If you’ve lived in Las Vegas for more than a few months, you’ve seen it: white crust around faucets, spots on every glass that comes out of the dishwasher, and a shower head that slowly loses pressure. That’s hard water, and the Las Vegas Valley has some of the hardest in the country.
It isn’t a health problem, but it is a plumbing problem. Here’s what’s going on and what you can do about it.
Where our hard water comes from
Almost all of the valley’s water comes from Lake Mead and the Colorado River. On its way here, that water picks up dissolved calcium and magnesium from the rock it flows through. Water with a lot of those minerals is called “hard.” Las Vegas water commonly measures somewhere around 16 to 19 grains per gallon, which is well into the “very hard” range.
When hard water is heated or left to evaporate, those minerals come out of the water and form scale: the white, chalky buildup you see on fixtures. The same thing happens inside your plumbing where you can’t see it.
What hard water does to your home
Water heaters
This is the big one. In a tank water heater, scale settles to the bottom of the tank and forms a crust between the burner and the water. The heater has to work harder, the bottom of the tank overheats, and you start hearing popping and rumbling. It’s one of the main reasons tank heaters in Las Vegas often last closer to 8 years than 12. Tankless water heaters build scale inside their heat exchangers and need to be descaled, usually once a year here. Learn more about water heater repair and replacement.
Faucets, shower heads and valves
Scale clogs aerators and shower heads and wears out the cartridges inside faucets and shower valves. That’s why fixtures start dripping or lose pressure sooner here than in most cities.
Toilets
Minerals build up on flappers and fill valves, which is a common cause of toilets that run or refill on their own.
Appliances
Dishwashers, washing machines, ice makers and coffee makers all take a beating from scale.
Signs hard water is affecting your plumbing
- White crust on faucets, shower heads and glass shower doors
- Spotty dishes and cloudy glassware
- A water heater that pops, rumbles or runs out of hot water sooner
- Low pressure at a single faucet or shower head
- Faucets that start to drip or toilets that run
How to protect your home
1. Install a water softener
A water softener removes the calcium and magnesium before the water reaches your fixtures and water heater. It’s the most effective way to stop scale. Many newer Las Vegas homes already have a softener loop plumbed in the garage near the water heater, which makes installation simple. See our water softener and filtration services.
2. Flush your water heater
Flushing a tank water heater once a year removes loose sediment before it hardens. Tankless units should be descaled about once a year in Las Vegas.
3. Clean aerators and shower heads
Soaking aerators and shower heads in white vinegar dissolves scale and restores pressure.
4. Consider reverse osmosis for drinking water
A softener handles scale. An under-sink reverse osmosis system gives you cleaner-tasting drinking and ice water.
When to call a plumber
If your water heater is making noise, your fixtures are wearing out quickly, or you’re thinking about a softener, a licensed plumber can check your system and give you honest options. TPM Services is family owned and led by a master plumber who has dealt with Las Vegas water for more than 21 years.
Call 702-932-5755 or request an estimate.