Serving Clovis, Portales & Surrounding Areas

Is Hard Water Unhealthy for My Family to Drink?

Installation of water softenerWe offer the installation of many residential water treatment systems. One we install frequently is the water softener. But when we mention water softeners to homeowners, they often become concerned. They know hard water is “not a good thing,” and their mind first goes to possible health problems. While strongly recommend installing a water softener in Farwell, TX for any home that has hard water problems, this isn’t necessarily because of health concerns.

Let’s take a closer look at hard water, what it does, and if it poses a health risk to your family.

The definition of hard water

Hard water is simply water with a high concentration of certain minerals in it. Those minerals include calcium, magnesium, and gypsum. These are all naturally occurring minerals found in many types of food and drink. In fact, you’re probably used to seeing cereals advertised as containing “essential vitamins and minerals.” Many of these are the same minerals found in hard water.

Is the concentration of these minerals in the hard water potentially dangerous to people’s health? Studies, including one from the World Health Organization, have shown no connection between hard water and health problems. In fact, the higher level of calcium in hard water may actually be good for some people. However, there are many better ways to get more calcium in your diet—and hard water is something you want to get rid of no matter what.

If Hard Water Isn’t Unhealthy, What’s the Problem?

The problem is that hard water is unhealthy for your home. Specifically, the plumbing in your home and the various water-using appliances such as the water heater, the dishwasher, washing machine … you get the idea. The hard water minerals easily from limescale inside your plumbing. The buildup of limescale inside pipes will cut down on the volume available for water. This causes an increase in water pressure and that will lead to leaks as well as damage throughout the plumbing system. With enough hard water deposits in the plumbing, clogs will become frequent as well.

These hard water deposits can ruin appliances. Your home’s water heater is at the highest risk. Limescale inside the tank of a water heater will eventually cause the tank to overheat. It can also lead to corrosion and the need to retire the system many years before its time. Limescale deposits in other appliances will quickly clog up their water intake lines.

Finally, hard water is inconvenient for keeping clean. It’s difficult to get a good lather of soap going in hard water, and the minerals in hard water leave an unpleasant film on surfaces—including your skin and hair.

It’s Simple to Get Rid of Hard Water

Well, it’s simple if you go straight to the experts! A water softener safely removes the excess hard water minerals from the water entering your house through the water main. The water softener exchanges the hard water ions for sodium ions. To find out more about our water softener services, as well as our other solutions for water treatment for homes, make an appointment with one of our specialists.

When you need a plumber, call a Carpenter! Mark Carpenter Plumbing serves the Clovis, NM area.
Categories