Has the water in your South Florida home started clogging all the pipes? Chances are you, like most in our area, are using hard water. Thankfully, Coastal Energy Water & Air of Pompano Beach has a solution.
But first…What is “Hard Water” exactly?
When water has a high content of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, it is known as hard water. While not a serious health risk, hard water can contain more than 50 mg/liter of not just calcium and magnesium, but other mineral deposits as well, which clogs pipes over time…so you can only imagine what it does to your skin.
Whose skin is affected?
With hard water leaving a residue on your dishes and clothes after washing, it will absolutely affect your skin and hair as well over a period of time. Since hard water contains minerals, it can leave a build-up of soap residue, which clogs the pores our bodies need to release its natural oils. Clogged pores lead to acne or possibly eczema.
Short-term impact?
Dry, flaky, itchy skin, along with occasional breakouts. Also, hard water affects the hair, giving it a dull appearance and often leads to an itchy scalp.
Long term?
Collagen keeps our skin firm. The traces of iron, magnesium, and calcium associated with hard water have been known to form “free radicals,” which break down collagen. It basically leads to premature aging, as the skin sags and wrinkles/fine lines are formed. Compounded with the short-term exposure risks, prolonged exposure to hard water can aggravate skin conditions such as eczema, causing irritating flair-ups.
How can you protect your skin from hard water?
- Family with sensitive or dry skin will want to use body washes and moisturizers that are fragrance free
- Seek out soap-free cleansers that are gentle on the skin
- Use warm water and try to not wash your face too frequently
- Try to keep your time in the shower brief, and do not use extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
- When drying, try to dab yourself gently instead of a quick rub down
- If you apply a rich moisturizing body lotion while your skin is still damp, it will trap your natural moisture and prevent your skin from getting dry
- Or, and this really is the simplest solution…you can use a water softener that immediately makes soap easier to rinse off, ensuring you will not have any soap residue build-up on your skin
Can anyone test for hard water?
Certainly! Simply take a clear and transparent bottle with about a cup and a half of water. Add 10-12 drops of liquid soap (the handwashing soap is ideal), close the bottle and thoroughly shake it. If there are a few bubbles, you have hard water.
Additional tests include adding more soap drops (as many as 50), shaking the bottle, and seeing if the bubbles increase. If they do not, that also means hard water. And if the water has a cloudy appearance, that is usually a good indicator as well.
What else can someone with hard water do?
The fact is that hard water can be a problem. It can affect your skin, your hair, your clothes, and your plumbing. To prevent this sort of long-term damage, Coastal Energy Water & Air strongly recommends you purchase and install a water softener as soon as possible.
Not certain if your home test proved if your water was hard or soft? No problem! Coastal Energy Water and Air will come out to you with a complimentary in-home water test. If you don’t know what’s in your water, you can find out today!
Coastal Energy Water & Air of Pompano Beach is an authorized RainSoft Dealer and has been since 1983. So we might be a little biased, but that is only because we’ve spent all that time offering the best drinking water and the largest variety of water treatment products and services available for your home or business.
Whether it’s water softeners, water filtration systems, reverse osmosis drinking water systems, equipment installation, or repair service, we have you covered. Our RainSoft products are built to last, backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call us today at 954-333-3336 to find out what water solution works best for you!
