How to Solve Your Home’s Hard Water Problem

There’s truly nothing better than raising your family in Orange County. You might not live in Disneyland, but with your family’s frequent trips, it feels like you’ve brought a bit of that Disney magic into your home.

Except there have been a few water-related hiccups that disrupt your fairytale life. Recently, the water pressure has been dropping, and your utility bill has been climbing. Your kids, who are never shy when they don’t like something, constantly complain about the water’s taste. Normally, you chalk up their pickiness to them not wanting to eat their vegetables, but the water does taste a little…chlorine-y. Is this simply the cost of living in Anaheim, or is there a wicked witch to blame?

Hard Water’s Effect on Your Home’s Plumbing System

As far as we know, no wicked witches are running free around Anaheim. The much more likely culprit to your water woes is hard water, and while it doesn’t pose any serious health risks to you and your family, it is the villain to your plumbing system.

You’ve heard friends and neighbors complain about hard water, but what causes it? And why is it so dangerous for your plumbing? The answer is a lot more anticlimactic than any princess movie. It’s a natural process that starts with rainwater. Rainwater is naturally acidic. Once it falls to the ground, it dissolves minerals like zinc, copper, magnesium, and calcium. These minerals balance out the water’s acidity and make it safe to drink.

However, in this modern world, we don’t just drink our water. We rely on hot water at a moment’s notice. Heat and pressure displace these minerals and cause build-up in your pipes. This creates blockages, which decreases your water pressure, lowers the lifespan of appliances, and decreases your plumbing’s overall efficiency.

Unfortunately, neither traditional nor tankless water heaters are immune to the effects of hard water. Hard water also only tells half the story, as public water has much more in it than just minerals.

Added Chemicals to Your Water Can Harm Your Plumbing

Water picks up more than just a few minerals between the raincloud and your tap. Not all are safe to drink, which is why bacteria-killing chemicals, like chlorine, are added to the public water supply. This makes it safe to drink, but it does alter the taste.

These added chemicals also contribute to pinhole leaks in your pipes. Pinhole leaks cause a small, steady drip that can create big problems over time. Pinhole leaks are like a hidden villain, waiting to reveal themselves when the damage is already done.

You need a knight in shining armor to deliver you and your family deliciously clean water without harming your plumbing system.

The Solution to Hard Water

The best solution to hard water is to install a water softener in your home. A water softener reduces the abrasive minerals in your water. It purifies and cleans with ions like hydrogen, potassium, and sodium.

This simple process keeps your plumbing systems cleaner and can make cleaning easier (or as easy as it can get when you’ve got young kids running around)! Soft water also heats up faster and extends the life of your appliances.

Just as hard water is only half the problem, a water softener is only half the solution. To really enjoy clean, fresh water in your home, you’ll also need a water conditioner, which we at Barker and Sons are happy to help with.

Barker and Sons Are Ready to Help

Before running to the nearest home improvement store, you need to know what your water hardness is prior to taking any action. That’s why we recommend you reach out to us. Think of it like car shopping; the details of what you need make a difference. Not just any car will do.

If you are experiencing hard water and want to find the solution that best fits your home and your needs, we’d love to talk with you. Our expert technicians are ready to provide you with customized solutions. You’re the expert on your home, and we’re the experts on plumbing. Together, we’ll make your home better than any fairytale castle.