How Hard Water Is Damaging Your Appliances

Every month, you receive a bill from the water company for your water usage. But did you realize that the true cost of your water could be much, much greater?

In fact, depending on your water quality, the water running through your home could be costing you a fortune.

We’re referring to water that contains a high amount of mineral sediment, also known as “hard water.” Few people realize it, but hard water can be so EXPENSIVE.

So if you have hard water, here are 3 ways that it’s costing you money: 

#1 Hard Water Makes Your Appliances Less Efficient

Did you know that hard water is hard on your appliances?

It’s true.

Hard water can reduce the efficiency of your appliances by up to 48%, according to a study by the Water Quality Association (WQA). And that decrease in efficiency can lead to a 29% increase in your energy bills–costing you $1,500 or more over a 10-year period.

(And that’s just for your water heater. The same efficiency loss would affect your dishwasher and your washing machine.)

shower-head
appliances

#2 Hard Water Forces You To Waste More Soap and Detergent

When you have hard water, you have to use more soap, detergent, and other cleaning products. Over time, this can become a significant expense.

Think about how much money you spend on dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, bath and kitchen soap, lotions, and other household cleaners. Probably several hundred dollars a year, depending on the size of your family…and if you have hard water.

(That cost could be reduced by 75% or more with soft water.)

#3 Hard Water Reduces the Lifespan of Your Appliances

Hard water also causes a buildup of scale that can shorten the lifespan of your appliances by 30-50%!

In another WQA study, the heating elements inside water heaters using hard water failed after just 19 months. The water heaters using non-hard water lasted much longer—up to 15 years.

saving-money
Appliance Type
Lifespan with Soft Water
Lifespan with Hard Water
Electric water heater
13
6.5
Gas water heater
11
5.5
Washing machine
11
7.7
Faucets
9
5.4
Toilets
6.5
2
Dishwasher
10
10

How Can You Tell if You Have Hard Water?

If you suspect you have hard water, here are some of the telltale signs to watch out for:

  • Mineral buildup in sinks, bathtumbs, and on your water fixtures.
  • Spots on your dishes, glasses, and silverware that don’t come out in the dishwasher.
  • Water heaters that fail sooner than they should.
  • Soap scum in your bathtub or on your shower curtain/shower door.
  • Faded clothing (especially clothes that used to be vibrant & colorful).
  • Dry, itchy skin and limp-looking hair.

Or you can always contact Culligan to schedule a free water test. One of our technicians will come to your house and test your water for hardness and other contaminants.

Find Out What's In Your Water Today

Schedule your FREE water test by simply filling out the form below or call us today to learn more about getting cleaner, stain-free water!

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There’s a reason Culligan of Tampa is the best water treatment company in Tampa Bay with over 3,415+ 4.7-Stars Google Reviews.

I recently had a Culligan water softener and reverse osmosis system installed by Culligan of Tampa, and the entire experience exceeded my expectations. From the beginning, the sales team was honest, upfront, and took the time to explain everything clearly without any pressure. They answered all of my questions and made the process easy to understand. What really impressed me was how quickly everything moved. Within just a few days of meeting with the sales team, my installation was already scheduled. The installer was knowledgeable, communicated well throughout the process, and completed the installation efficiently while making sure everything was working properly before leaving. I’m extremely happy with the results. The soft water has made a noticeable difference throughout the house, and having reverse osmosis water right from the kitchen tap is a fantastic addition. Overall, I’m very pleased with the products, the service, and the professionalism of everyone at Culligan of Tampa. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a water treatment system.
Who ever the driver is that delivers the salt and checks the system deserves a BIG FAT Raise! I’ve never seen a person take so much pride in the work that they perform and try to help a customer as much as he did. I am truly grateful and thankful for him being on the job at Culligan. He is an awesome awesome awesome man.. And I wish I had his name because I would mention it.
Today I received great service from Jessica—I loved it because she was so friendly. And even though my English isn't very good, she tried to help me, and I really appreciate it! Thank you, Jessica ☺️. And thank you to Culligan for having such friendly employees.
Jessica is very pleasant and professional on the phone. She understands customer needs and schedules the appropriate service call promptly.
Great dependable service Knowledgeable technician
Thank you Jaliee for the quick and heloful respinse.
Lacy, my Culligan service representative, was very helpful, both in getting back to me, and arranging my next appointment.
Today Lacy answered the phone & helped me schedule an appointment. She was courteous, helpful & knowledgeable. Thank you Lacy!!
Chelsea was very kind and patient helping me book my next appointment and set up my auto pay
Great service, thank you.
Great annual service every step of the way. Always polite, friendly and professional. Their reverse osmosis water is the best.
Great service! You can feel the difference with softened water.
Amy at Cullighan was very professional and courteous in setting up our appointment to have the filters replaced Ted the technician that replaced the filters was very professional and knowledgeable in answering my questions regarding the water issues we have been experiencing in my neighborhood. We are very pleased with our water softener Thank you Cullighan for providing exceptional service
I just scheduled my yearly reverse osmosis drinking system filter replacement and as usual Amy was phenomenal. She is very helpful! Installation was completed very professionally. The water softener is functioning as advertised and the water drinking filtering systems provides great tasting water.
My technician for Culligan is the BEST. Always professional, always treats a client with respect. Does their job with joy and awesomeness. Thank you kindly
I call at the Tampa office and Jessica took my call. Jessica was very nice and helpful. She answered my questions, gave me an estimated cost of the requested service and provided more than one option for setting up the service. Jessica is a very good example of what a customer service personal should be… not only did she provided a great service, she also made me feel that I was treated as a valuable customer.
Amy was great helping me this morning with my account
Jaliee was very helpful scheduling my appointment.
I just want to add that Jessica the customer service representative on the telephone always helps me out . Being dissabled I am always at the doctor and anytime I need to change a appointment she gets me a new one and every time I hang up by mistake she calls me right back. She makes it easy for us to call in our payments But most of all she is a caring and easy to talk to real person to help whenever I need help of any kind. Also the man who services our system always make sure we have plenty of salt and recalibrates our system whenever it needs it and he checks the system every time he comes . Our filter changes are made by very component service people and they are very cleaned and understanding of my needs as a disabled person. I would highly recommend Culligan to anyone. Even the installation was done by plumbers who went the extra steps redoing water lines from my meter that were a complete mess. Most of all the Water tastes and feels good on clothes washed. I HIGHLY !!! recommend the whole house service. Sincerely, JAMES POMMET, U.S.A.F. VETERAN P.S. THANKS AGAIN JESSICA
We have used Culligan water system for 4 years and we are very satisfy with them. Lacy was very helpful when I called .
Jessica is always so pleasant, professional, and helpful - truly appreciate the customer service!
Service is great including scheduling.
Jessica was incredibly patient while answering my multitude of questions. She explained the answers in a way that made sense and then made a service appt for me. Excellent customer service!
Outstanding service keep up the good work.
Jessica was a pleasure to work with; knowledgeable, helpful, and accommodated my schedule.
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