The Lost Valley Pump Service often gets asked how to get rid of soap scum found on shower walls, white residue on dishes, or scale build-up. Hard water is often to blame for these issues and it’s a common water quality problem across Missouri, especially for people who use well water. Fortunately, there are many easy and affordable installation options that can reduce the hardness of water and can get rid of the nasty scum that appears in your bathroom. The first step toward solving your hard water issue is to have your water tested.
Dissolved minerals that have a positive electrical charge that is found in water are a type of water contamination called hard water. These dissolved minerals are mainly calcium and magnesium, and in some cases, manganese and iron. Hard water develops when water that's deep below the ground flows through bedrock, picking up minerals. When the dissolved minerals pass through a plumbing system, the water leaves white residue on dishes, appliances, and pipes. Hard water can also react with soap, reducing the soap’s cleaning ability, creating a type of residue on sinks, tubs, skin, and clothing.
While hard water does not pose a health risk, it can cause damage to home appliances and can impact water flow through a home plumbing system. Homeowners may also notice that they’re using more water to reclean their dishes that come out of their dishwasher with a residue. They may also need to rewash their clothing or use extra soap because their clothes do not seem to get clean. Homeowners may search for special cleaners that can handle mineral buildup on appliances or mineral buildup on plumbing, but will find this is only a short-term solution. Over time, mineral buildup can result in complete appliance failure and can have catastrophic effects on plumbing.
Hard water often impacts:
Over a period of several months, hard water can cause hair issues, such as damaged hair, hair loss, dry hair, and additional hair symptoms. Hard water may also cause dry, itchy skin and other types of skin irritation.
Many people decide to install a water softener to solve their hard water problems. Water softeners can treat water by using ion exchange, a type of chemical process that switches the positively charged minerals with other positively charged minerals that are less harmful. Water will flow through the plumbing, flushing over small plastic beads also referred to as resin. The resin is negatively charged, which attracts the positively charged minerals as the water moves through the tank. The minerals are then replaced with sodium, which comes with a salty brine solution that's found in the water softener. Once the resin has been saturated, the water softener will flush and recharge it.
Water softeners can be an affordable, efficient, and effective way to remove water hardness, but there are some things you will want to consider before you have it installed. A home will need a safe way to get rid of the waste brine. If the brine is not properly disposed of, it can result in well contamination. Water softening can also add a slight amount of sodium or potassium to the water, which can be a health concern. Additionally, the process won’t work properly if there are iron bacteria, clay, or other particles in the water.
Installing a filter is a low-cost option and one that requires little chemical treatment and space, but can create a fair amount of waste during the filtration process. Reverse osmosis is the most common membrane separation filtration option and it’s capable of removing tiny particles from water. Reverse osmosis is an excellent choice if a homeowner is searching for a water filtration system that produces a limited amount of water. Because most of the water that enters the filter becomes rejected water and is wasted, using a reverse osmosis system for the entire home isn't very practical in most cases. Unfortunately, hard water may end up damaging appliances and fixtures that are used for more than cooking and drinking water.
Magnetic and electronic filters charge hard water characteristics to prevent mineral build-up and scaling, instead of removing the mineral particles. However, this filtration method is still considered controversial since there is not enough data on this type of proprietary filtration system to determine just how effective they are.
Are you searching for a well water treatment system? The team at Lost Valley Pump Service can help. We offer systems that are proven to be effective and durable. Of course, choosing the right system for your home can be a challenge. That’s why our well water treatment specialists in Missouri are here to answer any questions you may have. We will check your home's level of water hardness and discuss effective and affordable water softening systems that will suit your needs.
When searching for the right system, the first thing to address is the problem you’re trying to solve. Did you have your water tested and the report noted that specific elements, such as calcium, needed to be removed? Have you noticed cloudy water, bad tasting water, or does your water have an odor? Have you found sediment in household faucet screens or changeable filters? Does your well water report show high amounts of bacteria that have made your water unsafe for consumption?
All of these issues are correctable. The team members at Lost Valley Pump Service can test your water for:
There are many different types of systems available that can resolve any well water-related issues. Our treatment specialists will be happy to work with you to help you solve your hard water problems and help you find the perfect hard water treatment solution for your home or business.
If you’re dealing with hard water and looking for a fast solution, a water softener is going to give you immediate and noticeable results. The most important one is the prevention of mineral build-up and scaling in your plumbing, appliances, and fixtures. It will also allow you to use less soap and laundry detergent.
However, there are some drawbacks to using a water softener. A water softener requires salt to function properly. This means you will need to periodically purchase water softener salt. The salt isn’t very expensive, but you’ll still need to factor in this added cost.
If you’re environmentally conscious, then you should also know that using a water softener can waste approximately 20-25 gallons of water during the regeneration process.
The most practical way to handle any well water issues, including hard water, is to work with the team at Lost Valley Pump Service. Treatment systems can require adjustment, repairs, and are very sensitive. We will come out to your residential or commercial property to inspect your well system and test your water to determine the best solution for your hard water problem. Contact us today to learn more.