Many homes across Australia receive hard water from their utility supplier. This water has higher than average mineral content and unfortunately, this can sometimes wreak havoc with a plumbing system. If you have just discovered a water leak that seems to be caused by a burst pipe, could hard water be to blame, and if so, what can you do about it in the future?

The Problems of Hard Water

Your plumber may have advised you to keep an eye on your water heater due to your hard water supply. It's important to get this heater serviced to get rid of any mineral accumulation and ensure you get an uninterrupted hot water supply. Typically, the hard water will contain a lot of magnesium and calcium minerals, and they can leach on the inside of the tank, building up over time.

Mineral Accumulation

Unfortunately, the same can happen to the pipes supplying water to your bathroom and kitchen. These minerals can attach to the inside of the pipe and accumulate with time. It's a problem that can develop slowly, and you may be blissfully unaware until, that is, you notice a burst.

Watch for Low Pressure

Certainly, you can sometimes get advance notice should the water pressure reduce and not be as powerful as it once was. The accumulation on the inside of your pipes will kill the water pressure, which may be most noticeable in your bathroom shower.

Burst Pipe Issues

When the minerals build up to such an extent on the side of a pipe, this can lead to clogs or can separate two pipes at a joint. In the worst case, it may even create pinholes that will allow the water to leak out and cause your utility bill to spike.

Install a Water Softener

To get around these problems in the future, you may be able to install a water-softening device. If you can place this close to the mains supply pipe, it may be able to remove many of those minerals before they get into your system.

What to Do Next

In the meantime, bring in a plumber to fix your broken pipe. They will have a look at the condition of the old pipe and confirm whether hard water did, indeed, cause this one to break. If all the pipes in your property are in a similar condition, you may have to consider a replacement to avoid other bursts in the future. 

For more info, contact a local company like Melbourne Plumbing and Drainage Solutions.

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