Category: General Plumbing Repairs

Hard water and soft water are terms that describe the mineral content in the water that comes through your faucets.

They each have their benefits and problems, and – in fact – it’s important to try to find a balance between the two so that you don’t have to deal with the results of either extreme.

That’s the reason many of our clients call us – to arrange for local plumbing repairs in their homes & businesses to reduce the effects of hard water.

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that contains a lot of minerals, usually calcium, magnesium, lime and chalk; these are picked up from the ground around the waterways that feed into the system.

Hard water can cause scaling inside pipes and water heaters, which will slowly constrict the flow of water, kind of like cholesterol in your arteries.

What Is Soft Water?

Soft water has been treated so that all that’s left is sodium, and perhaps a few other trace elements; rainwater is also naturally-occurring soft water.

When your water is soft, it is more likely to deteriorate metal, reduce the effectiveness of chlorine, and stain concrete, vinyl or fiberglass.

How To Tell The Two Apart

To avoid the issues of hard water, it’s possible to get a device installed in your home that removes the calcium and magnesium.

So that you can decide which you find preferable and whether you need to look at treating your water, we’ve assembled some information for you below.

1. In The Kitchen

You’ll sometimes taste hard water, if the mineral content is high enough; though it’s usually not an unpleasant taste, some dislike this particular feature.

Interestingly, hard water is actually preferable for people with heart problems, circulatory problems or those on a low-sodium diet.

Soft water has had the calcium and magnesium removed (which do count toward what your body needs to function), but this process increases the sodium content.

When you have hard water, you’re way more likely to see spots on your glasses after they’ve dried, and the residue can make them not look as clean as with soft water.

If you treat your home’s water, you should actually be able to cut back your dish detergent by around 50%, and your glasses will be crystal clear when you’re done with them.

2. In Cleaning

Soft water is the reason your lather is so rich and frothy – but this could also cause you to spend more on soap.

Hard water can cause clothes to not be quite as soft, as well as appear duller, due to the mineral residue.

3. In The Bathroom

Hard water can be very noticeable in the bathroom, because there’s so much water flowing in there.

Often, shower curtains, bathtubs and tiles will seem to be covered in film and scum constantly, even after you’ve cleaned.

As you know from above, you’ll need more soap or chemicals to clean off the hard water residue, as well.

Soft water lathers so nicely and it will make your hair and skin seem brighter and more healthy.

Peoria’s Water)

Did you know you could access Peoria’s reporting for our municipal water system?

Your Peoria Plumbing Pros plumber will stay up to date on this information, but if you’re curious about the trace minerals and microbes that are being delivered to your home, this is an excellent place to start.

Contact Peoria Plumbing Pros

Call now to have one of our certified plumbing professionals come to your home and diagnose your water hardness (or softness) for you.

Peoria Plumbing Pros can recommend a course of action for you, which might include installing a hard water filter.

Get the level of comfort you want in your water – call Peoria Plumbing Pros now.

You know those exciting spy movies where they use a little camera through the air duct to see what the bad guys are up to?

Well, plumbing may not be as sexy as that, but we do also use cameras – most often for detecting plumbing leaks in your pipes.

Cameras Save You Money On Labour

Perhaps you’ve been visited by a plumber in the past who guesses about the issue and then starts cutting into drywall or digging up your lawn to try to find the problem.

Firstly, you’re looking at some ugly repairs, but you also need to realize that all that time they spend looking for your plumbing problem is time they’re billing you for.

When Peoria Plumbing Pros answers your call for service, we bring along the right gear to get the job done quickly – and one of our favourites is the snake camera.

Cameras Can Spot Issues Early

Our camera allows us to not just find the source of your current problem, but also potential issues that can arise in the future.

By scoping your pipes from the inside, we can easily spot cracks that are developing, deterioration, blockages and leaks.

It’s a great perspective to have, and it’s so non-invasive and quick that it’s an excellent form of preventative medicine for your home plumbing.

What Causes Plumbing Problems?

Plumbing problems are most often caused by blockages – sometimes from within the home, and sometimes from backflow from the city sewers.

Other issues can include tree roots that shift or compress pipes, or perhaps old pipes that have crumbled over decades of use.

The great news is that a camera snaked through your pipes allows us to see and diagnose all of these issues, enabling us to make the smallest of cuts or holes in your home to repair the problem.

When Should You Use A Camera?

Homeowners often have a plumbing check-up yearly, so that we can come in and catch issues before they’re the cause of huge insurance claims, and this is a great time to have a camera scope your pipes.

However, there are a few other specific times you’ll catch us pulling out the camera, as you’ll see below.

1. When Your Plumbing Is Backed Up

A backed-up plumbing system most definitely requires scoping to get to the root of the problem, because there’s a lot of pipe running through your home.

One overflowing fixture can be easy enough to figure out, but imagine when you have several all at once – this can mean a backup from the main sewer line itself.

2. When Your Drain Is Clogged

Clogs can be an easy fix, once you know what you’re dealing with and where they’re located.

This is why your plumber is going to want to measure how far away the problem is, because that will help them figure out their course of action in fixing it.

As well, the nature of the clog can help them decide which tool will handle it with the least amount of damage to your pipes.

3. Before You Buy A House

One of the most important times to have a plumber bring by his camera is when you’re buying a new house.

Home inspections often only deal with the structure itself, and don’t include a plumbing check; however, plumbing issues are some of the most stressful and costly for homeowners, so booking a plumber to inspect your potential new home is a must.

Once you have all the information, you can make your decision about whether to buy, or whether you need upgrades done before closing. Alternately, it allows you to negotiate the price if work needs doing, and the camera can help your plumber price the job accurately.

Contact Peoria Plumbing Pros

If one of these three examples describes your situation, you should call us to have a look.

We’ll be able to show you any issues so you can see for yourself before we even start the repair job.

Call now to schedule your appointment for a plumbing inspection, or reach us on our 24-hour emergency line for immediate service.