Overall, the UK is classified as having very hard water. Over 60% of us live in hard water areas, but what exactly is it? In brief, hard water is defined as having a high mineral content.
What causes hard water?
Hard water occurs in areas of the UK where the bedrock is made of sedimentary rocks like limestone, chalk, flint and sandstone, which formed over the last 65-250 million years. The South East of the UK is mainly made up of chalk and limestone regions and as a result, has the hardest water.
Hard water occurs in areas of the UK with porous sedimentary bedrock
Sedimentary rock tends to be more porous than, for example, metamorphic rock, which has been compressed under pressure over a very long time, reducing the available space between particles through which water can run.
Rainfall collects Magnesium and Calcium as it percolates through sedimentary rock
Water is a solvent, meaning it can dissolve chemical compounds. When rain falls onto sedimentary rock, it percolates through the ground slowly, dissolving small amounts of chemical compounds that it takes with it.
Water with high mineral content makes its way into our household water supply
These chemical compounds are mostly Calcium and Magnesium, although others, like Iron, can be dissolved too. As the water, which now contains minerals, travels through the ground, it starts to gather in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. From there it passes into our water supply, eventually coming through our pipes at home to be used for drinking, cooking, washing and heating.
Water with high mineral content is known as hard water
Hard water is therefore water that has been through this process and contains higher levels of minerals at the end. Before this process begins, rainfall is initially what we describe as soft water, which contains low to no mineral content.
Water that percolates through less porous rock cannot collect minerals and remains soft
When rain goes through this process, but falls onto less porous rock such as granite, present in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the water remains soft as it has not been able to collect minerals from the ground, on its way into our water supply.
Whether you have hard water at home depends on the geology of the area from which your household water supply comes.
Minerals found in hard water can contribute towards your recommended daily allowance
We know that minerals like Calcium and Magnesium are essential for maintaining your health, so getting some of your daily mineral intake from the water supply can be supplementary to the minerals you get from your diet.
Hard water is safe to drink
Hard water is safe to drink and minerals do not need to be removed from your water supply. In fact, bottled water companies often boast of the high mineral content of their water because of the associated health benefits.
Water softeners can increase the levels of sodium in your water supply beyond levels set by regulators
When people opt to have a water softener fitted in their homes rather than a Scaleguard, a separate tap for drinking water must be fitted, which gives access to water that has not been softened.
This is because softening water will cause the sodium content of the water to increase to a level that may not comply with regulations. It would not be suitable for some sectors of the population to drink softened water as a result of the increased sodium levels.
The seen and unseen problems with hard water
The problem with hard water is that it causes limescale
Despite hard water being perfectly safe to drink, it can cause some costly problems in your home. Hard water, when left untreated, causes limescale to build up and it’s the limescale that damages your appliances and plumbing over time.
Limescale can cause expensive damage to your heating system and appliances
Limescale can be seen in many areas of the home. Below are the places you will be able to see limescale and the effects of hard water and more importantly, the unseen places where limescale builds up and causes expensive damage to your home.
The seen effects of hard water at home
- Limescale builds up on kettles
- Shampoo and soap may not lather easily
- Limescale forms on showerheads and taps
- Shower screens become cloudy
- Toilet bowls collect limescale
- You may need to use more washing up liquid and washing powder
- Eczema may occur
- Hair and skin may be dull
- A red rust-coloured build up may occur on shower tiles in some areas of the UK where water has higher Iron content
- Clothes and towels may be stiff and rough
- Glasses and dishes may become cloudy and dull
- White fabrics may become grey and coloured fabrics may lose their brightness
- A chalky residue may be left when washing your car at home
- Kettling, a low rumbling sound, may be heard as the boiler starts up
- Weak water pressure may occur in the shower
The unseen effects of hard water at home
- Limescale builds up in household water and heating pipes reducing water flow and pressure
- Limescale builds up in appliances, reducing their efficiency and lifespan
- Limescale builds up in immersion heaters reducing the lifespan and efficiency
- Limescale builds up on the heat exchanger in the boiler reducing efficiency and lifespan of the boiler, making it harder to heat your home
- Energy bills increase as an inefficient heating system may need to be on for longer to heat the house and appliances use up more energy to get their job done
- Maintenance costs for appliances are increased as they work harder than they would without limescale build up and therefore elements wear out quicker
- Appliances and boilers need replacing more often as it’s sometimes more efficient to replace the whole appliance or boiler than a single element
- Lower hot water temperatures in the heating system are possible as limescale build up prevents heat from the boiler transferring easily into the water
The solution to the hard water problem
As you’ll see from the lists above, the visible problems associated with hard water in your home, whilst annoying, are mainly cosmetic. Scaleguard will address some of these problems, but for others, you just need to know how to remove limescale effectively.