Water is essential for drinking, washing, and bathing. That is obvious! However, what is less obvious is the side effects of hard water. Have you ever enjoyed a nice long shower but still felt dirty? If so, you may have been the victim of hard water. Ok. Enough with the dramatics! But in all seriousness, if you want to learn more about hard water, then keep reading.
What exactly is hard water?
According to the USGS, “it’s the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water. When hard water is heated, such as in a home heater, solid deposits of calcium carbonate can form”.
How to spot hard water.
Start with the dishes. Ever notice the spots on dishes after you wash them? When dishes come out of the dishwater with a cloudy white film, you know hardened water has infiltrated your pipes.
Beware! Hardened water can also damage clothing, cause colors to fade, and also leave a film that leaves clothes feeling dirty.
Here is another way to spot hard water issues in your home.
The soap does not latter but turns into soap scum instead. Again, this will leave a dirty-feeling film on you.
Have you been living with this issue for a while?
Then you might notice the porcelain of your sinks, tubs, and toilets start to rust. What a shame! Who wants to see their beautiful porcelain rust!
Are there any health implications?
Take a breather! We are glad to report that there are none. There are even studies that correlate drinking hardened water and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
How might you ask?
This is due to the amount of calcium and magnesium that may be lacking from your diet?
Is Hard Water Causing my Windows to dirty?
Ummm, yes! Think of the dirty and cloudy-looking film it leaves on you, your clothes, and your dishes. There is no doubt that the use of hard water will leave your windows looking just as cloudy and dirty. This of course will affect your curb appeal, reduces the amount of natural light in your home, and obstructs your beautiful lakefront or oceanfront view.
It gets worse! The film often mixes with pollution, leading to oxidation. After the stains oxidize, you can no longer clean the windows normally. You may have to use some hard chemicals such as ammonia to remove those stains.
This is where we come in! Put down those chemicals and let the professionals handle this. We will hand-buff out the windows to eliminate the residue, smooth the glass, and make it harder for other particles to stick to the surface.
Treating the water!
At this point, you may have realized that you have a serious case of hard water. Or perhaps, you have decided it is something you never want to deal with! Regardless of which category you stand-in, it’s important to know how to treat it.
Here are 7 steps to reducing or eliminating hard water.
- Boil “Temporary” Hard Water
- Remove Soap Scum Using a Hardened Water Cleaning Aid
- Use Washing Soda When Doing the Laundry
- Apply Some Distilled White Vinegar to Remove Stains
- Consider a Magnetic Water Conditioner
- Install a Faucet Water Softener
- Invest in a Whole House Water Softening System
Click here to find in-depth information on these solutions.