What Causes Hard Water Stains?

Have you ever noticed a white, chalky buildup on your faucets? Do your toilets have a blue ring around the water’s edge? Do you see an orange rusty looking stain in your sink or tub? These are all hard water stains.

Kinetico SA wants you to be on the lookout for signs that your home is affected by hard water. Our San Antonio community is heavily affected by hard water, and those simple signs you may notice can quickly turn into probelms for your home and body. Where do hard water stains come from and what are some other sign that hard water is affecting you?

What causes hard water stains?

Water is colorless, but it can leave behind some traces of itself inside your home. Those stains and signs of buildup aroudn your home are the effects of hard water. Hard water stains are present because hard water contains extra minerals that are not needed and often undesirable. While the majority of the water goes down the drain, the additional minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron may linger. This is why you might see white, orange or blue deposits on bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Those minerals are also responsible for making your drinking glasses look cloudy and causing mineral buildup in pipes.

Side Effects of Hard Water

You might have a hard time telling if your home is actually struggling with hard water. Here are some other signs that your water is negatively impacting your life:

• Odor and taste —Hard water tends to have a very distinct smell and taste. If you smell a sulfuric, rotten egg scent along with a metallic taste, you might be experiencing signs of hard water. Yuck!
• Clogged pipes — This type of water is known for creating issues with your plumbing. Overtime, components of hard water can build up and cause plaque. This can lead to heavy blockages, thus restricting the proper flow of water. If you have frequently clogged pipes, you might be fighting hard water buildup.
• Skin aggravation — Once hard water has made its presence in the home, it can begin to affect the family. Whether it’s showering, washing your hands or shaving your legs, the overwhelming amount of minerals can deprive your skin of the necessary moisture it needs. This causes itchiness, flaking and redness, and it can cause irritation of infected skin.
• Dry Hair — The overwhelming minerals in hard water can have a similar effect on your hair as it does on your skin. If you notice you have dry hair or unhealthy hair, the culprit could be the water!
• Appliance problems — Scale deposits can wear down appliances over time, ultimately leading to failure. As time goes on, your energy savings go down.

How Clean Hard Water Stains

There are many cleaning products on the market that will help remove the stains caused by hard water. They are typically very strong, may contain acids and must be used with gloves in a well-ventilated area. They are usually very effective. Once you are finished removing the stains, however, the goal is to keep them from returning.

Consider Soft Water

Hard water can ruin a home, but we have a way to fix that.

At Kinetico San Antonio, we recommend installing a water softener to reverse the effects of the low-grade water. Since 1970, our goal has been to provide innovative water systems that solve a plethora of water issues.

Turning your hard water into soft water may be the answer to ridding your home of all those irritating water stains and effects. Installing a water softener will remove unwanted minerals from your water. Not only will it take care of the stain problem, but it will also help keep your pipes clear and give appliances a longer life.

Call on Kinetico SA

Kinetico San Antonio offers free water testing to diagnose your problem. We are experienced professionals who can provide you with the best water softening solution.