Hard Water and Your Appliances: What You Need to Know

Posted on: 27 February 2019

Hard water isn't just a nuisance that affects the flavor of the water or leaves scum on shower walls—it can also shorten the life of your home's appliances. The following guide can help you understand how hard water could be costing you money and time, as well as helping you spot which appliances may require additional maintenance due to water quality.

Sink and shower fixtures

That white, crusty buildup you get around the openings on your faucets and associated fixtures isn't just unsightly. The visible stuff may just be ugly, but the buildup that you can't see inside the faucet is the real problem. This buildup slowly constricts the pipes and aerator holes, leading to a drop in water pressure and volume. Frequent cleanings and treatments to remove hard water deposit can add time to the usable life of the faucet, but it isn't a long-term solution. Cleaning out deposits from deep within the faucet is nearly impossible, so eventually the only viable repair option will be replacement.


The worst part about hard water in the dishwasher is that it doesn't just shorten the life of the appliance, it also leaves a gross haze and spotting on all of your dishware. They may be clean, but the dishes just won't look clean. Further, those minerals are also building up in the sprayer arms and the water supply lines throughout the dishwasher. If you have hard water, replacing the lines and trying to clean and clear the sprayer arms will eat up money and time.

Washing machine

Much like the dishwasher, hard water in the washer affects more than just the appliance—it also can weaken fabrics over time or lead to the development of "mystery stains" caused by the minerals in the water. Also, much like a dishwasher, the hard water will also coat water supply lines, water outlets in the washer tub, and the tub itself, requiring cleaning or replacement of components.


The fridge is often overlooked when it comes to hard water, but if yours has a built-in ice maker or water spigot, then hard water can cause damage. It will cause blockages in the supply lines to the ice maker and spigot, requiring cleaning or replacement. Possibly worse, hard water residue will also compromise the flavor of the ice cubes and water delivered by the fridge.

As you can see, the effects of hard water can be extensive. Talk to professional at a company like Houston Water Products that provides water softening systems. You may find that having such a system installed will be worth it in the long run, considering the amount of maintenance and replacement expenses you can avoid in the long term.