Have you ever experienced seeing most white scales on your water reliant appliances? Clogged piping system? Or maybe even having an unrefreshing bath resulting in dry hair and skin? Well if you ever did, then you’re probably experiencing limescale accumulation.
Most areas in the world that run on hard water know what it’s like to have limescale accumulation running inside their local water system. It can cause a lot of inconveniences such as damaging your appliances, piping system, and even your overall health.
To prevent and stop this limescale accumulation in your house, it’s necessary to install a filter such as a whole house water filter. In this article, we’re going to discuss more about this the dangers of limescale accumulation and how using a while house water filter can help prevent this from happening.Â
What Causes Limescale Accumulation
Limescale accumulation is mainly found in areas that run on hard water, which is tap water that’s filled with too much mineral content. You can see these limescale as white stains that surround most of your water reliant appliances and kitchenware.
According to Scaleguard, these minerals tend to show up once the water dries up which causes accumulated calcium and magnesium ions to bond and become calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate is insoluble, meaning it can’t be easily removed through the use of regular dishwashing soap, making it a huge hassle to get rid off in most of your equipment.
Constant use of hard water in your home will add more limescale to your appliances and sometimes, even in your own body. As it starts to accumulate around your belongings, it will cause a lot of problems and even permanently damage some of your appliances.
Effects of Limescale Accumulation
To Your Appliances
Limescale accumulation occurring in your water reliant products can cause major issues and even permanent damage when left untreated.Â
Washing machines have a tendency to get clogged up due to limescale accumulation. There are also instances where exposed metallic parts easily rust from the exposure of calcium ions.
Americanhomewater even states that heating appliances decompose faster when it’s exposed with limescale. Items such as kettles experience a lot of damage and it’s amount of energy needed to heat water also reduces to a significant amount due to the limescale buildup inside it.
To Your Skin and Hair
Hard water has a couple of negative effects on your skin and hair. Bathing in hard water regularly will cause your hair to be covered in a film that prevents it from taking in moisture. This causes dry, dull and even tangly hair. That’s not even all of it. Hard water can cause a build-up of soap residue to your body.
It doesn’t leave a comfortable feeling nor creates a pleasing sight. Although this isn’t life threatening, it can still cause a huge inconvenience and there’s also the slight chance that it can cause skin irritation.
To Your Home’s Water Pipes
Another major issue of limescale accumulation when left untreated is the chances of your home’s piping system being clogged due to the excessive amount of limescale buildup. This buildup can cause clogging and even inefficiency of hot water heaters.
According to Kulksplumbing, limescale accumulation on your water pipes causes a layer of coating that doesn’t look pleasing. This can also occur in toilets and on sinks.Â
Methods for Removing Limescale Accumulation
Using regular dishwashing soap isn’t able to remove limescale but it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to remove these stains. There are several methods to remove and prevent limescale from building up. These are but some of the ways to go about it:
Vinegar
The cheapest method to remove limescale is through the use of vinegar or any other type of acidic substance. This is the cheapest method to remove these deposits as all you need is to dip your appliances filled with limescale deposits and wait for a few hours to let the limescale remove itself.
Descaling Chemicals
Another effective method to remove limescale accumulations is to use descaling agents that’s able to effectively remove any amount of limescale in your appliance. Some descaling agents act like soap though it has a different chemical composition that’s able to easily remove the limescale deposits in your appliances.
Water Softener
Compared to the first two, a water softener is a preventative measure from limescale to occur in your home. It’s a long term method used by most homeowners living in hard water areas to prevent their belongings from being accumulated by limescale.
A water softener functions by undergoing an ion exchange process in order to remove the large quantities of magnesium and calcium contained in the hard water. Through this, it’s able to convert hard water into soft water, allowing you to bathe in cleaner and much safer water.
Installing a Whole House Water Filter
It’s a wise decision to invest in a whole house water filter. It’s also a smart idea to have a water softener to fix hard water. If you do plan on investing on a whole house water filter and or softener, have professionals do the installation for you.Â
Installation can be daunting especially when you’re not familiar with how the system works and how you can properly do the installation. So everything goes smoothly, ask for professional help when having a whole house water filter and or softener installed.
Preventing Limescale Accumulation
Limescale is caused by an accumulation of calcium and magnesium minerals. It’s possible to prevent it from building up around your home by filtering the water before any build up can occur.Â
With the help of a whole house water filter, not only can the limescale accumulation be prevented, diseases and other possible health risks can also be avoided. There are different types of whole house water filters in the market.
Make sure you get one that’s right for your home, your budget and works reliably for the safety of you and your family.
Conclusion
To avoid the problem of having to remove limescale accumulation around your home, it’s better to prevent it from building up in order to not waste a lot of time and money trying to get rid of it. Through the use of a whole house water filter, you prevent the accumulation of calcium and magnesium minerals thus making it unlikely for limescale to build up.Â