Limescale Problems

Limescale Damage

How Hard Water Can Damage Your Home

White chalky deposits, glass and surfaces that never looks clean - limescale problems can be annoyingly obvious when you live in a hard water area. But are you aware of how hard water can damage your home?

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What Actually is Hard Water Limescale?

Limescale in the home can be unavoidable and is a result of the area in which you live. And it really boils down to the geology of the rocks where rainwater falls. In Hard areas, surrounding rocks contain an excess of hard water minerals - calcium and magnesium. When rain falls, as it passes along rocks, it picks up a high concentration of hard mineral impurities, and it is these excess minerals that, when dried, cause white chalky deposits to form. We call these deposits limescale - and they are easy to spot on your surfaces, taps and even inside of the kettle. In fact, over 60% of the UK has hard water, and over time limescale build-up can cause costly damage.

Is It Harmful to Health?:

Hard water is not known to be "harmful" to health, it is actually safe to drink. However, it most certainly is harmful for your home. It is also closely linked to hair and skin issues and if left untreated, can cause sensitive skin, skin irritation and damaged hair.

Problems Caused by Limescale

As hard water treatment experts, we've been helping remove hard water for over 15 years and in that time, we have come across the many problems with limescale that homeowners can face. How many of the below resonate with you?

White chalky crusts on your taps & in your bathroom.
Bad tasting water.
Limescale deposits & white spots on home surfaces, glasses and silverware.
Visible scum on effecting your home appliances including inside your kettle and washing machine.
Damaged electrical appliances .
Blocked taps and clogged shower heads.
Low water pressure in your home.
High energy bills due to a loss of energy in your water system.
Spending a lot of time cleaning and money on cleaning products.
Skin irritation including eczema.

If you recognize any of above issues, you have a problem with hard water minerals in your home. In fact, hard water limescale can affect your home in both visible and invisible ways. From dirty clothes, water scum and white deposits - to blocked heating systems and pipes, boiler damage and limescale damage within home appliances.

How Can Limescale Damage Your Home?

1. Clogged Shower Heads, Blocked Taps and Pipes

Limescale doesn't just form on the surfaces of your bathroom fixtures and fitting - it also builds up inside pipes, taps, and shower heads.

Why is why important? Because this build up can restrict water flow, leading to blockages. As you can imagine, blockages inside of pipe work can create serious issues - but the first thing you'll notice is a weak water pressure.

2. Stains on Your Taps & Surfaces

Many will empathise with the constant daily battle to keep their kitchen and bathroom clean from limescale. Not only that, but even dishes and glassware can look dirty even after washing. Cleaning takes up a lot of valuable time and cupboards overflowing with scale removers & cleaning products (such as Viakal) can cost a lot of money.

Infact, constant cleaning is one of the biggest complaints we get - homeowners hate that after eery shower, the glass has to be polished and dried - otherwise those chalky stains begin to form. Limescale can ruin the appearance of your bathroom and kitchen.

3. Low Water Pressure & High Energy Bills

Hard water mineral deposits quickly build up in your water heating pipes, forming a rim of scale that acts as insulation. This reduces the flow of water and means more energy is needed to heat pipes, resulting in an under performing heating system.

And it doesn't stop there - home appliances are also affected.

Build up also coats the heating elements and water lines of home appliances such as kettles, washing machines and dishwashers. This can block water flow and also reduces the efficency - as appliances become less efficient, more energy is needed. So not only will your home feel colder, but you will also be left with an overall higher energy bill each month.

So not only will your home feel colder, but you will also be left with an overall higher energy bill each month.

4. Radiator & Boiler Breakdowns and Repairs

Your boiler is an essential part of the home - and an expensive item to fix when it breaks down. Hard water scale can cause serious damage to the structure of your pipes and boiler. Internal working parts of your boiler that heat the water can become blocked with scale deposits, which eventually results in breakdowns and extensive repairs.

The cost of this damage? The average boiler repair costs over £300, while a brand new boiler will set you back between £1,800 and £3,500.

5. Dry Skin & Brittle Hair

Have you noticed that depending on where you travel to, your hair and skin can be completely different? Well, you're not going crazy - and it isn't your showering products. In fact, a common limescale problem is dry skin and brittle hair. This is because excess minerals in hard water can build up and form a layer on your hair and skin. This build-up not only makes your skin & hair more sensitive, but also interacts negatively with shampoos, soaps and other products.

Common hair issues include: Brittle hair, colour loss, brassy tones, hair loss, damaged hair and dandruff.

Common skin issues include: dry skin, eczema, red irritated skin, acne, itchy skin.

6. Damage to Your Appliances

Limescale build-up and deposits are common causes of damaged appliances such as kettles and washing machines. If that wasn’t enough, hard water can also prevent your clothes from being washed properly!

With softer water, you can use 50% less detergent at a much lower temperature to clean clothes and remove stains. That means your appliances will last longer with fewer replacements and you'll save money on washing powder and energy!

How Can You Prevent Limescale Problems?

If you really want to protect your home, the most effective long-term way to prevent limescale is to soften your water. To do this you need a water softener. A water softener removes the calcium and magnesium minerals responsible for hard water before they enter your home, helping to prevent further limescale build-up.

Want to know how it works? Find out how a water softener prevents limescale → Click Here.

Need More Information?

If you want to find out more about scale build up and damage and a permanent solution, contact us for advice.