Let’s talk about water. We are quite confident that you might have heard the term “Hard Water” before in your lifetime. Did you know that 85 percent of the USA has hard water? Have you ever wondered about the adverse effects of drinking hard water on the human body, Skin, Hair, or Plumbing appliances? Well, you don’t have to worry about anything further as we will discuss the scientifically proven effects of hard water in this article. However, we will provide solutions too.
People’s most common problem while using hard water is related to scales, foul plumbing, cloth strains, and even stained bathtubs. Here are some key effects of hard water that you should also keep in mind before consuming hard water.
Hard water causes a lot of problems. If one will not use any water softener or electronic water descaler then the situation can be worse. Some major issues which hard water causes are below:
1. Dry Skin
Dry skin is the most common problem that people often experience whenever they use hard water in their lifestyle. Due to certain chemical properties and compounds present in hard water, it’s more likely to create skin problems such as dry skin, mild skin irritation, or even eczema. However; if you want to avoid these skin-related problems, you can consider buying any reliable water softener for your house; otherwise, there is no serious side effect on health associated with hard water consumption.
2. Itchy Scalp
Some hair related problems such as hair fall, hair damage, or itchy scalp are often linked with hard water. The presence of excessive minerals in hard water creates a chemical reaction with the human scalp. Later on, that particular chemical reaction further contributes to an itchy scalp. If your scalp often feels itchy, you must pay attention to the water you use for bathing.
3. Poor Taste & Odour
Even though we cannot relate to hard water’s taste with any negative effect, it is still a very serious concern for some people. The excessive amount of calcium and magnesium present in hard water creates a metallic or sour taste. It may be uncomfortable for those already suffering from bad taste-related problems due to stomach acidity other digestive disorders.
4. Faded Clothes
Washing clothes with hard water have an adverse impacts on them. Hard water strips the color away from your clothes much faster. Your clothes and bedding may even feel scratchy due to the extra mineral substance. However, soft water maintains the color of clothes.
5. Clogged Pipes
Hard water causes scales deposit which clog the showerheads and pipes. The clogged pipes create a hindrance to the flow of water. Sometimes pipes can burst due to clogged. Such problems show that you have a hard water supply.
6. Buildup of Soap Scum
Do you’ve got to remove the white spots from the fixtures? Are you worried about what is creating that? Well, that’s the hard water that has left behind the calcium deposits (white spots). Calcium minerals not only stick to the faucet but also soaps and detergents and make them ineffective. However, this makes the soap sticky instead of slippery. Moreover, scum forms in a reaction with soap, wasting the soap due to hard water.
7. Buildup of Limescales & Stains
Mineral deposits start showing up on not only your faucets, dishes, and showerhead but also on appliances like your coffee pot, kettle, and dishwasher. If you see these deposits that mean you have very hard water.
The mineral residue from hard water begins to stain on your sinks, taps, tiles, and bathtubs. As such stains do not look good and nobody wants to clean their bathrooms and washrooms every day. So, using the best water softener will resolve these issues.
8. Higher Maintenance & Water Bills
As calcium and magnesium build up inside your pipes, your plumbing system has to work harder to let water flow properly. This can cause numerous problems i.e. leakage and cracked pipes. So gallons of water can be wasted during leakages. So, it results in an increase in water and maintenance bills.
You will be amazed to know that hard water also offers some positive effects. We have compiled a shortlist of those notable positive effects for your convenience.
1. Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease
Several authentic medical studies have proven that regular consumption of hard water helps protect against heart disease to some extent. There are several chemical compounds present in hard water to protect against atherosclerosis, which is also called the narrowing of heart arteries.
2. Prevents Cancer
Even though it’s not proven yet in any established medical study. Hard water includes an excessive amount of calcium and magnesium that may protect against rectal, pancreatic, and several other forms of cancer.
3. Beneficial For Type 2 Diabetes
As we have also discussed earlier, hard water contains excessive magnesium content; it’s beneficial to regulate insulin for patients to some extent who often experience hypomagnesemia.
4. Prevents Constipation
The higher contents of magnesium present inside hard water are also beneficial for those who suffer from constipation a lot. People who suffer from chronic constipation should use hard water for drinking as magnesium acts as a natural laxative.
Yes, because hard water contains a buildup of minerals, such as calcium, sodium, and magnesium. This produces a film on the hair, making it difficult for moisture to penetrate. As a result, the hair is left dry and prone to breakage. Leave these issues unresolved and it could even lead to hair loss.
2. Can drinking hard water cause health problems?
Yes, hard water causes many health problems such as cardiovascular problems, diabetes, reproductive failure, neural diseases, and renal dysfunction, and so on.
3. Is hard water bad for freshwater fish?
Many fish can only thrive in certain levels of water hardness, and if the levels are outside acceptable parameters, it can cause stress and death. It is important to understand how water hardness affects pH in your aquarium. Hard water (high mineral content) is usually high in pH.
4. What problems can hard water have on a plumbing system?
The minerals in hard water also start to build up inside pipes, fixtures, and appliances over time. The build-up we don’t see can start to cause all sorts of plumbing problems, such as reduced water flow, clogs, and increased stress on pipes and fixtures.
We hope our detailed guide will help you know about the effects of hard water on the Human Body, Skin, Hair, and Plumbing appliances. We have also tried our best to explain both the positive and negative effects of hard water to help you understand everything. However; if you are tired of using hard water for drinking, washing, cooking, and even bathing, you must purchase a reliable water softener to tackle this problem. Moreover; these water softeners will not only provide you with an uninterrupted soft water supply, but they will also add some healthy micronutrients to your water. So, buying the best water softener or electronic descaler can resolve all your hard water problems in any country either the USA, UK, Canada, etc. Moreover, don’t hesitate to drop your feedback below in the comments section.
Steve Smith is a United State Licensed Plumber with over 18 years of plumbing experience. Steve has conducted residential and commercial plumbing jobs throughout the state and currently works for one of California’s largest plumbing companies. When he’s not working, Steve enjoys spending time with his daughter and son.
Due to certain chemical properties and compounds present in hard water, it’s more likely to create skin problems such as dry skin, mild skin irritation, or even eczema. However; if you want to avoid these skin-related problems, you can consider buying any reliable water softener for your house; otherwise, there is no serious side effect on health associated with hard water consumption.
Some hair related problems such as hair fall, hair damage, or itchy scalp are often linked with hard water. The presence of excessive minerals in hard water creates a chemical reaction with the human scalp. Later on, that particular chemical reaction further contributes to an itchy scalp. If your scalp often feels itchy, you must pay attention to the water you use for bathing.
your clothes much faster. Your clothes and bedding may even feel scratchy due to the extra mineral substance. However, soft water maintains the color of clothes.
Do you’ve got to remove the white spots from the fixtures? Are you worried about what is creating that? Well, that’s the hard water that has left behind the calcium deposits (white spots). Calcium minerals not only stick to the faucet but also soaps and detergents and make them ineffective. However, this makes the soap sticky instead of slippery. Moreover, scum forms in a reaction with soap, wasting the soap due to hard water.
like your coffee pot, kettle, and dishwasher. If you see these deposits that mean you have very hard water.
Several authentic medical studies have proven that regular consumption of hard water helps protect against heart disease to some extent. There are several chemical compounds present in hard water to protect against atherosclerosis, which is also called the narrowing of heart arteries.
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