Few people like to deal with limescale in their homes, often the main reason for wanting rid of it is through the use of salt softening blocks and the hard water that can often cause it is simply a matter of aesthetics.
The white chalky residue left behind from water is the result of a build-up of calcium carbonate, the substance that makes hard water hard in the first place.
It is caused by water supplies that pass through chalk or limestone on the way to reservoirs, and the water carries these minerals with it from this journey all the way to your tap, sometimes depositing on pipes in the process.
If you have issues with water pressure in your shower or your taps, a cause for this can sometimes be limescale deposits, but most people notice taps, shower heads and kettles affected by limescale more than other effects on the home.
They can also affect boilers and hot water bottles as well, causing blockages and even potential oxidation and corrosion of pipes, leading to significant damage to water systems in the home.
It can also stop soaps and cleaning products from forming lathers, leading to the formation of soap scum. The minerals can also lead to potential skin conditions, clogged pores and irritation due to the drying up of skin, and can potentially lead to hair breakages and split ends.
Dishes and silverware cleaned using hard water also tend to look duller and cloudier than they would otherwise, and clothes washed in a washing machine filled with hard water may look duller as a result.
However, one aspect of hard water that is often stated but is not true is that it is bad to drink, which at least from a health standpoint is not the case.
Hard water features many of the same minerals that are found in spring water and contains sources of magnesium and calcium that are important for bone health.
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