Where the minerals come from
Most of the Valley's water comes from rivers and wells that pick up calcium and magnesium on the way. Those minerals are harmless to drink, but when water is heated or evaporates they turn into scale: the hard white layer you see on a showerhead.
What it does inside your home
In a tank water heater, scale settles to the bottom as sediment. You hear it as popping or rumbling, and it makes the heater work harder and wear out sooner. In a tankless heater it coats the heat exchanger and leads to error codes and lukewarm water.
In faucets and toilets, scale wears out cartridges, flappers and fill valves. That is why a faucet can start dripping after only a few years, and why toilets here run more often than you'd expect.
Signs hard water is causing trouble
- White or tan crust on faucets and showerheads
- Popping sounds from the water heater
- Low flow from a single faucet (a clogged aerator)
- Toilets that run or refill on their own
- Dishes and glass that never look clean
What helps
- Flush the tank water heater once a year and descale a tankless unit on schedule.
- Clean aerators and showerheads with vinegar a few times a year.
- Consider a water softener. It removes the minerals before they reach your fixtures and appliances, and most Chandler homes already have a softener loop in the garage.
- When you replace a faucet or toilet, have the shutoff valves checked too. They wear out from scale as well.
Related services
Water Softeners & FiltrationWater softeners, whole-house filters and drinking water systems for hard water.
Water Heater Repair & ReplacementGas and electric tank water heaters repaired, flushed or replaced, often the same day.
Tankless Water HeatersTankless installs, conversions, descaling and repair for gas and electric units.