Hard water has a way of sneaking up on you and wasting your money before you know it. If you’re noticing white scum building up in your kitchen sink or the corners of your bathtub, your appliances are dealing with even worse. Since many household appliances use water to clean your dishes or wash your clothes, they process minerals inside the water every time you turn them on. Similar to the scum buildup on your shower walls, it builds up inside your appliances and damages them from the inside. How can you prevent hard water from damaging your appliances? We’ll break down how hard water works, then explore how water filtration and water softeners can keep this annoying issue at bay.

Hard Water 101: How This Problem Works

This term refers to a water supply with a higher-than-average concentration of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It’s important to note that drinking this water is perfectly harmless and can actually be healthy for your daily mineral intake. The problem is that some drinking water has too many minerals that can’t drain properly, leaving residue throughout your house. You’re more likely to have higher mineral levels if your local water supply has a large concentration of rocks like granite, limestone, or chalk. These porous stones tend to shed more minerals into drinking water reservoirs, resulting in the white scum you’re constantly scrubbing off your shower tiles. While Massachusetts has softer water on average than other states, your home may still end up with a higher concentration. The state’s complex geography and diverse rock formations mean that some homes can have very high mineral levels, while others have no problem at all.

The 5 Appliances Impacted Most By Hard Water

Hard water appliance damage starts annoying and ends up expensive. While any appliance that uses water can be affected by poor water quality, some are affected more than others.

1. Washing Machine

You know you’re dealing with excess minerals in your home’s water when your clothes keep coming out stiff or discolored. Over time, your washing machine may need more repairs as scum builds up inside its pumps, causing it to work far too hard.

2. Dishwasher

Do you hate pulling out your dishes after a wash cycle only to find your glassware still covered in spots? This annoying issue is a surefire sign that your dishwasher is attempting to clean with hard water.

3. Refrigerator

Your refrigerator may be dealing with mineral buildup if you notice reduced water flow to your ice maker or water dispenser. Scum gradually clogs nozzles, resulting in reduced water pressure and ice that tastes a little ‘funny’.

4. Water Heater

Your tankless water heater needs to be flushed at least once per year to break up mineral deposits. Water heaters with heavy buildup will struggle to heat quickly or consistently, resulting in higher energy bills as they attempt to reach a boiling point.

5. Coffee Maker

Whether you enjoy drip coffee or espresso, coffee makers also struggle with hard-water buildup. You may notice your coffee taking longer to brew or your morning cup tasting unusually stale. Hard water and appliances eventually cause your hard-earned investments to break down prematurely. Thankfully, whole-home water filtration and water softening can easily fix that.

How Does Water Filtration and Water Softening Work?

There are two main solutions to hard water appliance damage: water filtration and water softening. Neither is better than the other; each offers unique benefits depending on the kind of water issues you’re dealing with and your personal preferences.

Water Filtration Removes Excess Minerals

Have you ever used a portable filter to make tap water taste better? Water filtration services provide an even more reliable way to trap excess minerals before they can damage your appliances. Unlike portable filters, which only work for a specific part of the house, whole-home water filtration systems attach to your home’s main water line to trap minerals at the source. Water filtration can trap all kinds of minerals and even additional contaminants, such as excess sediment, metals, and chemicals.

Who Should Use This?

If you’ve had water quality testing and found that you have several minerals that need to be removed, use water filtration. You can enjoy highly specialized filters that can trap a wide variety of contaminants beyond calcium and magnesium.

Water Softening Keeps Excess Minerals From Sticking

Do you suspect hard water problems have been shortening your appliances’ lifespan? If you’re tired of dealing with issues like faded clothes, spotty dishes, and bad coffee, try a water softener. Water softening works through a complex process called ion exchange. Simply put, these softeners alter the properties of primary minerals such as calcium and magnesium so they no longer form a sticky residue. Instead, the water softener prevents them from hardening and from getting washed away.

Who Should Use This?

If your home mainly has a calcium and magnesium problem, you’ll do well with a water softener. You’ll notice a major difference in your home, such as cleaner dishes and softer clothes.

How Can Notturno Improve Your Water Quality?

Hard water causes a domino effect. It starts with scummy sinks and funny-tasting water, then ends with failed appliances that still had a few years to go. With Notturno Home Services, you can finally enjoy the benefits of filtered or softened water year-round. Our plumbing services have been helping homeowners across the MetroWest reduce their hard water for several years.

We offer dependable whole-home water filtration and water softening services to target excess minerals at the source, protecting your appliances and hard-earned money. If you’re unsure about your water quality or whether you’d benefit from a new installation, we can also test your water for you. Our water quality specialists will perform an in-home test to look for important details such as:

• Hardness levels
• pH balance
• Chlorine levels
• Sediment
• Solids

We have even more benefits you can enjoy on your way to softer, cleaner water. If you join our membership program, you can get discounts on related services, such as water heater tune-ups and plumbing inspections.

Call Notturno Today to Enjoy Better Water

Protect your home from hard water damage to appliances. Call today to schedule an appointment with a water quality specialist!