If you live in the Nashville, TN, area, your drinking water is packed with calcium and magnesium. Sounds healthy, right? For your body, absolutely —but unfortunately, it can be just the opposite for your plumbing or water heater.
Hard water silently damages your system, leading to expensive repairs before you even see the warning signs.
Here’s what you need to know about the minerals in your water and how they’re wearing down your water heater.
What’s Hard Water?
The term ‘hard water’ refers to drinking water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals – namely calcium and magnesium.
Water naturally picks up these minerals as it goes through limestone deposits and other similar rocks rich in minerals. Once they’re in your home, these minerals react with soap and form scaly deposits in your shower. They can also leave a slimy film on your hands or cause white spots on your dishes.
More worryingly, these minerals react to heat. In hot water, mineral residues tend to return to their solid form and solidify as they fall to the bottom of your plumbing pipes or water heater tank.
How Hard Is Your Nashville Water?
Nashville uses the Cumberland River as a natural freshwater supply. A variety of sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the river cause the water to pick enough minerals to qualify as moderately hard.
Tests from the city of Nashville reveal that your drinking water contains 100.5mg/L of minerals on average, including 79.5mg/L of calcium. Anything between 50 to 100 mg/L falls within the range of moderately hard water – while levels between 100 and 200 mg/L indicate hard water.
At these levels, your water is safe to drink. In fact, health professionals agree that moderately hard water can be healthier than soft water, which can contain high levels of sodium.
What Does Hard Water Mean for Your Plumbing – and Appliances?
Minerals react to heat and soap to form hard deposits. Over the years, these deposits build up in your plumbing pipes, especially those transporting hot water. Besides reducing your water pressure and clogging your shower head, these deposits can affect your appliances.
Mineral deposits can happen inside your washer and dishwasher, potentially clogging spray jets and obstructing pump mechanisms.
How Does Hard Water Affect Your Water Heater?
Dissolved minerals separate from the water as temperature goes up and take on a solid form. Because they’re heavier than the water, they drop to the bottom of your water heater tank – where they settle and form a hard layer of minerals.
Over time, this layer gets thicker. It can eventually cover the entire bottom of the tank and the heating element, keeping your water warm.
Why is this an issue? This thick layer of sediments insulates the heating element, preventing it from transmitting heat to the tank. It means your water heater has to work harder – and you’ll likely see a difference in your energy bills.
This layer also means heat recirculates back to the heating element. Overheating can happen, and the heating element can fail. It’s a common water heater repair in Nashville, TN!
A chemical reaction between the tank’s metal and the sediments can also happen. This is how corrosion and rust form in water heater tanks. It’s bad news because rust can end up in your water, and corrosion can progress until your tank leaks (at which point you’ll need a new water heater).
And to make things worse, mineral deposits create ideal conditions for bacteria to grow in your water heater.
Are Tankless Water Heaters Safe from Hard Water?
Yes, to a certain point. A tankless water heater has no tank where minerals can build up. However, deposits can form in the pipes, especially the hot water pipe connected to the appliance. If this happens, you could run into water pressure problems.
Signs of Water Heater Problems Caused by Hard Water
Because hard water deposits take years to build up, changes might not be immediately noticeable.
However, these signs usually indicate a problem with hard water in your water heater:
- Rusty or discolored hot water
- Rotten egg smell or other unpleasant smell coming from your hot water
- Inconsistent water temperature and pressure
- Noises coming from the water heater
- Running out of hot water fast
- Clogged pipes
- Let’s not forget one of the most telling signs: higher energy bills!
Are any of these signs familiar? It’s time to have a water heater pro take a look at your appliance. They’ll use a special camera to see inside the tank and assess how bad the buildup is.
Does a Mineral Buildup Mean You Need a New Water Heater?
It depends on how bad the buildup is. Unfortunately, mineral deposits can shorten your water heater’s lifespan. If the tank is damaged, you’ll need a new appliance.
The good news is that flushing the tank can sometimes remove the buildup. A professional can restore your water heater tank and lower your energy bills, but you’ll have to schedule an inspection first to find out if flushing is an option.
How to Protect Your Water Heater from Hard Water in Nashville
As a Nashville resident, you should be proactive about protecting your water heater. There are a few things you can do.
Flushing
Flushing removes minerals currently attached to your water heater tank. You cannot do it yourself, but it’s a quick and easy maintenance task for a water heater pro.
They’ll empty your water heater and let a descaling solution sit in it for a while to loosen any buildups. They’ll then flush the tank with water, releasing the minerals. If you have hard water, it’s good to schedule a flushing once a year.
Water Softeners
Water softeners (or alternatives like anti-scale systems) remove minerals from your water as they enter your home.
You end up with softer water, which is gentler on your water heater, appliances, and entire plumbing system. Plus, this can improve the taste of your water.
Tankless Water Heater
Alternatively, you can think about getting a tankless water heater. Deposits won’t form because there is no tank that holds hot water. These appliances are great for smaller households as long as you can stagger your hot water usage.
Water Heater Repair in Nashville, TN, for Hard Water
Is hard water affecting your water heater? Airstream can help!
As your local plumber, we know how hard Nashville water can cause deposits in your water heater, and our plumbing pros have a ton of experience with flushing water heaters.
Do you need a water heater repair in Nashville, TN, or do you need a flushing? Book your water heater service now or call us at (866) 238-5432!
FAQ
How much does it cost to fix a water heater?
On average, most water repairs cost between $400 and $700. However, depending on the severity of the problem, some repairs can cost more.
How much does a water heater replacement cost in Nashville?
Depending on capacity, a brand-new water heater will typically set you back $1,500 to $2,000.
What is the most common water heater problem?
Sediment buildups and bad heating elements are among the most common types of water heater problems.
Can hard water damage a water heater?
Yes. Hard water can cause minerals to build up at the bottom of your water heater tank, leading to corrosion and preventing the heating element from working properly.
Does Nashville have hard water?
Nashville has moderately hard water. It’s enough to affect your water heater and plumbing!
