Nashville Hard Water
Nashville is known for having hard water. Newcomers that move here from other states often notice the hardness of Nashville’s water right away. Nashville by no means has the hardest water. That honor goes to Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Tampa, Phoenix, Minneapolis, and San Antonio. In 2017, the City of Brentwood tested its water quality through the Source Water Assessment program and found it had an average hardness of 104 PPM, translating into moderately hard. One common sign that you have hard water is if you have white spots that show up on chrome fixtures in your bath or kitchen. This is called lime-scale and can build up over time.
So what does this mean to local residents to have lime-scale in the water supply?
What Exactly Is Hard Water
Hard water is water with high dissolved mineral content that often includes magnesium and calcium. Since the terrain in Tennessee has quite a bit of limestone, our plumbing systems carry hard water.
Harmful Effects of Hard Water
There are a number of impacts of having hard water you may not have considered. Hard water is known to cause plumbing issues and other challenges for local residents.
Here are some of the top reasons people prefer to have softer water:
- Consuming too much magnesium and calcium can have ill effects on health.
- Hard water can cause noticeable damage to your plumbing pipes due to increased levels of minerals. These hard water minerals can cause build up on appliances and plumbing fixtures, as well as clog your pipes.
- More detergent is required to do laundry and dishes. The minerals reduce the suds and cleaning power of the detergents, resulting in an additional expense.
- More soap is needed for baths and showers for the exact same reason.
How to Make Water Softer
There is really only one way to get your plumbing to produce softer water. Treat your water by purchasing and installing a water softener. Your local plumber can easily handle this task for you. There are all types of softeners.
Factors to consider in Purchasing a Softener
There are a number of water softeners on the market. You can even purchase one from Amazon and have it delivered to your door in 1-2 days or less. Below are some factors to consider in purchasing a water softener:
Size Needed for the Home – Consider how much water your family uses along with the size of your home and the how much softening needs to be done (based on how hard your water is)
How Long You Need the Softener to Last – Softeners vary in quality. Like most appliances, the higher the quality, the higher the price in most cases. The average softener lasts 10 to 15 years.
The Need for Continual Soft Water – Similar to how a tankless water heater offers continual hot water, some softeners offer continual softening. If this is a requirement for your family, that option exists. A more economical option is to purchase a lower end valve which works on a timer.
Installation Expense – It is definitely worth the research to determine the installation costs for the unit. Most plumbers can install any brand unit. Rates vary and will generally be more if your home is not pre-plumbed.
Fix It All Plumbing is committed to providing you and your family with expert plumbing services at fair rates. Our plumbers are glad to answer any questions or help resolve issues.
Call or text us at (615) 568-5051
Your Master Plumber,
Kevin Sipes