How Hard Water Is Damaging Your Appliances

Every month, you receive a bill from the water company for your water usage. But did you realize that the true cost of your water could be much, much greater?

In fact, depending on your water quality,the water running through your home could be costing you a fortune.

We’re referring to water that contains a high amount of mineral sediment, also known as “hard water.” Few people realize it, but hard water can be so EXPENSIVE.

So if you have hard water, here are 3 ways that it’s costing you money: 

What our clients say

There’s a reason Culligan Huntsville & Birmingham AL is the best water treatment company in with over 10 4.7-Stars Google Reviews.

Very professional, the easiest company I have work with in a long time, Brian came out and was very informative on their product. They scheduled at my convenience Tyler came out and installed was exceptional.
Noah was fantastic as our install technician. He was timely, an expert at installation and gave us very personalized training tips on our new soft water investment. We love Culligan! Thank you Noah!
Noah and Tyler showed up on time and installed a whole house water system and under counter RO system. Very professional and knowledgeable.
Soft water is wonderful. The Culligan system is great. Their installation was top quality craftsmanship. I Recommend to anyone wanting to get the benefits of soft water.Ask for Noah.
Our experiences have always been top, notch for going on 18 years now!
Definitely worth the expense. The water is deliciously filtered and having the unit we had, was very convenient.
We met with multiple water enhancing providers as we have always had some degree of system when living in Minnesota or Texas. Our sales representative, Brian was great, he communicated before even coming out, tested our water in a simple manner, did not have a 2 hour presentation, but rather asked about our needs and explained the different solutions and what they offered. He did not change his demeanor when I said I was still waiting on other quotes and politely stated to reach out for any more information.Our technician Noah was hands down amazing. He called to let me know his ETA on install day and answered my questions. I was at work, so he and my wife FaceTimed me as Noah wanted to make sure he understood exactly what I was hoping for, and then explained the full process for the installation. He called again later when he noticed our current plumbing was not done correctly and asked if he could run their system differently so it wouldn’t flood my garage.The install looks great and my wife knew how to run in, and explain to me how it operated when I got home. An added feature we love is bypassing our system through the app for watering the lawn. The customer service we received is what I appreciate and system works amazing!
10 out of 10 from start to finish! Brian came out and completed a quick water test at our home and provide two great recommendations. Today was our install and we couldn't be happier with the level of professional service and care the install technicians took while at our home. NO MORE HARD WATER, THANK YOU!!!
Spoke with Laura today at the office. She was very helpful!! So thankful
The best way to have clean, clear, truly filtered water for your home, appliances, and to drink. It does make a difference.
We just had Culligan installed! Sales rep Brian was great.We also had Rainsoft come out. Rainsoft was very high pressure, and 3 times the cost. It felt very “dog and pony show”. They also wouldn’t leave any brochure or offfical pricing, at the end just left us with a hand written price on blank piece of paper. They will try to tell you spending 6k will even out with “free soap” they give you.Culligan was exact opposite. No pressure, very honest on what system you do and don’t need and our price was the same price as others in our neighborhood and thousands less. When I asked about higher level machines, he said it wasn’t worth it for what we have and zoned in on 2 products he would recommend. We noticed immediately the difference. During install they were very clean on the work also.
I had a leak from my reverse osmosis tank line. The technician dispatched was Noah Gregg. What a nice young man. Wish we could adopt him. What makes this a Five Star visit was Noah's timeliness, attentiveness to my concerns, and attention to details. Noah knew his product and quickly resolved my leak. Great Job, Noah. Thanks again.
I will never own another home without a Culligan Water Softener... the difference between the hard water of North Alabama and the water filtered through the Culligan Water Softening system is substantial. We see many advantages, including softer skin & cleaner hair, fewer water spots on dishes & silverware and other lesser known benefits such as lower energy bills, healthier house plants and longer life of clothing. The professional installation and excellent customer service from Culligan Huntsville makes the process simple and pleasant.
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#1 Hard Water Makes Your Appliances Less Efficient

Did you know that hard water is hard on your appliances?

It’s true.

Hard water can reduce the efficiency of your appliances by up to 48%, according to a study by the Water Quality Association (WQA). And that decrease in efficiency can lead to a 29% increase in your energy bills–costing you $1,500 or more over a 10-year period.

(And that’s just for your water heater. The same efficiency loss would affect your dishwasher and your washing machine.)

shower-head
appliances

#2 Hard Water Forces You To Waste More Soap & Detergent

When you have hard water, you have to use more soap, detergent, and other cleaning products. Over time, this can become a significant expense.

Think about how much money you spend on dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, bath & kitchen soap, lotions, and other household cleaners. Probably several hundred dollars a year, depending on the size of your family…and if you have hard water.

(That cost could be reduced by 75% or more with soft water.)

#3 Hard Water Reduces the Lifespan of Your Appliances

Hard water also causes a buildup of scale that can shorten the lifespan of your appliances by 30-50%!

In another WQA study, the heating elements inside water heaters using hard water failed after just 19 months. The water heaters using non-hard water lasted much longer—up to 15 years.

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Appliance Type
Lifespan with Soft Water
Lifespan with Hard Water
Dishwasher
10
10
Washing machine
11
7.7
Faucets
9
5.4
Toilets
6.5
2
Electric water heater
13
6.5
Gas water heater
11
5.5

How Can You Tell if You Have Hard Water?

If you suspect you have hard water, here are some of the telltale signs to watch out for:
  • Mineral buildup in sinks, bathtumbs, and on your water fixtures
  • Spots on your dishes, glasses, and silverware that don’t come out in the dishwasher
  • Water heaters that fail sooner than they should
  • Soap scum in your bathtub or on your shower curtain/shower door
  • Faded clothing (especially clothes that used to be vibrant & colorful)
  • Dry, itchy skin and limp-looking hair
Or you can always contact Culligan to schedule a free water test. One of our technicians will come to your house and test your water for hardness and other contaminants.