Hard water presents a host of problems in appliances and plumbing fixtures in your home. One prevalent problem is limescale. Hard water contains a high level of dissolved minerals. When water reaches a certain temperature (above 55 degrees C) and is left standing in pipes and appliances, the minerals harden. As a result limescale starts to build up, resulting in clogged sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, plumbing pipes, and more. If you are familiar with limescale, you also know that it is hard to clean. One of the biggest questions asked is how can you stop limescale buildup?
Here are a few tips on how to avoid limescale buildup in your home, appliances, and pipes.
Tips to Prevent Limescale
Cleaning limescale is a timely endeavor. The optimal thing to do is to prevent it from occurring all together. There are several ways to minimize chances of limescale in your home.
Water softeners: this solution replaces the calcium and magnesium responsible for limescale buildup with sodium or potassium. By countering the hardening process, it keeps the water equalized. Softeners come in gel, tablets, or powder form.
Water descalers: through descaling the process aims to keep the mineral deposits from traveling inside pipes and appliances. It does not remove minerals from water.
Water filters: these systems are typically used to remove particles, bacteria, and some chemicals. Some, but not all, water filter products filter out calcium and magnesium in order to prevent limescale. The goal is to create safe drinking water conditions.
How to Remove Limescale
As mentioned above, removing limescale is a big job and difficult to do. You can resort to scrubbing with an abrasive material but it can tear or rub off the finishes on your fixtures and appliances. Scrubbing comes with a cost, which is the damage that can result from it. Acidic substances are also an option when trying to remove limscale. You can use commercial grade limescale removers, lemon juice, or vinegar. However there is a better way to not only remove limescale but prevent limescale too. An alternative is a water descaler.
A water descaler is the best option because it will stop limescale buildup before it even starts. Once you install a system in your home, it tackles the hardening process of minerals. It prevents the need to scrub and use acid-based substances to combat unsightly limescale. Water descalers can even protect difficult to see places, like water heaters and plumbing, from the invasion of limescale.
Need to rid your home of limescale? If you have any questions on how to prevent lime scale in your appliances and pipes, contact us for more information.