to strain to operate by coating heating elements and parts with limescale, causing them to break down sooner.

Lower Water Pressure

As limescale builds up inside pipes, it chokes off water flow. You may notice signs of low water pressure, such as reduced spray strength or tubs requiring more time to fill with water.

Soap Scum Acculation and Hard Water Stains

Another effect of hard water in your plumbing is stubborn soap scum and hard water staining:

  • Soap scum: Forms when soap reacts with calcium and magnesium in hard water to produce insoluble salts. This grimy buildup doesn’t dissolve.
  • Hard water stains: Formed when water evaporates and leaves behind mineral residue. It can appear as a crust around faucets, as well as visible residue in sinks, showers and bathtubs. It can even cloud the glassware in the dishwasher. Sometimes hard water stains have red or brown hues if your water contains high levels of iron.

Learn How to Protect Your Home from Hard Water with Home Comfort

How do you get rid of hard water? From initial testing to prevention, Home Comfort provides complete hard water solutions in Eugene. We repair hard water damage, offering solutions such as descaling pipes and fixtures to remove mineral acculation and flushing appliances to restore flow and efficiency.

Our plumbing services also protect your home from future hard water problems by installing a water softener. We also can assist you by finding the best filtration system to remove hard water for your home. These systems limit mineral buildup in pipes, providing water that’s gentle on plumbing and appliances.

Stop hard water damage in your plumbing! Contact a local plumber from Home Comfort by calling 541-345-2838 today!