Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working? 5 Signs It’s Hard Water Build Up

Hard water can cause a lot of problems with mineral buildup in pipes, shower heads, and faucets. But did you know that it can also affect your refrigerator's water dispenser? That's right: minerals in hard water can build up and damage your main source of drinking water if you're not careful. If your fridge water dispenser hasn't been working as well as it should, here are some of the signs that you might need to have a hard water test in your home.

1. Slow Flow

Hard water is caused by high amounts of calcium and magnesium in the water. As hard water flows through your fridge's water dispenser, those minerals build up in the system and can begin to slow the flow of water. If your glass is taking longer than usual to fill up, that's a likely sign that minerals have started to build up in your dispenser.

2. Cloudy Ice and Water

Calcium and magnesium both have a clouding effect on water. If the water from your dispenser is cloudy, that's a surefire sign of hard water. However, if your dispenser has a water filter, you might not notice hard water in your drinking glass even as it is clogging your system with mineral buildup. In that case, take note of your ice cubes: are they white and cloudy? Do they taste notably different from your water? That could also be a sign that you have hard water building up in your water dispenser.

3. Bad Taste

Good, fresh water should be cool, clean, and refreshing. If your fridge is dispensing water that tastes off, hard water might be to blame. Does your water taste strangely metallic, salty, or sulfuric? These can all be signs of calcium, magnesium, or even iron buildup in your water.

4. Stains

You probably know how hard water can stain your bathtub and sink, or how it can leave glassware looking grubby even after a thorough wash. But hard water can also leave its mark on your fridge. Is there a white crust on your water dispenser, especially at the base? Those are minerals building up. Not only is it unsightly, but that hard water is building up the same in your pipes!

5. Timing

Even if you aren't actively looking for signs of hard water, the simple passage of time can be evidence enough that you have build up. If you have a filter, has it been more than six months since you installed it? If so, and if your water dispenser has slowed, or if the quality of your water has dropped, there's a good chance that your problem is hard water.

It's bad enough that hard water can affect our drinking water. But hard water also has negative effects on every aspect of our water usage. It can clog shower heads, damage water heaters, and wreak havoc on our hair and skin. If your home shows signs of hard water, contact us today for a complimentary water quality test and receive a $50 retail gift card for free!