Hard Water Solutions for the Average Homeowner

October 23rd, 2013 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on Hard Water Solutions for the Average Homeowner

Living in a home with hard water can wreak havoc on your skin, dishes and plumbing fixtures. Unfortunately, an estimated four out of five American homes have to contend with hard water. While you may have resigned yourself to a life of soap that doesn’t later and build-up on your showerhead, there are solutions that can make a big difference in your water supply and quality of life.

When you’re forcing hard water through your hot water heater, you’re running the risk of mineral buildup accumulating on heating elements and within the tank. Your washing machine can also suffer from the addition of these mineral deposits, so it genuinely pays to look into water softening options. When you consider the cost of a water softener installation versus the cost of opting to live with hard water, you may be surprised by the results. After all, soft water will allow you to replace appliances less often, use less soap and shampoo in the shower, and replace your clothing less often.

Contacting a licensed and experienced plumbing professional in your area to discuss your water softening options is an investment that will pay off in spades in the long run. By working with a professional plumber, you’ll be able to determine which method of softening your water is most feasible and effective for your home. Before you’re forced to replace another hot water heater, dishwasher or favorite garment because of hard water damage, get in touch with a professional plumbing expert in your area. You may be surprised by just how much changes after your home is fitted with a water softener.

Posted on behalf of Kiddco Plumbing

Google

, ,
Read More

Does Your Home Have Hard Water?

May 9th, 2013 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on Does Your Home Have Hard Water?

A vast majority of American homes, about 4 out of 5, have hard water. While some cities may claim some softening of their water, no city really provides soft water for their consumers. Many people have older water purification systems that they’ve just never felt the need to upgrade or, for that matter, even test as to its effectiveness. Unfortunately, water is something that most of us simply take for granted.

If you want to determine if you have hard water in your home, here are some signs that you can look for. With hard water, it feels difficult to get a lather worked up on a dish cloth or bath cloth from your bar of soap or liquid dish detergent; however, it will usually leave a scum-type appearance on top of your water or along the side of your sink. One of the first places to look for this white scum-like substance would be your showerhead; check to see if there is a build-up of white, crusty, material. Does your kitchen sprayer not work because of white, encrusted, mineral build-up? Also, look inside your dishwasher to see if the heating element is encrusted with minerals.

If you suspect that your home has hard water, you may want to call your local plumbing professional to test your water and check your overall plumbing system for any damage or corrosion. While a good water company can test the hardness of your water, they may also come with a convincing sales pitch for their particular water softening or refining product.  Your plumber should be able to help you narrow down the options as to what would be most beneficial and cost effective water softener for your home.

, ,
Read More

The Problem with Hard Water

February 26th, 2013 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on The Problem with Hard Water

You probably have magnesium and calcium supplements included as part of your daily multivitamin. These two compounds, essential to the healthy function of your body, can be problematic for your appliances and plumbing when they’re found in your water supply.

Hard water is a term used to describe water that contains high levels of mineral salts, and it can cause bigger problems than just a lack of lather from your favorite soap. Limescale build-up within your pipes can restrict the water flow over time, causing slow drainage that commercial drain cleaners usually won’t fix. Shower heads, faucets and valves can also fall victim to limescale build-up that reduces water flow.

Your water heater, one of the more expensive appliances in your home, can also be damaged by mineral deposits that form as a result of hard water. Those spots on your glassware after a cycle through the dishwasher aren’t just a mild irritant; they can be a sign of a problem that could affect the longevity of the dishwasher itself. The washing machine that keeps your clothes clean can also be adversely affected by hard water, with limescale deposits and rust inside the machine, along the hoses and water lines. Fortunately, there is a relatively simple solution to your hard water problems.

Contacting a licensed plumber to discuss the use of water softener can help you extend the life of your appliances, prevent limescale build-up on your faucets and valves and prevent the pesky skin and hair dryness that often accompanies showering and bathing in hard water. Your plumber will also be able to answer any questions that you have regarding water softeners and their effect on a septic system.

, ,
Read More

Protect Your Appliances & Fixtures From Hard Water

January 1st, 2013 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on Protect Your Appliances & Fixtures From Hard Water

Hard water contains minerals which can damage appliances and detract from the beauty of your plumbing fixtures over time. The mineral scale from hard water can build up in the water lines of your refrigerator and inside your dishwasher, in the bowl of your toilets and around your faucets. Hard water scale can also dull the appearance of your bathtub, shower surround or vanity sinks. If your hard water contains iron, the orange stain can build up on your plumbing fixtures, in your appliances and even discolor your clothing when it is washed. Hard water can also cause a build up in your hair that diminishes the shine and softness.

Installation of a water softener or a water filtration system to protect your appliances and fixtures from damage caused by hard water is an investment that easily pays for itself in retaining the value and beauty of the fixtures installed in your home. Filtering out the minerals will also improve the taste of your water, which can affect the taste of beverages like coffee that is made from your tap water.

Selecting the proper softener or filtration system for your home should be done after testing the water for hardness level and the iron levels. Once a system has been selected that will adequately filter the minerals from your water, a licensed plumber can install the filtration or softener system. Be sure to have the functions, settings and maintenance of the system explained to you once the installation is complete. Like any appliance, it must be operated properly to perform the its job adequately.

, ,
Read More

What’s The Best Solution For Rusty Water?

November 7th, 2012 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on What’s The Best Solution For Rusty Water?

If you have rusty water, the kind of water that leaves those lovely orange-brown stains in your toilets, tubs and sinks, the first step in fixing it is knowing where it is coming from. For some areas of the country, if your home is on a well, you know exactly where it is coming from. However, if you don’t have a well or iron-laden water is not normal in you area, most likely it is coming from within your home. 

There are two main ways rusty water can enter your faucet: your well water or your water heater. Figuring out which one is causing the issue is the next step.

  • Water heater. If your water heater is older, this may be your problem. First try flushing it out to see if that fixes the problem. It may be time to get a new water heater, maybe a tankless version that does not hold water so it does not rust.
  • Well water. If your water is rusty do to the water coming from a well, you need a water softener and/or an iron filter to get the rust out of your water. The amount of rust and other minerals in your water will determine the type of softner or filter required. Have your water tested for hardness by a professional and seek out expert advice on the proper filtration system needed for your particular problem.

Once you have the problem corrected, do a thorough cleaning of your plumbing fixtures to remove the rust deposits with the assurance that the rust stains will not be returning.

 

, ,
Read More

Do Water Softeners Harm Septic Systems?

May 22nd, 2012 Posted in Water Softener
Comments Off on Do Water Softeners Harm Septic Systems?

If your home is one of the 85 percent of American homes with hard water, you may be considering installing a water softener.  There are advantages and disadvantages of water softeners to consider, but if your home is on a septic system an additional consideration should be whether the water softener will cause any problems with the septic system.

There have been several studies done with no consensus reached as to whether a water softener or water conditioner can be used without damaging a septic system.  As an initial matter, there are a few areas where local building codes prohibit the use of water softeners with septic systems so check to be sure that you even have the option to install a water softener in your area.

During normal operation, water softeners periodically discharge large volumes of water with high levels of sodium which raises concerns about the possibility of overloading the septic system with too much water and also about the effect of the sodium on the septic tank and septic field.

Water softeners discharge about 50 to 70 gallons of water during a “regeneration cycle” which occurs two to three times a week.  The concern is that too much water flowing into the septic tank will cause the effluent to flow to the drain field before the solid material has had a chance to settle out.  Also, that much water could stir up the effluent and cause too much solid material to flow into the drain field.

By comparison, a typical washing machine uses about 40 to 55 gallons of water per load so the effect of a water softener is similar to doing one and a half loads of laundry three times a week.  A healthy septic system that is not already nearly overloaded should be able to handle this additional volume of water.

The septic tank and drain field depend on millions of naturally occurring bacteria to treat the waste water. Studies on the effect of the additional sodium from a water softener have not found any reason to conclude that the added sodium is harmful to the bacteria in a septic system.

, ,
Read More

Find Local Company | Featured Plumbers| Find Local Plumbers| Plumbers Directory