We all need to do our part to protect the environment. Unfortunately, subtle problems often make our lifestyles less sustainable. Hard water is an excellent example. It may seem harmless, but it has a significant impact on your plumbing. In the long run, it can make you waste energy and consume more water. If you want to protect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint, you should pay close attention to your home’s water supply.
Hard Water Is a Threat
Hard water is common in our area of Glendale, AZ. The term hard water refers to high levels of minerals like magnesium and calcium. Iron is also common in certain areas. These contaminants dissolve into the water when it passes through natural mineral deposits. While modern technology makes it easy to soften water, many homes still suffer from a hard water supply.
Specialized tests can measure the mineral levels in your water, but you can often diagnose the problem on your own. Hard water has a distinctive taste, and it deposits minerals on faucets and drains. It can also leave spots on your dishes or irritate your skin. Hard water even interferes with the process of using soap to clean. If you can add soap to your water without producing a substantial number of bubbles, you probably have hard water. In these cases, precise testing can be useful to determine the extent of the problem.
Hard water is completely natural, but it can also be bad for the environment. It may significantly increase your home’s energy usage, which makes your lifestyle less sustainable. In some cases, it even encourages people to develop unsustainable habits. Fortunately, modern water treatment technology can help you overcome those challenges and protect the environment.
Addressing Mineral Deposits
Hard water leaves mineral deposits inside pipes, drains, and tanks. Calcium and magnesium can even build up on heating elements. This is a problem because minerals are excellent insulators. They prevent proper heat transfer between the heating elements and the water in your tanks and pipes. Most water heaters can compensate for the extra insulation, but it forces them to use more energy.
A thin layer of minerals can waste a surprising amount of power. It can reduce an appliance’s efficiency by as much as one-quarter, and it impacts every system that uses hot water. This includes your washing machine and dishwasher. While proper maintenance can reduce that waste, it also has an environmental cost. Preventative solutions are usually the most efficient options. You will minimize your energy usage by eliminating minerals before they reach your appliances and pipes.
Hard Water Increases Energy Costs
Hard water increases the cost of heating water. You also increase your carbon footprint whenever you replace faulty parts or dispose of damaged items. Hard water can also encourage you to buy new products that utilize energy and produce waste. These factors may seem small, but the environmental costs quickly add up.
Damaged Clothing
If you wash your clothes in hard water, the minerals in your hard water can break down the fabric faster. They cause stiffness and staining. The minerals also weaken fibers, which makes your clothes more likely to tear. Consistently washing your clothing in hard water can cut its lifespan in half.
Your detergent and washing machine type can solve some of those problems, but they introduce new issues. Hard water interferes with most soaps, so it tends to increase your detergent usage. You can reduce hard water’s impact by washing your clothes at higher temperatures, but that consumes extra energy. Those methods are temporary solutions that come at a relatively high cost to the environment.
Faulty Appliances
Most appliances struggle when they are using hard water. Minerals can lead to the development of clogs, which can lead to burst pipes and leaky hoses. Reduced performance forces your systems to do additional work, which leads to excessive wear and tear. Routine maintenance can mitigate that damage, but it will not eliminate the problem. The damage will eventually force you to buy new appliances that may have high energy costs.
Wasteful Plastic
Hard water has a distinctive and unpleasant flavor. If you have hard water at home, you may be tempted to drink bottled water to avoid that taste. Unfortunately, bottled water has a much higher energy cost than tap water. It also produces a lot of plastic waste, which can pollute the environment. Buying bottled water is an unsustainable solution to the problem. You can protect the environment by improving your domestic water supply. You can also have a water filtration system installed in your home to provide you with safer water for drinking, bathing, and cleaning.
Water Softeners Encourage Sustainability
A water softener will protect your plumbing system, improve your water’s flavor, and reduce your environmental impact. It will eliminate excess minerals before water enters your home. This process introduces a small amount of salt or potassium into your water supply, but those ions are harmless. Water softening is safe, efficient, and one of the best ways to deal with hard water.
Most systems rely on ion exchange to remove minerals. Your water softener will pull hard water into a resin tank, which contains resin beads with a negative charge. Most minerals have a positive charge, so they are attracted to those beads. Calcium and magnesium stick to them, which then release sodium or potassium into the water. That balances the water’s charge and prevents the minerals from flowing back into it. After the exchange, the soft water leaves the tank and flows into your home.
While that process requires some energy and a few materials, it is a net gain for the environment. Water softeners use less energy than your other appliances, and they do not use harsh chemicals. They are durable systems that can survive many years of heavy use. You can expect a water softener to reduce your energy consumption, save water, and minimize your waste.
Filters Eliminate Minerals
Filtration is an excellent alternative to water softening. Traditional filters work by pulling water through small pores, which trap tiny particles. While that eliminates most minerals, it can also remove sediment and other contaminants from the water. Advanced filtration methods, such as reverse osmosis, are just as effective.
If you want to avoid waste, you should consider using a water filter. They are one of the best ways to improve your water’s flavor and remove the temptation to buy bottled water. Large filters can treat your home’s entire water supply. They have a limited lifespan, but they produce less garbage than bottled water, and their energy consumption is low. You can even combine a filter with a water softener to maximize your water’s purity.
Protecting the Environment
Hard water damages your pipes and places an unfortunate burden on the environment. Our plumbers will help you deal with your hard water problem. At Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical, we provide Glendale with a complete set of plumbing services, including repairs and upgrades. We focus on sustainability because we want to protect both our neighbors and our environment.
If you want a quick and easy way to go green, reach out to Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical to schedule a consultation about water softeners.
