What Causes Limescale Build Up on Home Water Fixtures?

So, what exactly is limescale? It’s a hard, off-white, chalky deposit that builds up on various home surfaces, typically discovered lining the interior of old pipes. This happens because hard water has evaporated, leaving behind a residue. Hard water is water that is difficult to form a lather with soap because it contains magnesium, calcium, or iron salts. Limescale is very hard to clean and can be detrimental to the operation of the surfaces it inhabits. Limescale is often colored by dirt and dust of build up areas and its off-white color is a result of iron-containing compounds. But what causes limescale buildup? And how does it impact your home water fixtures? Keep reading to find out!

Formation

According to a U.S. Geological Survey, 85 percent of water is hard. As hard water is evaporated or given energy, minerals can be removed from the solution and are left on the surfaces in a hard, crust layer that causes issues with equipment. These leftover minerals are commonly referred to as “scale.” The most common form of scale is limescale.

Limescale causes a variety of issues, from clogging of pipes to bumping up the amount of energy required in your pipe systems. In order for scale to form, there must be two conditions met. First, the pH level needs to be 7.0 or higher. 7.0 pH level is neutral, so this means the pH is above neutral level. Water with a pH above that 7.0 has a lower amount of acid, which then builds up limescale. The second condition is that cooling or heating must be taking place at the particular surface where the pH level is high. This energy transfer acts as a catalyst, or an increase in chemical reaction, thus forming the limescale in that particular area.

Impact

So what does this mean for your home? Limescale can restrict the flow of water and even cause your appliances to run inefficiently and cost you more. It is most commonly found in toilets, tile, pipes, washing machines and dishwashers. Even small appliances, like coffee machines and ice makers, are impacted by limescale buildup. The environment suffers, as well as your electric bills, due to the overworking and inefficient running of the affected appliances.

Some of the main impacts, aside from clogging pipes and tubing, are coating your heating elements in your home and requiring the use of much more detergent. In your home, the soap you use typically dissolves in soft water, not causing any issues. With hard water in your system, the calcium combines with soap and leaves a soapy scum residue on your bathtubs, sinks, and piping.

Prevention

The off-white buildup is quite hard to remove on top of the previously mentioned impacts on appliances and the environment. So, how can you prevent this substance from taking over your home? By installing a water filtration system, the minerals that create limescale are eliminated from your water supply, along with all the issues it causes your home! It’s that simple.

Guardian Water Services provides several filtration components to solve the issues of hard water concentration and limescale build up in your home. Specifically targeted for limescale build up, our Ion Exchange technology uses small beads to attract positively charged ions out of your water. This eliminates the calcium and magnesium and replacing them with sodium ions. Your water is not only softened, but refined and cleaned thoroughly. With a trustworthy team, a quality guarantee, and a water quality association accreditation, Guardian Water Services is a great option for eliminating those limescale issues in your home. Schedule a free home water quality demo and see just how we can change the water in your home, once and for all.