In the United Kingdom over 60% of us live in hard water areas. However, what is hard water and how does it affect our drainage systems?
If your drains are damaged or blocked, get in touch with Drain Gain, we are team of experts, highly skilled in unblocking blocked drains in Oxford.
What Is Hard Water?
Water is considered hard if there is a high mineral content, which causes the water to become slightly alkaline. This alkaline level is usually around 8.5, which has a slightly higher level of alkalinity than baking soda, however it is considerably less than milk of magnesia.
On the other hand, soft water is water which is slightly acidic. This is caused by low concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions in the water. Soft water is 6.5, which is slightly acidic, a similar PH to milk.
Is Hard Water Safe To Drink?
Hard water is rich in minerals, with a particularly high concentration of magnesium which is very important for a healthy heart. Magnesium can help control important bodily functions including both blood pressure and stable heart rhythms. This means that drinking hard water could be beneficial for your heart. This is great news if you live in a hard water area, (for example the south and east of England) as hard water is available from your tap.
Does Hard Water Have Any Negative Side Effects On Drains?
Whilst hard water does have some health benefits it can also be harmful to your skin. Additionally, it has serious negative impacts on drains and other appliances. Your shower will become less powerful as a result of hard water as the mineral deposits will clog the slower head. Also, scale deposits will damage appliances an example of which is kettles; causing them to become less efficient
Many household cleaners designed to combat scale and other issues caused by hard water contain acid. This means that whilst the acid will remove scale and hard water stains, it will also damage materials like glass and chrome.
However, whilst hard water can damage your appliances and reduce their efficiency, the damage caused to your drains is much more severe. These mineral deposits can result in clogged pipes. Solidified scale (also known as lime scale) can build up causing clogs in pipes from or to your water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, and more. This can cause havoc on your plumbing system, causing a whole manner of issues ranging from low water pressure to complete blockages.
It’s also important to note that whilst copper, PVC, and PEX piping is more resistant to hard water and the damages caused by scale build up, they can still be clogged and completely blocked by this build up. This means that copper, PVC, and PEX piping is not immune to the effects of hard water.
Don’t Try And Unblock The Drain Yourself, Call A Specialist
There are numerous products that are available on the market that are designed to clear blocked drains. However, without investigation, you cannot be sure what exactly is causing a blocked drain. Additionally, it’s important to remember that acidic cleaning products can cause serious damage to your drains.
It’s likely that not a single issue is causing a drain blockage. It could be a combination with a variety of different issues causing the block. So instead of spending lots of time and effort trying to unblock the drain yourself, risking wasting your time or even damaging the drain itself; instead call a professional from the team of drain specialists at Drain Gain.
Blocked Drains In Oxford? Call The Drain Gain Team
If you’re concerned about the damage that hard water could be causing to your drains or if you would like a drain survey service to identify the cause of your blocked drains in Oxford, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Drain Gain team. Our talented team of specialists will be able to discover the cause of the blockage and recommend the most appropriate service.
In addition to being an ideal solution for businesses or individuals who are afflicted with blocked or damaged drains. Our drain surveys are also be very useful for people who are interested in purchasing a new property as the survey can identify any underlying problems with the drain.
If you have any questions regarding the services that are available from Drain Gain, or if you would like more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and dedicated team of professionals.
If you would like to contact us and make an enquiry, you can speak to a member of our team by calling our team on 01491 598400. Alternatively, you could contact Drain Gain using the enquiry form on our page titled, “Get In Touch”.
