Hard-water Minerals

Hard-water Minerals | Water Purification | Plumbing | Louisville

Louisville’s famously mineral-rich water may taste great, but the calcium and magnesium it carries can wreak havoc on pipes, appliances, and fixtures. HEP’s licensed plumbers combine local know-how with advanced filtration media to intercept hard-water minerals before they reach your faucet, reducing scale, soap scum, and energy-robbing buildup—all while keeping the healthy sparkle in every glass.

From compact under-sink filters to whole-home conditioners, we customize water purification solutions to match the unique chemistry of each neighborhood’s supply. Book a free water test today, and let our team design and install a worry-free system backed by the friendly, fast service Louisville has trusted for years.

FAQs

Why is Louisville’s water considered “hard,” and how hard is it?

Louisville gets much of its municipal supply from the Ohio River aquifer, which is naturally rich in dissolved calcium and magnesium. On average, test data from Louisville Water Co. show 7–11 grains per gallon (120–180 mg/L) of hardness—solidly in the “hard” category. That means every gallon you use leaves behind a measurable residue of mineral scale unless it is treated.

What problems can hard-water minerals cause in my plumbing and appliances?

When hard water is heated or allowed to evaporate, calcium and magnesium precipitate out as scale. In plumbing pipes this scale narrows flow passages, raises water-heater energy use up to 20 %, shortens the life of dishwashers, ice makers, and coffee machines, dulls laundry, spots glassware, and can clog showerheads or faucet aerators. Over time, Louisville homeowners often see reduced water pressure and expensive premature appliance replacement if no conditioning is installed.

What purification or softening solutions do you install for Louisville homes?

Our primary treatment for hardness is a high-efficiency, metered-demand ion-exchange water softener that swaps calcium and magnesium ions for harmless sodium or potassium. For customers who also want to improve taste and remove chlorine, PFOS/PFOA, or lead picked up in legacy plumbing, we can pair the softener with whole-house catalytic carbon or a dedicated reverse-osmosis (RO) drinking faucet. All systems are sized to your household’s grain load, flow rate, and space constraints.

Will a water softener remove every contaminant, or do I need additional filtration?

A standard softener is designed specifically to address hardness minerals; it does not remove chlorine by-products, organics, fluoride, or most heavy metals. If your goals include better taste, odor control, or broad contaminant reduction, we recommend combining the softener with a carbon filter or RO system. During your free in-home water test we explain what each technology does—and whether you actually need it—so you never overbuy.

How is a softener installed, and will it require major plumbing changes?

Most Louisville homes have a main water line and drain within 10 ft of one another, which is ideal. We cut into the main cold-water supply after the meter, create a bypass loop so you can service the unit without shutting off the house, and run a ½-in. drain line to a nearby floor drain or laundry standpipe. The install usually takes 3–4 hours, involves minimal drywall removal, and is fully code-compliant with air-gap fittings and back-flow protection.

What ongoing maintenance and operating costs should I expect?

Ion-exchange softeners use salt (or potassium chloride) for regeneration and a small amount of electricity to power the control valve. A typical Louisville family of four spends about one 40-lb bag of salt per month—roughly $7–$9. Annual maintenance consists of checking the brine tank, cleaning the venturi valve, and optional resin-bed sanitization. Our systems carry a 10-year tank and valve warranty, and we offer affordable service plans if you prefer professional upkeep.