Scale - The Dangers of Hard Water

Hard water and the respective side effects are a common problem in the UK. Most British homeowners have to deal with hard water problems, including scale build up, residue on laundry and damage to the plumbing systems.

Water is considered "hard" when it contains high levels of ions and minerals that have dissolved into the water.  The minerals that are the most worrisome are magnesium and calcium.

Hard water is made of rain water that has fallen on ion and mineral rich soil"the ions and minerals get into the water and are transferred to the water table.  When the rain falls onto hard stone or soil that is especially peaty it will stay soft as these cannot be absorbed into the water. 

The problems caused by hard water are caused by the minerals that build up in the piping of your home and on the inside of your home appliances or other types of machines that use water on a regular basis.  This "scale" decreases the efficiency of the pipes, appliances and machines and eventually they stop working properly. 

Cleaning with hard water is also incredibly difficult as the minerals contained in hard water prevent soaps and cleaning materials from lathering correctly.  When you use hard water regularly, your machines have to work harder which means they use more electricity, causing your utility bill to spike or be abnormally high.  If too much scale builds up in the plumbing, you will need to replace your pipes which is also expensive. 

Water softeners have proved to be incredibly useful to United Kingdom homeowners who have to deal with the issues that come from having hard water.  A water softener will filter the minerals and ions out of your water as it runs from your well or ground water source and into the pipes of your house. The water runs through the filter which acts as a mineral trap and catches most of the minerals that take away your water's "softness." 

Some water softener manufacturers include filters that will filter out other things as well as hard water minerals, creating a soft water that is easy to wash and clean with and won't build up mineral scale on your home's pipes. 

Depending on the minerals and ions that are contained in the hard water in your local area, your hard water could be dangerous both for your house and your body.  Calcium and Magnesium are the most feared ions because they can cause terrible health problems when too much of either is absorbed into the body. 

Mineral scale build up on pipes can cause the walls of a pipe to become weak and eventually those pipes will start to leak. This can cause a person thousands in repair and doctor costs. The easiest way to make sure that you only use soft water is to install a water softener somewhere inside your home or on your property.

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