05 July 2016

Hard Water Scale and Your Home

Hard water is a common quality of water which contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium and, sometimes, other elements.

The term hardness was originally applied to water that is difficult to wash in or water with higher soap wasting properties. Water hardness prevents soap from lathering. Water hardness typically causes the buildup of hardness scale on cooking pans. Dissolved calcium and magnesium salts are primarily responsible for most scaling in pipes and water heaters and can lead to problems with your laundry and in your kitchen and bath.

Hardness is usually expressed in grains per gallon (or ppm) as calcium carbonate equivalent.

Hardness symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Stiff, dingy laundry
• Mineral deposits on dishes and glassware
• High soap usage & need for fabric softeners
• Dry, itchy skin and scalp
• Unmanageable hair
• Extra work to remove soap curd on bathtubs & shower stalls
• High energy costs, possibly due to scale build-up in pipes and on appliances
• Scale build up in sinks, tubs, faucets & appliances

For more information:  https://www.wqa.org/learn-about-water/perceptible-issues/scale-deposits