In addition, the study found that laundry washed in hard water becomes re-soiled with greater ease. The dissolved minerals in hard water tend to collect in water-using appliances and shorten their life. The buildup of hard water minerals can clog pipes and cause excessive wear on moving parts. As a result washing machines run with hard water can wear out up to 30 percent quicker, according to a study reported by the American Water Works Association. A washer that might otherwise last 10 years will likely last only 7 years when run with hard water.
Water softening The best solution to hard water problems is to use soft water.
Their solution was to collect soft rainwater in a barrel. Municipal water softening Some water utilities offer municipal softening, but municipally softened water falls short of being soft water. Municipal treatment is generally done in areas with extremely hard water, and the end water is still often in the hard to moderately hard range. Municipal softening is also inefficient because all the community's water is softened, including water that is ultimately used to water lawns and clean public streets. Household water softeners Household water softeners generally provide the most economically effective source of soft water for home and business use.