Hard water, a common issue in Green Valley, NV, and surrounding communities, may not affect your health directly, but it can cause significant damage to your household drains. At Bumble Breeze, we receive numerous questions from homeowners in hard water areas about how to protect their plumbing, particularly their drains. In this post, we’ll jump into hard water, its detrimental effects on drains and other plumbing components, and effective strategies to protect your plumbing system.
What Is Hard Water
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines hard water as water that contains high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. People don’t generally go around testing their water quality, so how do you know if your home has hard water? You might notice your skin and hair feels dryer. When using soap in sinks or the washing machine, you might notice that it also doesn’t suds up. Your toilet, bathtub, shower, or sink might have rust-colored stains. But how do you know if hard water has started affecting your drains?
- Low water pressure
- Frequent clogs
- Scale buildup on faucet fittings
- Pipe corrosion
You likely know how to identify low water pressure and recurring clogs, but what about scale buildup?
Scale deposits happen when traces of calcium and magnesium increase in your home’s water supply. These sticky substances adhere to the inside of your household’s water pipes. After a long time, the buildup of scale deposits becomes so great that it blocks water flow, causing clogged pipes and low water pressure. However, since you can’t see inside your pipes, the first indication of scale buildup is often seen on faucets.
Look at the faucets where the water comes out in your bathroom and kitchen. Is there a white-ish, slightly yellow film? If so, you have scale buildup from hard water.
Drain Issues and Hard Water Levels
Not every household with hard water will experience the most severe drain issues. Hard water strength levels have much to do with potential damage. Plumbers measure water hardness using the Calcium Carbonate Formula, from zero to 180+ CaCO3.
Households with soft water measuring 0-60 can expect little to no pipe corrosion and scale buildup. Plumbers consider households within the 61-120 range moderately hard. If your home falls under this category, you might experience frequent clogs and moderate scale buildup. Households with water quality between 121 and 180 can expect regular drainage issues, heavy-scale buildup, and likely corrosion. If your home’s water hardness exceeds 180, expect serious corrosion and extensive drain problems.
How Does Hard Water Affect Drain Systems?
As previously mentioned, hard water causes a multitude of problems, particularly to your home’s drainage system. Since drain damage begins subtly, you might not be aware that a problem exists. Sure, you might have experienced some physical symptoms of hard water, like dry skin and hair, or you’re constantly wiping away hard water stains, but overall, you’re not having drainage issues. However, failing to acknowledge your home’s hard water issues will cost you more money, resulting in pipe replacement and severe clogs. The best way to protect your residential drain system is to stay proactive and get ahead of problems.
How To Prevent Hard Water Drain Damage?
The first step in preventing hard water drain damage is to determine your home’s hard water level. At Bumble Breeze, we offer comprehensive water testing services. These services involve a thorough analysis of your water, identifying potential contaminants that could harm your drain system and, potentially, your household’s health. Our professional water testing provides a clear understanding of your water’s hardness level, enabling us to recommend the most suitable treatment options to prevent further drain damage.
Professional water testing helps you understand your water’s hardness level. It also gives plumbers valuable information to pinpoint issues with your drainage system related to hard water and recommend treatment options to prevent further drain damage.
You Have Hard Water: Now What?
If you recently had water testing done and learned your household’s hardness level is over 60, you have water treatment options to soften your water and protect residential drains.
A practical solution that has proven effective for many households is the installation of a water softener. Depending on your water’s hardness level, your Bumble Breeze plumber might recommend a magnetic or salt-based ion exchange softener. Magnetic softeners use electromagnetic coils to separate hard water-causing particles, making them ideal for homes with moderate hard water levels.
The better option for a household with very hard water levels is the salt-based ion exchange softener, a popular choice for many families in Green Valley. The salt-based softener works by drawing heaving minerals into a resin and exchanging them for salt. The transfer brings the water levels back to neutrality. Although this is a popular water softener, one drawback is it requires frequent salt replacement. You need to add more salt every few weeks.
Is a Water Softener a Good Investment?
Investing in a water softener is a smart move that protects the other investments you’ve made in your home, such as water-using appliances. More importantly, it guarantees your home’s drainage system is shielded, offering a significant return on investment. Drain damage can result in costly repair services, potentially running into thousands of dollars. Taking proactive steps within your budget can save money and protect your household’s drainage system for a long time.
What About Whole-House Water Filtration?
Whole-house water filtration systems offer excellent hard water protection and the cleanest water possible. These systems cost significantly more than water softener options, but they protect the drainage system and add value to your home.
How To Choose the Right System
With several options available, it’s natural to feel unsure about which one offers the most protection for your home. At Bumble Breeze, we understand your concerns and are here to help. Our highly trained plumbers have the knowledge and expertise to guide you through selecting and installing water treatments. We offer water purification, water softener, and whole-house water treatment installations. Each of these hard water prevention solutions has its pros and cons, and we will analyze your water troubles to provide the ideal solution that fits your budget and water quality issues. You can trust us to provide personalized and effective solutions for your home.
Contact Plumbers in Green Valley Today
You don’t have to live with the damaging effects of hard water any longer. At Bumble Breeze, you can count on our expertise. Since 2018, we’ve served the greater Las Vegas area by providing affordable plumbing services, such as drain repair, repiping, leak detection, drain repair, and water testing services. We’re a family-owned business that always puts our customers first. You deserve honest and dependable service, and we’re happy to provide that 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you have a question in the middle of the night, over the weekend, or on a holiday, a friendly team member wants to help.
Learn more about preventing hard water drain damage by calling Bumble Breeze today!
