Common Plumbing Woes and Arizona’s Hard Water
You may have seen the white crust on your faucets, or found that your water heater has a shorter lifespan than it ought to. Perhaps your pipes are being uncharacteristically noisy and the pressure is in a slow decline. For those of us in the Valley, hard water is the usual suspect.
We at Bumble Bee Home Services can vouch for it; we have been putting homeowners in Glendale and the rest of Greater Phoenix out of their hard water troubles since 2011. Should you wish to speak with someone about the state of your home, pick up the phone at (602) 641-3431.
It is no secret that Arizona puts some of the hardest water in the nation in your tap. Dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium are what you get. While they will do you no harm if you drink them, they are unforgiving when it comes to your plumbing. A good many of the headaches a homeowner endures over time can be put down to this and yet few make the connection.
What makes water hard?
In short, it is a matter of mineral content. The ground here in Arizona will impart its share of calcium and magnesium as water passes through. Let that water run through the house and evaporate or warm up and the minerals are left behind in the form of scale. That is where the difficulty lies.
Hard Water Problems We See All the Time
The Phoenix area is replete with homes where scale has taken hold in the plumbing and will not abate. Some of the more prevalent issues include:
- Mineral deposits clogging and constricting the inside of pipes
- Buildup that impedes flow and leaves you with less water pressure
- Scale at the bottom of the tank leading to an early demise for the water heater
- A white, crusty film on fixtures and showerheads
- Leaking or sticky valves and faucets as minerals get in the way of moving parts
- Your water heater having to labor over sediment which shows up on the energy bill
- Dishes with spots and laundry that is stiff and will not come clean
Your water heater is the one appliance that suffers most from hard water. Heat causes the minerals to separate and make a bed of sediment on the tank floor. From there it is like a blanket insulating the burner from the water, so the unit has to work longer and harder, using more energy and not living as long. It is a common reason for a water heater to go before its time and one that catches people off guard.
By and large, folks are unaware of it till the hot water is gone or there is a popping and rumbling from the tank; that is the sound of the water heating and churning up the sediment.
Do not put off dealing with hard water damage. Be on the lookout for any of the following to spare yourself some expense:
- Chalky residue in and around drains and fixtures
- Water pressure waning in the house
- A water heater that is slower to heat
- Clogs that return with some frequency
- Dryness to the skin and hair post wash
There is no need to put up with it. A yearly flush of the water heater will see to the sediment. Put in some time cleaning the showerheads and faucets to prevent the mineral crust. An inspection by a pro can head off a full pipe replacement by spotting narrowing pipes. Then there are water treatments available to cut back on the minerals entering your home and safeguard your appliances and fixtures in one fell swoop.
If you are at a loss as to what to do, our team is here to put you at ease. We will examine your system and in no uncertain terms tell you how hard water is affecting it and what your options are.
Get in Touch with Bumble Bee Home Services
With an A+ from the BBB, 4.9 stars in more than 4,000 Google reviews and full licensing and insurance, we are ready to help. We stand behind our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and are on hand 24/7. Do not let a minor matter in your Glendale or Greater Phoenix home get out of hand because of hard water. Make a call to (602) 641-3431.
