An Explanation of Hard Water

Posted on June 14, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

It is a well-known fact that the majority of United States residents have hard water. Although the level of hardness varies throughout the nation, it is arguably safe to say that most of us know what it is like living with crusted plumbing fixtures, poor quality laundry, dingy hair, and dishware that looks like it’s never been washed. Although hard water is a continuous problem for many home and business owners, it doesn’t have to be. Not only is hard water treatable, but it is preventable.

Continue reading to learn more about hard water, including how to eliminate and prevent hard water problems in your home or office.

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Hard Water Facts

Hard water is water that contains high traces of dissolved mineral salts, specifically magnesium, calcium, and iron, but other hard mineral ions as well. Water becomes infiltrated with these hard minerals after falling from the sky as rain, then permeating the various layers of soil, sand, clay, and aggregate in the ground, before finally reaching the underground water table. This means that rain is free of dissolved mineral ions, making it naturally soft water.

Levels of Hardness in Water

Hard water is measured in grains per gallon (GPG) but can also be read in parts per million (PPM) or milligrams of calcium (Ca). It is then applied to a scale from 1 to 15+, ranging from slightly hard to extremely hard. So, the more grains, the harder the water.

■ Slightly Hard: 3 GPG
■ Moderately: 3 – 7 GPG
■ Hard: 7 – 10 GPG
■ Very Hard: 10 – 14 GPG
■ Extremely Hard: 15+

You might also see hard water measured on a scale that looks like this:

■ Soft Water: 0 to 60 mg/L
■ Moderately Hard: 61 to 120 mg/L
■ Hard: 121 to 180 mg/L
■ Very Hard: Over 180 mg/L

As mentioned, the level of water hardness varies regionally, so a state or town might have naturally softer water than their neighboring district. Here in Indianapolis, we are one of the top 6 cities in the nation with the hardest water, coming in at Extremely Hard (15+). If you are dealing with hard water problems in Indianapolis, contact a licensed Indianapolis soft water company to learn your options, today.

The Disadvantages of Living With Hard Water

Hard water costs you money. In all areas that hard water creates problems, every single one of them comes back to spending more hard-earned money. Some of the most common consequences of hard water include problems with laundry, bathing, plumbing, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, dishes, and hair.

Laundry and Bathing:

Hard water does not lather well, which is where it gets its name. Hard water is hard to wash in because it barely lathers soap and takes a long time to rinse away the residues, let alone the dirt. As a result, laundry and bathing are affected by hard water.

Laundry comes out stiff and faded, while showers become challenging and take up more of your time. By the way, longer showers contribute to higher utility bills from increase hot water usage. You also go through more soap, which sends you to the store for more, thus costing you more money.

Plumbing, Fixtures, and Dishware:

Hard water leaves behind unsightly limescale, which looks like white or green colored crust. Generally, you will see this crust formation around plumbing fixtures like faucets and drains. Unfortunately, limescale formation is more than just unpleasing to the eye; it is also damaging to your plumbing-related appliances, like refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashing machines, water heaters, and water softeners.

The scale can form within the lines and tanks of these appliances, causing the appliance to decline in performance and use too much energy. This all results in higher energy bills, as well as premature appliance repairs and replacements. Those dishes that always look dirty, even right after taking them out of the dishwasher, are also a result of limescale.

How to Solve a Hard Water Problem

Installing or upgrading your current water softener is the best solution for a hard water problem. Water softeners condition hard water using an ion exchange technology. Water softeners are the ultimate luxury that come at an affordable and highly-worthwhile cost. Talk to your local soft water professional about getting started with a water softening plan, today.

Would you like to learn more about water softening and water softener service? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for water softener sales, service, and installation in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Are Water Softeners Worth the Cost?

Posted on June 6, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

If you are on the market for a new water softener, you might be contemplating your cost-to-value ratios right about now. Water softeners are not cheap, and they shouldn’t be considering the vital role they play in on-demand water quality. However, cars are not cheap either, yet they are a standard, fixed cost in most people’s budgets. Water softeners can be viewed quite similarly, as they are also highly-beneficial assets that enhance the level of convenience and quality in our lives.

So, when shopping around for a replacement water softener, do not let the price tag, nor the cost of set up and installation, throw you off. There are many valuable advantages of having a water softener that make the upfront investment worth it, including, believe it or not, future cost savings.

Continue reading to learn why water softeners are worth the money, plus where you can get top-of-the-line models for economical prices right here in Indianapolis.

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Top Benefits of Water Softening

Are you still reeling on the mention of cost-savings by water softening? Well, it’s true. One of the top-noted advantages of having a quality water softener is that it can save you money. Not only does soft water lower your monthly utility bills (water and energy), but it also helps prevent future breakdowns within plumbing systems and water-related appliances (dishwashers, washing machines, water heaters, etc.). And that’s not all; they also save you money on detergent, shampoo, conditioner, soap, clothing, and much more! How does a water softener do all this? It protects us and our assets against the effects of hard water.

Why Hard Water is Bad

Hard water contains dissolved minerals, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium, among other contaminants and constituents. These hard mineral ions cause limescale buildup, which is often seen around plumbing fixtures and drains. Limescale can also build up inside water heater tanks, washing machines, dishwashing machines, and water lines. Because of limescale, hard water can negatively affect your hair, skin, dishes, laundry, and overall budget plan.

Hard water does not lather or rinse very well. As a result, it can leave behind a residue that makes skin feel dry and irritated, while causing the hair to look greasy and dingy. Additionally, people tend to use more soap, shampoo, and conditioner just to get a good lather, which leads to more frequent product replacements, thus costing more money.

As for laundry, hard water can fade and dry out fabrics. Not only does this make your clothes and upholstered items look more worn, but it can cost you money by forcing you to replace laundered items that have been damaged by hard water.

Because hard water leaves behind limes residues, it can make your dishes look cloudy and spotty. This often prompts homeowners to run the dishwasher cycle over again to get a better clean, which ultimately costs them more money in water and electricity bills.

Water Softening Costs

The average cost of buying and installing a new water softener is around $3,000. You could be spared from a large bill by opting for a magnetic or ion-exchange manual regeneration water softener. These tend to be the least expensive to install, usually between $100 and $400. As for buying price, you can buy a quality make and model for as low as $500 or $600. This could be one of your cheapest options.

How to Ensure You Get all the Benefits of Water Softening

Having a water softener installed in your home is one of the best methods of water softening and overall asset protection. However, in order to get the best results from your water softener, it is important that you make the right size selection. Not only must you choose a quality water softener, but you need to select the right capacity water softener.

You can make this determination based on the number of occupants within your home and the level of water hardness. On average, the water in the United States contains nearly 10 grains of hardness per gallon, while the average person uses 80 gallons of water per day. So, if you have 4 people in your home, your calculations will look like this:

▷ People: 4
▷ Gallons Per Person: 80
▷ Grains of Hardness: 10
▶ Gallons Used Per Day: 80 x 4 = 320
▶ Total Grains Used Each Day: 320 x 10 = 3,200
▶ Water Softener Capacity: 3,200 x 10 = 32,000

In this example, you would need a 32,000 grain water softener. Most homes use a 33,000 grain water softener, but for larger homes with more occupants, more conditioning is required. Overall, water softeners are worth the cost because they start saving you money as soon as they get to work.

Are you ready to learn your options for affordable water softening at home or in the office? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for professional sales, installation, service, and repair for all make and model water softeners, including saltfree water softeners.

Where to Start When You Need to Buy a Water Softener

Posted on January 27, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

If you have thought about adding a water softener to your home or office, there are a few things to consider first. These considerations will help you determine which type of water softener best suits your water softening and conditioning needs.

Continue reading to learn where to start when choosing a new water softener for your home or office.

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Step By Step Guide to Buying a Water Softener

Buy a Hard Water Testing Kit

The first thing you need to consider is the hardness of your water. The degree of iron and other minerals in the water supply will give you an understanding on how necessary it is to purchase a water softener. Depending on where you live, the hardness of water can differ substantially. Typically, hard water is influenced by the amount of region rainfall and drought patterns. It can fluctuate from city to city. Once you have tested your water, you can continue on the path of choosing the right water softening system for your individual needs.

Determine What Size You Will Need

Choosing the right size water softener can be complicated. This is a good place to ask a professional for assistance. It is helpful to understand exactly what a water softener does before attempting to calculate the proper size might need.

A water softener basically removes hard mineral from water, (i.e. iron, calcium, etc.) and trades it in for softer minerals like sodium. Inside these appliances are things called ion exchange resin. These act as little “chemical magnets”. The more ion magnets a water softener contains, the higher its capacity is.

The capacity refers to the number of gallons a system can purify before it needs regenerated or recharged. The capacity is measured by grain removal per gallon. The average water supply in America has around 10 grains of hardness per gallon. Since you have used a hard water testing kit, you already know the degree of hardness in your water.

Calculate Your Occupancy

In order to calculate how much water your home or office needs to purify, multiply the number of people in the home or building by 80. The number eighty comes from the statistic that the average person uses 80 gallons of water per day. Simply use the formula to calculate the capacity requirements. An average family of four would require a 32000 grain water softener once the math is calculated. Refer to the example below for a better understanding.

People in House: 4
Gallons Used Per Person: 80
Gallons Used Per Day in House: 80×4=320
Grains per Gallon: 10
Grains Used Per Day: 320×10=32000

What You Need to Know About Water Softener Regeneration

A water softener requires recharging after an extended amount of usage and time. The rate at which a water softener needs regenerated is determined by its capacity. There are three different regeneration options: meter regenerated, timer regenerated, and manual regeneration. Meter regenerated water softeners are highly efficient because they are programmed to acclimate to changes in water usage.

It only regenerates when it needs to, saving energy and money on salt pellets in the long run. Timer water softeners use a time clock to schedule and execute regeneration. No matter how much water is used, it will regenerate as programmed. Manual regenerated softeners are pretty self-explanatory at this point. These systems do not use timers or meters to track the amount of water used per day. They require manual draining and recharging every time.

Is your water softener in need of service or repair right now? Do you need a new water softener? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for Indianapolis Indiana plumbing services for water softeners, today. We provide residential and commercial plumbing services all throughout Central Indiana.

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How to Tell if Your Home Could Use a Water Softener

Posted on February 11, 2021 by weilhammerplumbing

Take a look around your property. Whether it is a commercial building or a private residence, there will be signs suggesting you could use a water softener if you don’t already have one, or a new one if your current one is experiencing an onset of aging or defects. The reality is that all properties could benefit from a water conditioning system, but some properties desperately need one if they are exhibiting signs of poor water quality, or hard water.

Continue below to learn why water softeners are so beneficial, including how to tell if your home could use one, whether as a replacement or new install.

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The Benefits of Water Softeners

Hard water is not something you want lurking through your plumbing pipes and water lines within your home. It contains dissolved minerals and metals that cause many damaging effects around the house and in your life, all of which can also cause you to spend more money than you should. When it comes to identifying a need for a water softener, simply do an inspection of your house, clothes, dishes, hair, energy bills, and water usage. If you see limescale buildup around faucets and plumbing fixtures, or you always have cloudy spots on your dishes, you have some degree of hard water. Furthermore, if your clothes do not seem to clean well, your soap doesn’t lather well, or your hair seems dingy and dull, you could have hard water.

Hard Water Signs Around the House

Take a look at all the areas of your life that can be negatively impacted by hard water in order to know what the signs of hard water look like:

☛ Hair and Skin – Because hard water causes poor soap lather, your showers will suffer. Furthermore, it will cause shampoo residue buildup in your hair, resulting in a greasy feel and flat look, as well as itchy, dry, and irritated skin. For those with skin sensitivity issues or existing skin conditions, softer water will help mitigate flare ups and post-washing irritation.

☛ Laundry – Not only will hard water cause laundry to fade faster and appear dingy, but it will also cause problems within your washing machine. Both plumbing pipes and water lines become caked with hard mineral despots, or limescale, which corrodes metal and decreases the appliances performance. A washing machine that is experiencing such stress will also be inefficient, which leads to higher utility bills.

☛ Appliances – As just mentioned with your washing machine, hard water will cause limescale buildup within the plumbing pipes and water lines of your water-using appliances. This buildup can decrease appliance performance, which ultimately increases monthly energy and water bills. Appliances like dishwashers, ice-makers, water heaters, and water softeners, can all be affected by the dissolved minerals and metals in hard water.

☛ Dishes – Hard water leaves a layer of mineral residue on everything it touches, including your plates, glassware, cups, dishes, and more. Have you seen spots on your glasses? Cloudy cups? These are tell-tale signs of hard water problems at home.

Get a Water Softener Sooner Than Later

If you do not have a water softener at all, know that it is one of the smartest investments you can make, for both your home and your finances. Water softeners abate all of the damaging effects of hard water, and will save money by protecting you against high energy bills, high water bills, water wastage, appliance breakdowns, appliance repairs, appliance replacements, hair products, skin products, and much more.

If you already have a water softener, but you have noticed signs of hard water around your home, it is time to think about an upgrade. Talk to a licensed master plumber who specializes in all things water softeners to learn your most cost-effective options. The sooner you upgrade or install a water softener, the faster you can begin to save money and protect your assets.

Indianapolis Indiana Water Softener Service, Sales, and Installation

Call Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc. at 317-784-1870 if you need hard water removal, or if you need water softener repair, water softener service, or if you would like to buy a new, quality water softener in Indianapolis, Indiana. Master plumber Mark Weilhammer is happy to give you all the guidance you need on selecting a new water softener, or resolving current hard water issues. With more than 100 years in business, you can trust our Indianapolis plumbing company for superior service at the right price. Contact us to request a free estimate, service, or advice, anytime.