The Cons of Using Hard Water

The term “hard water” refers to water that has an excessive mineral count, specifically when it comes to calcium and magnesium. The more of these minerals are found in the water, the greater the water hardness.

There are a variety of downsides associated with using hard water in your home, which is why many people who deal with hard water end up investing in a water softener. Here are just a few examples of some of the downfalls of using hard water in Columbia, TN:

• Difficult to use soap: Because of the high mineral content in hard water, it creates a reaction with soap that forms scum. Soap scum can quickly become problematic, as it develops a layer of minerals over the surfaces in bathrooms and inside plumbing fixtures, known as scale. When that scale builds up, it becomes extremely difficult to remove if it’s just allowed to sit there for a long time. Hard water requires large amounts of soap to even form a lather, but then the risk of soap scum grows even greater.
• Negative effects on hair: Every shaft of hair on your head features small scales, and because of the high mineral content and the likelihood that the water will combine with your shampoo to form scum, those scales will start to stand up. This will make your hair feel rougher, and make it more likely to get tangled. This also makes it so the hair becomes more difficult to wash, and can keep the soap trapped in your hair even after rinsing. The more these minerals build up in your hair, the more prone the hair becomes to breakage, or at least becoming brittle.
• Negative effects on skin: The high mineral content in hard water can make it hard for soaps to dissolve after you’ve used them on your skin. If the soaps fail to dissolve, they’ll leave behind a scummy residue, which will in turn lead to skin irritation. This means it will not only take longer for you to form a lather, but you might actually feel worse after long-term exposure to hard water than you did before showering. People who have sensitive skin or other types of skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis are even more likely to have problems if exposed to hard water. You may notice itching, dry or flaky skin or cracking.
• Negative effects on laundry: Because hard water does not work well with soap, it becomes more difficult to sufficiently wash your clothes. It will be harder for the soap to remove stains from clothing, and the scum that gets left behind on clothing can cause it to lose its softness and its color. You might notice yellowing of whites, and a generally shortened lifespan of fabrics. The washing machine will also experience more wear and tear.

These are just a few examples of some of the negative results of having hard water in your home. For more information about the cons of using hard water in Columbia, TN, contact Action Electric Motor & Pump Repair today.

Categorised in: Water Softeners