While hard water is pretty much harmless to drink, it has serious effects on your home’s appliances, particularly to your water heater. Hard water is caused by leftover minerals in your water supply that can cause huge damage to your home and appliances if not given immediate attention. Discover the dangers caused by hard water in water heaters through this post.
How Hard Water Affects Your Water Heater
A typical gas-powered water heater stores and heats the water at the bottom of the tank through a set of burners. If hard water occurs, the excess minerals may build up and solidify in the water tank which creates a barrier between the heater and the tank. The layer formed by the hardened minerals makes it difficult for your water heater to produce hot water at the desired temperature.
Effects of Hard Water on Your Water Heater
- Reduced Efficiency
Leftover minerals in hard water such as magnesium and calcium may build up over time with regular use of the water heater. When that happens, the performance and efficiency of your water heater will reduce significantly. The sediment of minerals at the bottom of the tank causes the heater to work harder and longer. Thus, causing a spike in the water heating bills while decreasing your tank’s productivity. Hard water is a big disadvantage for homeowners as there would be an insufficient supply of hot water for things like laundry and showering.
- Shorter Lifespan
The stress caused by hard water will have serious drawbacks on the water heater over time. Your heater might need frequent repair and maintenance because of the solidified minerals at the bottom of the tank. Once these residues have mounted up, your water heater’s lifespan can be at stake. Your heater might even lose years of its life cycle.
- Frequent Flushing
Water heaters require flushing only once a year, but if hard water exists, you might need to flush it more often, like every three months. Flushing is done to remove the sediments created on hot spots of the water heater. If not removed, these residues may cause premature failure on the unit.
Expert Hard Water Solutions in Portland, OR
Controlling and managing hard water is not your typical do-it-yourself job. For expert solutions with hard water, A-TEMP Heating, Cooling & Electrical is here to help. We provide quick and quality solutions to all your heating and cooling needs. Call us to schedule emergency services today!