Arizona has some of the hardest water in the U.S. The percentage of homes with hard water nationwide is about 85%, but experts estimate the rate is around 99% in Arizona. Many people associate hard water with spots on their glassware and clothes that are more difficult to clean. Yet, hard water can result in serious problems and cause homeowners to spend hundreds more on home maintenance and repairs.
Hard Water
Water naturally has minerals, and hardness refers to the volume of those substances. The main culprits are calcium and magnesium. Magnesium and calcium ions can be present in water in various forms that cause hardness:
- Sulfates
- Chlorides
- Carbonates
- Bicarbonates
The industry measures water hardness using grains per gallon (GPG). The Water Quality Association (WQA) uses GPG to classify water as soft, moderate, hard, or very hard.
- Soft: 0-3.5 GPG
- Moderate: 3.5-7.0 GPG
- Hard: 7.0-10.5 GPG
- Very hard: over 10.5 GPG
It’s important to note that minerals in water help people maintain a healthy balance in their bodies. Hard water, though, can make cooking difficult. While drinking hard water is generally safe, it does cause digestive issues in some people. Long-term consumption can even lead to kidney dysfunction.
Limescale
From the perspective of home maintenance, the concern is not the water hardness itself. The problem is limescale, which are the deposits left behind by calcium and magnesium in some of their forms. This can occur when water heats up, evaporates, or remains still for extended periods. Limescale often appears as a white, chalky substance. You may have seen it on your faucets, showerheads, and drains. It commonly builds up on shower walls, shower doors, and shower curtains. Those deposits can be quite stubborn and require liberal use of vinegar and baking soda to clean. While the limescale you can see is an annoyance, it’s the deposits you can’t see that are truly problematic.
The Effects on a Home’s Plumbing System
The Department of Energy estimates that hard water costs the typical household $800 a year, on average, in additional home upkeep. Increased wear and tear on your plumbing system is one cause of these added expenses. Limescale accumulates in layers. While microscopically thin, they decrease the diameter of pipes over time. That leads to reduced water pressure.
Scale can also shorten the lifespan of pipes, fittings, and valves. One way it does this is through limescale corrosion. This is where electrons flow between the scale and metal to cause corrosion. Scale can also harbor bacteria that lead to other forms of corrosion.
Water Heaters and Hydronic Heating Systems
The WQA estimates that hard water can decrease the lifespan of water heaters and boilers by as much as 50%. Systems with tanks have sacrificial anode rods to help slow the accumulation. The industry also recommends annual flushing for tank-based systems. For tankless water heaters, you need routine descaling instead. Scale causes increased pressure and interferes with heat distribution. It also coats components and acts like an insulator. This decreases energy efficiency and increases operating costs. It also leads to premature component failure.
Others Water-Using Appliances
Hard water can affect all the water-using appliances in your home. It can decrease performance, energy efficiency, and lifespan. Households with hard water must spend more on dish and laundry detergent. They also must repair their washing machines and dishwashers more often. Based on WQA studies, these appliances lose about three years of life on average.
Fixtures and Drains
Hard water affects all the fixtures and drains in your home. That includes showerheads and kitchen and bathroom faucets. Toilets can lose up to 50% of their expected lifespans. You’ll have to repair and replace your other fixtures more often. Limescale accumulation in pipes also chemically reacts with soap scum and makes them more prone to clogs. That can result in slow local drainage but with blockages much deeper, such as in your sewer or septic system.
Hard Water Solutions
Hard water in your home isn’t a problem you have to live with. There are customizable home water treatment solutions that can make your life easier while saving you money.
Anti-Scale Devices
Anti-scale devices work by changing the behavior of minerals. You may also see this approach called water conditioning and electronic de-scaling. Through several different technologies, anti-scale devices change the crystal structure of minerals. The minerals remain in your drinking water and the water that flows throughout your home. The difference is that they can no longer leave behind the deposits that are so potentially harmful.
In residential applications, anti-scale solutions tend to be local in scope. Perhaps you have moderately hard water that isn’t a home-wide concern, but you’re installing a tankless water heater. You could have a plumber install an anti-scale device between the water line and the water heater. That would avoid scale building up on its components.
Whole-Home Water Softeners
Point-of-entry (POE) or whole-house water softeners are the preferred solution when dealing with hard water throughout an entire home. The difference between a water softener and an anti-scale device is that the softener changes the water chemically. It does this by exchanging magnesium and calcium with salt. Most water softeners for the home use sodium chloride. If there are health concerns with an increased salt intake, you can opt for a system that uses potassium chloride instead.
A plumber will install a POE system between the main water line and the home’s plumbing. That allows the system to soften the water to the desired level before it enters the home. This approach protects all your plumbing, fixtures, and appliances. It also results in:
- More consistent cooking
- Better shower experiences
- Improved skin and hair health
- Greater detergent effectiveness
Reverse Osmosis Systems
An alternative to a POE water softener is a reverse osmosis (RO) system. The RO process involves exerting great pressure on water molecules to force them through a semi-permeable membrane. The result is the removal of over 99% of all substances in the water. That includes minerals but also impurities, such as:
- Gases
- Chemicals
- Pathogens
- Particulate matter
The RO system functions as both a water purifier and softener. That makes it an excellent alternative for the homeowner considering installing two separate systems. A notable concern is that by removing all minerals, RO removes beneficial minerals too. Most RO systems for the home overcome this concern with a remineralization filter.
Reliable Hard Water Solutions in Arizona
A/C & Plumbing Doctors in Gilbert, AZ has been helping area homeowners deal with hard water for over 20 years. Our expert local plumbers install and service water treatment systems that are designed to tackle hardness and other water quality issues. We pipe and repipe water, sewer, and gas lines. Our team performs camera inspections, cleans drains, detects and fixes leaks, and carries out trenchless sewer repairs. We install and service bathroom and kitchen fixtures, tank and tankless water heaters, garbage disposals, and sump pumps.
Our HVAC technicians install, maintain, and repair furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, and ductless mini-splits. We also specialize in thermostats, ductwork, VRF systems, mechanical ventilation, and air purifiers. Call A/C & Plumbing Doctors today or contact us online with questions or to schedule an appointment.
