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What is the nature of water in your Rockwall, TX home? If it is hard, it could be a problem. The calcium and magnesium in the hard water may not pose a health risk but will spell doom for your plumbing fixtures. They are vital minerals to our bodies, and their intake is essential.
However, the build-up of their sediments in the pipes may cause clogging and blockages, resulting in expensive repairs. Therefore, you have to devise a way to ensure that your home gets no hard water.
Water softening systems remove the hardness from the water by absorbing the magnesium and calcium ions through the exchange. By removing the mineral content from the water, the effects of hard water are removed.
Hire a licensed plumbing technician to install the water softening system in your home. They are equipped to handle your plumbing system needs, like installing this essential fixture.
The Effects of Hard Water
Clothing and Other Materials
Have you noticed stains on various bathroom fixtures, like sinks, showers, countertops, and toilet bowls? Do your dishes have dingy spots and areas? These are some effects of hard water. It can also make the clothes become stiff and have a rough texture that feels scratchy against your skin. White materials pick up some grey tinges, while the brown and yellow colors turn dull and appear worn out just after washing them for a few cycles.
Skin
When you wash your hands or shower with hard water, you might notice ashy color and flaking. For some people, using hard water frequently causes skin irritation. The irritation is like an allergic reaction. Have you noticed any of the above? Call a plumber to have the water’s mineral concentrations analyzed.
Plumbing Fixtures
The plumbing fixtures are also greatly affected by the hard water. It forms a scale inside your pipes and plumbing fixtures. The levels of scale increase over time, resulting in low water pressure and gurgling inside the pipes. With the high levels of scale residue inside the water heater tank, the water heater cannot function efficiently.
The lifespan of your appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers, also can be reduced because of the high mineral content in the water. So, how can you avoid all these effects? Calling a plumbing expert is the answer to all your worries.
If the appliances malfunction or you notice your skin turns ashy when you take a bath, call a plumber to test the levels of mineral content in your water. But what can the technician do in case your home is found to have hard water?
How Can a Plumbing Service Help?
Installing Water Softeners
Water softeners remove the minerals from the water through ion exchange aided by physical or chemical processes. Over decades, this method has been in use for water softening. Sodium-based water softeners remove magnesium and calcium minerals through a basic chemical reaction. The hard water enters your home through the normal routes from a well or a pipe. However, it passes through a water softening system before reaching your faucets.
Though they sound simple, only a skilled plumbing technician can install salt-based water softeners. The water softening unit has resin beads that are coated with sodium. As the water runs through the system, the magnesium and calcium molecules are exchanged with sodium. After some time, the sodium gets depleted, and you may need a plumbing technician to rinse the resin bed and replace the sodium.
To ensure you have clean and soft water at your home, call a plumber to install a water softening system. They will make all the considerations and install a system that will cater to your home’s needs. If you have a malfunctioning water softener, the plumbing expert will also inspect and repair the system.
Reverse Osmosis
The other option a plumber may suggest is to use reverse osmosis. Clean water is produced using a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane filters the contaminants while allowing the water molecules to pass. One side of the membrane has high contaminant concentrations, while the other side has a low concentration of pollutants. During osmosis, water flows from the high concentration areas to low concentration areas.
The reverse osmosis prevents the contaminants from reaching the side with low concentration. The clean drinking water is referred to as the permeate, while the water with a high concentration is called brine. While reverse osmosis removes the water contaminants, it also removes the mineral ions. Unlike the methods above, reverse osmosis can make bacteria-infested water safe for drinking.
Installing Water Conditioners
After the plumber has determined that your Rockwall, TX home has hard water, they can install a water conditioner. A water conditioner alters the mineral particle’s chemistry.
However, the water conditioners remove organic gasses, lead, chlorine, volatile organic compounds, among other substances that can change the smell or taste of water. Water conditioners are of many types and use differing technologies. To find out the best water conditioner for your home, contact your plumber. They will also advise on the best method for water softening at your home.
Electric Conditioners
Electrolytic deionization, also called electrically induced precipitation, involves the use of electrical currents directly. The mineral precipitates form at the electrodes that require regular cleaning. The mineral precipitate may sometimes form a sludgy substance on the heating elements, although the sludgy substance may be removed by flowing water.
With sludge removal, low water pressure may be a problem. Therefore, contact your plumber to address the issues with water pressure.
Template-Assisted Crystallization
Some water conditioner systems use a special material called TAC. They do not require any power source. Tiny crystals are formed from the reaction of the TAC media with the mineral particles. These crystals remain in the water, and while the TAC cannot react with all the mineral ions, it reduces their concentration enough to prevent the scaling. Consult a local plumber to determine and decide whether the water conditioner is suitable for use at your home.
Plumbing Services in Rockwall, TX
Water is an essential resource that supports life on the earth. Therefore, having plenty of clean water at your home is vital for the hygiene and survival of your family members. Plumbing systems deliver the water to your home and drive waste away. Therefore, keeping them intact is vital for the comfort of your home.
Hard water threatens the integrity of these essential home systems. The mineral deposits can render them faulty, from water heaters, plumbing piping to your faucets, making the need for a plumber inevitable. The good thing is, there are various recommendations that your plumbing expert may recommend softening the water.
Do you need water softening services for your commercial or residential property? Trust bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Northeast Dallas. We have technicians on standby to help install a water softener. Call us today to learn more about the services we offer.
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