There’s one thing a good home in the Paris of the Prairies needs. Offering the most important everyday conveniences to its occupants, it is reliable plumbing. However, unless you, as the homeowner, know how to clean up and maintain Saskatoon plumbing fixtures and piping, you could end up with problems. This can turn up far worse than with what you started. In any case, one of those things you’ll have to deal with is water hardness.
Definition
Water’s hardness generally refers to its concentration of minerals and minute sediments. In municipal water sources, its contributors are often calcium, magnesium, sulfur, certain ions, and other compounds like bicarbonates and sulfates. Calcium typically comes in the form of chalk or lime, whereas magnesium comes from a sedimentary rock called dolomite.
Signs
Thankfully, there are ways you can easily tell whether or not your water supply’s mineral levels are reaching dangerous levels. Here are some helpful tips from an article on Diffen.com:
The most common technique to determine the quality of water is by looking at sud formation with soap. There is usually less lather formation when soap is used compared to soft water. Instead, a white precipitate (soap scum) is produced. Another way in which water manifests its quality is scaling i.e. forming deposits through calcification that clogs plumbing. These scales are usually white because calcium and magnesium are the most common sources of hardness in water. In swimming pools, a cloudy or milky appearance will appear.
Sources
Water is an excellent solvent—it tends to carry off just about any sediment that has come into it, which is also why water could be one of the most dangerous causes of soil erosion or weathering. As it passes through soil and rock, it dissolves minute minerals and keeps them in a solution that even your municipal treatment plan couldn’t always remove.
Effects
At the outset, it could leave deposits (scale) to build up within your plumbing pipes, hindering their efficient function. It could also put a damper on your laundry—because these minerals are metallic, they tend to leave a deep, rusty colour on your clothes when you wash with it.
One of the best ways to protect your plumbing and the rest of your home from the adverse effects of bad water is to have it treated by reliable plumbing companies like Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Ltd. Calling a reliable Saskatoon plumber to recommend the smooth shift from bad to good water should help you keep your home life more comfortable and functional.
(Source: Hard Water vs. Soft Water, Diffen.com)