It sure can be.
Lime scale is that gritty film you see on the edges of your faucets and drains. If you see it there, it’s probably also forming inside your plumbing pipes, water heater, washing machine and other appliances that use water.
Lime scale forms in homes that have “hard water” which contains a lot of minerals like calcium and magnesium. In Arizona, just about every home has hard water. The problem beyond the eyesore is that Lime scale can clog your pipes and prevent your dishwasher, coffee maker and clothes washer from operating efficiently. It can even cause them to fail.
In fact, the Water Quality Research Council estimates that water heaters in homes with hard water are 22 percent to 30 percent less efficient than those in homes without any lime scale buildup.
So if you have it, get rid of it. Consider installing a mechanical water softener, which will replace the calcium and magnesium with sodium, which is a lot easier on your plumbing.
###
