Hard water is a common problem for homeowners in and around Modesto. Unfortunately, it can cause serious damage if left untreated.

Learning the difference between hard water vs. soft water is the first step in protecting your plumbing, appliances and fixtures Below, the professional local plumbers at Jet Electrical, Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing will explain what hard water is, the warning signs you have hard water and how hard water affects your plumbing. Most importantly, you’ll learn what we can do to protect your home.

What’s the Difference: Hard Water vs. Soft Water?

So, what exactly is hard water? It’s water that has a high level of of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are harmless to drink but can harm your plumbing.

Soft water, by contrast has those minerals filtered out. Unlike hard water, soft water is plumbing-friendly.

Signs You Have Hard Water in Your Home

Hard water often leaves telltale clues around your home:

  • Whiteish mineral build-up on plumbing fixtures
  • Reduced water pressure
  • Dry skin or brittle hair
  • Stiff or faded laundry
  • Shampoo doesn’t lather up when you wash your hair
  • Spots on glasses after washing in dishwasher

If you see any of these warning signs in your own home, call Jet Electrical, Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for expert evaluation. Our team will test your water hardness levels (grains per gallon/PPM), so we can accurately measure your water hardness and how to fix it.

Common Hard Water Effects on Plumbing

What’s the benefit in knowing if you have hard water in your home? Hard water causes minerals to stick to the inside of your pipes, which eventually becomes something called limescale.

Limescale buildup narrows the available space inside of your pipes, which can reduce water pressure and even cause clogs or damage.

Below are some examples of the issues that hard water limescale deposits can cause throughout your plumbing system:

Plumbing Leaks

Hard water scale buildup within plumbing lines can create irregular surfaces. This increases the speed of corrosion and increases the likelihood of small leaks. This is most likely in older metal plumbing.

Damage to Home Appliances

Mineral limescale buildup in your water heater can result in costly damage. It forces these appliances to strain to operate by coating heating elements and parts with limescale, causing them to break down sooner.

Low Water Pressure

As limescale accumulates inside pipes, it restricts water flow. You may notice signs of restricted water flow, such as less powerful showers or tubs requiring more time to fill with water.

Soap Scum Build-Up and Hard Water Stains

Another effect of hard water in your plumbing is stubborn soap scum and hard water stains:

  • Soap scum: Appears when soap reacts with calcium and magnesium in hard water to create insoluble salts. This cloudy residue doesn’t wash off.
  • Hard water stains: Left behind when water evaporates and leaves behind mineral residue. It can appear as mineral rings on fixtures, as well as visible residue in sinks, showers and bathtubs. It can even leave residue on your glassware in the dishwasher. Sometimes hard water stains have rust-colored staining if your water contains high levels of iron.

Learn How to Protect Your Home from Hard Water with Jet Electrical, Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing

How do you get rid of hard water? From professional water quality testing to prevention, Jet Electrical, Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing provides complete hard water solutions in Modesto. We repair existing hard water damage, offering solutions such as descaling pipes and fixtures to remove mineral acculation and flushing appliances to restore water flow.

Our plumbing services also protect your home from future hard water problems by setting up a water softening system. We also can assist you by finding the best filtration system to remove hard water for your home. These systems help prevent limescale accumulation, providing water that’s gentle on plumbing and appliances.

Stop hard water damage in its tracks! Contact a local plumber from Jet Electrical, Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing by calling 209-618-4595 today!