Hard Water: How Does It Affect Your Plumbing & Appliances?

Water Faucet

Hard water produces inanimate deposits that are harsh on your drainage system. The mineral backlogs on your sinks, fixtures, and tubs are unsightly and damaging. They slow down water pressure, cause backups, and deteriorate pipes and fixtures. Hard water can affect drainage systems and appliances in any or all of these ways. Here, we discuss some of the most common ways that hard water affects them:

Broken and Leaking Pipes

Hard water is naturally corrosive and will cause damage to older drainage systems and appliances. Corrosion eats up the piping and causes the formation of tiny holes on the sides of the piping. Over time, that would cause leaks. Then again, mineral deposits slow water flow and ultimately leave the pipes and connectors shattered and irreparable.

Low Water Quality

The hardness and mineral content makes the water not safe for drinking. Similarly, the water requires more soap to lather, which makes washing utensils and clothes more expensive as you have to use more soap or detergents.

Causes Wear and Tear

The buildup of hardness deposits on the jets, connectors, and drains in dishwashers and washers can cause wear and tear, which affects performance and durability. The more deposits collected inside your appliances, the higher the odds of mold growth and corrosion issues.

Clogging on the Drains

Hard water deposits attach to drain screens and piping. Continual use of the drains attracts increased accrual of the deposits, which leads to clogging. Not cleaning clogged pipes ultimately leads to slowed sewage flow and backups.

Affects Appliance Efficiency

Washing machines may become inefficient when they are exposed to water containing hardness and mineral elements for an extended period. Accrued deposits force dishwashers and washers to take longer to complete a cycle. The result is usually more energy consumed and higher energy bills.

Low Water Flow

Another effect is how efficiently water is delivered through household spouts. This occurs following intensive accrual of magnesium and calcium elements in the piping, blocking water flow. Reduced supply due to blocked pipes happens even when you open the taps to full blast.

These are common ways water containing hardness content adversely interferes with appliances, drainage systems, and piping. Some of these issues are preventable; others cannot be prevented. If you have hard water in your area, we recommend investing in a water softener to remedy these issues.