There is little doubt that hard water is the number one villain when it comes to tankless hot water heaters. Before talking about solutions to the problem, such as water conditioning, let’s make sure everyone knows what Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is talking about when it comes to “hard” water.
It’s the mineral content
In many ways it feels like a silly term because water is never hard except when it’s frozen, but the term has come to mean the level of dissolved minerals in the water you use in your Waterford, MI home. Different regions are prone to different levels of mineral content, and our part of the country is known for having very hard water.
Where do the minerals come from?
For the most part rainwater is mineral free and is called soft water. When the water soaks into the ground it passes through dirt and rocks flowing into underwater aquifers or into rivers and lakes. Along the way, the water dissolves minerals which are then carried into your home from a well or public water supply. Calcium carbonate and magnesium are two of the minerals that appear in high concentrations in hard water.
It’s easy to guess what happens next
When the hard water comes into your Waterford, MI home some of the minerals are left behind on any surface that comes in contact with the water, including the heat exchanger in a tankless water heater. It doesn’t take long for the minerals to form limescale deposits. This causes the heat exchanger to work harder to provide you with hot water. When it works harder you pay the price in the form of higher utility bills.
Kotz has solutions
The best way to prevent a hard water mineral buildup is some form of water conditioning. In most cases, the best choice is a whole-house water softener. Most systems use water softener salt which reacts chemically to remove minerals from the water. Not only is it great for your tankless water heater, but this form of water conditioning provides several other benefits:
- Prevents mineral buildup in pipes and plumbing fixtures
- No hard water stains in toilets, tubs & showers
- Better cleaning with less soap and detergents
- Laundry feels softer & more luxurious
- Soft hair & skin
To learn more about water conditioning for your Waterford, MI home just call Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. And for more great information and advice be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
