Hard water is a common problem in the UK. Most homeowners have to deal with hard water problems, which include damage to the plumbing systems and scale build up. Water is considered "hard" when it contains high levels of minerals and ions that have dissolved into the water. The minerals that cause most problems are magnesium and calcium. Hard water is made of rain water that has fallen on mineral and ion "rich soil", after constant rainfall the minerals and ions get into the water.

Problems caused by hard water:

Scale: Caused by the minerals that builds up in the inside of your home appliances and the piping around your home that uses water on a regular basis. Scale decreases the efficiency of the pipes, appliances and eventually they stop working properly.

Health: Depending on the minerals and ions that are contained in the hard water in your local area, your hard water could be dangerous both for your house and your body. Calcium and Magnesium are the most feared ions because they can cause terrible health problems when too much of either is absorbed into the body.

Cleaning: Cleaning with hard water is also incredibly difficult as the minerals contained in hard water prevent soaps and cleaning materials from working correctly.

Cost: When you use hard water regularly, your machines have to work harder which means they use more electricity, causing your utility bill to spike or be constantly high.

Water softeners have proved to be incredibly useful to UK homeowners who have to deal with the issues that come from having hard water. A water softener will filter the minerals and ions out of your water as it runs from your well or ground water source and into the pipes of your house. The easiest way to make sure that you only use soft water is to install a water softener somewhere inside your home or on your property.