Limescale 101

Chances are you may have heard of limescale and you’ve probably seen it, but you may not know much about it! If all of your plumbing fixtures seem like they need cleaning and you often find them covered in a chalky film, you may be dealing with limescale! Limescale is mineral rich deposits that buildup in your plumbing pipes and on your fixtures. Not only does limescale look ugly and dirty, but it can also cause some serious damage to your home’s plumbing system.

 

What causes limescale? Limescale is a naturally occurring by product of clean water with a higher than average concentration of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, etc. This is more commonly referred to as hard water. While hard water is safe to drink and wash with, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth or make rinsing off in the shower more difficult. The leftovers from hard water also buildup on your faucets in the kitchen and bathroom, your shower head, and pipe joints. If left to fester, this buildup can leave you dealing with recurring clogs.

While your first reaction may be to simply wipe limescale away, this may prove tricky. The mineral content in limescale makes it difficult to simply wipe away with a wet rag. You may have to dissolve it using an acidic solution. Fortunately, white vinegar is a great match for dissolving limescale. Soaking any affected shower heads and faucets in a bucket of vinegar for an hour should do the trick. After soaking your fixtures, simply scrub away any remaining limescale with a scrub brush. 

If you find yourself dealing with limescale on a regular basis, you may need to consider a water softening system. Water softening systems add in a sodium based solution into the water supply entering your home. This sodium based solution can counteract the effects of limescale buildup. 

If you need help with tough, recurring clogs from limescale buildup, call the professionals you can trust today. At Masterflo Plumbing we’re available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Call us now at (678) 822-7095!