Hard Water in Vaughan: What It Does and What Helps

What hardness is

Hardness comes from dissolved calcium and magnesium. When hard water gets hot or dries off a surface, the dissolved minerals drop out and form scale: the white crust on shower heads, the film on glass shower doors, and the layer at the bottom of a kettle.

Where Vaughan water comes from

Most of Vaughan is supplied with treated Lake Ontario water through the regional system. Lake Ontario water is moderately hard. Some parts of York Region have historically received groundwater blends, which can be harder. York Region publishes annual drinking water reports, and these list hardness figures; check the current report for your area before choosing equipment.

What scale does in the house

• Water heaters collect sediment on the bottom, which reduces efficiency and causes rumbling. See flushing a water heater.
• Tankless heaters scale up inside the heat exchanger and throw error codes.
• Faucets and shower heads lose flow as aerators and nozzles clog.
• Toilet fill valves and flappers wear faster and stick.
• Dishwashers leave spotty glasses and need more detergent.

Softeners

A water softener swaps the calcium and magnesium out, putting sodium or potassium in their place, and that stops new scale from forming throughout the house. It needs salt, a drain for regeneration and occasional service. Where someone at home is limiting salt, ask about potassium salt or leaving a cold tap unsoftened for drinking. See water softener installation.

Alternatives

Conditioners that claim to change scale without removing minerals have mixed evidence. Reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink handles drinking water but not the whole house. Regular descaling of key appliances works without any equipment, if you keep up with it.

See also water filtration systems.