How to Remove Limescale and Prevent it from Coming Back

11 Jun

Wherever water is used in your home or office in areas like the kitchen and bathroom, the fixtures become part of a moisture enriched environment. Bathtubs, sinks, and toilets are most affected by water stains and build-ups like limescale.

Limescale deposits can be found inside hot water pipes or hot water heaters due to the hard water running through them.

What is Limescale?

Limescale is made up of calcium carbonate, which is the residue of hard water and alkaline in nature. Hard water is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved minerals consisting of calcium and magnesium. After the water has evaporated, it leaves behind white, lumpy deposits of calcium carbonate or limescale.

Limescale can build-up quickly if not immediately addressed. It becomes hard, thick and a challenge to remove. Limescale is either grey or white in color and it has a chalky looking texture. Limescale build-up can impede the movement of pipes, machinery, and household appliances.

Trying to remove limescale after a serious build-up can be expensive and cause unnecessary downtime either at home or in a commercial environment. Here are some tips and techniques on how to remove limescale, as well as to stop it from coming back.

Limescale Can Be Removed With Everyday Products

Cleaning and removing limescale from household appliances and plumbing fixtures can be accomplished with products that we already have on our shelves or in the refrigerator. Vinegar is one handy product that cleans and disinfects easily.

There are also products you can purchase from the store that are designed for removing limescale. But, to perform a DIY faucet cleaning, for example, apply vinegar to a cloth soaked in vinegar and wrap it around the faucet fixtures and leave it alone for 30 minutes to an hour before cleaning with water.

You can also make a solution of vinegar or lemon juice and place in a spray container. Apply this to the external plumbing fixture or household appliance and let the solution stay on for a time, rinse, and wipe dry.

Use Borax to Clean Limescale in Toilets

When limescale forms on the inside of the toilet, it is so hard to clean that a little more elbow-grease will be needed besides vinegar or lemon. A borax mixture should be included followed by scrubbing. However, do not use anything sharp to try and pry up the limescale because you could damage the finish or put a hole in it.

Cleaning Limescale in Pipes

A major problem occurs when limescale forms on the internal parts of pipes that you can not see. When hard water is heated inside pipes and it starts to vaporize, it leaves a mineral residue which turns to limescale. Limescale grows quickly and when it grows inside pipes it will block the flow of water causing a back-up or total blockage.

Apply a solution of vinegar or lemon juice to your dishwasher or washing machine to keep limescale from forming. If you find it difficult to clear your pipes, contact a plumber who can take care of this problem for you.

When a limescale problem occurs inside the piping system, you may think it is a simple flushing solution, but when this does not work, then it is likely a limescale build-up problem. Call your local Toronto plumber who can treat it with products that are non-toxic and effective.

Drain Your Heater to Prevent Limescale

When limescale forms in your hot water heater, you can help keep this from occurring by draining your tank a couple of times each year. Limescale loves hot water, therefore regulate, or lower the water temperature so that lime deposits don’t produce as much calcium and magnesium residue.

Excessive levels of the natural forming minerals calcium and magnesium combine to produce limescale buildup that sticks to the sides of appliances, pipes, and hoses. This process produces low water pressure, clogging, damaged appliances, dings and/or leaks in the plumbing system.

Limescale in Industry

Limescale deposits are discovered in industrial facilities which often impedes the efficiency of daily operations and can cause infrastructure damages. Limescale in factories, plants, warehouses, etc., increases the amount of energy needed to operate machinery.

This slows down production and affects the bottom-line. Also, a company’s electricity bill is suddenly twice as much as it was last month. If descaling is not applied as soon as possible, this turns into a costly maintenance solution.

Professional Limescale Removal

Plumbers use state-of-the-art flushing methods and hydro-jet technology to clear out blockages. A professionally trained craftsman can identify exactly where limescale blockages occur and how to fix a clogged drain.

How to Prevent Limescale

There are inherent dangers in the accumulation of limescale:
Algae and bacteria growth in stagnant or dead-legs hot water which could cause diseases like Legionnaires and E. Coli

  • Corrosive pipelines
  • Expensive descaling treatments
  • Decaying pipes releasing excessive lead contaminants.

Prevention is the smartest solution in keeping limescale at-bay. Since limescale enjoys a hard water environment, you could add a water softener to your supply. Try to prevent build-up by wiping surfaces down when wet. On glass surfaces like bathroom mirrors or glass shower doors, wipe them completely dry after showering.

There are products on store shelves which help to keep glass doors and other surfaces from hard water stains and keeps water from drying on them.

Install A Water Softener

Ion treated water softener units are not expensive and they are very effective in removing stain causing mineral deposits before water begins to flow throughout the plumbing system. Water softeners easily attach to most plumbing systems.

As an easy tip to help with limescale; add salt to the tank to keep it running smoothly. Otherwise, invest in a catalytic water conditioning device which automatically changes the molecules to prevent limescale forming in the water before it flows through your pipes and heating elements.

Some tips for students to keep their dormitory clean

  1. Schedule regular cleaning sessions;
  2. Keep trash and recycling bins nearby;
  3. Use a vacuum or broom to clean floors and carpets;
  4. Wipe down surfaces with disinfectant wipes;
  5. Don’t leave dishes in the sink;
  6. Keep personal belongings organized and put away.

If you don’t have time to follow these rules, then hiring a writer can be beneficial for you and for students who struggle to keep up with their academic assignments. Paper writers at this link can provide high-quality essays, research papers, and other written works, helping students to improve their grades and academic performance.

Plumbing issues happen at any time and you need a plumber immediately. Call Brothers Plumbing today at (800) 742-0018 or contact us here.

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