Published 2026-09-29
Hard water leaves scale in heaters, shortens fixture life, and dulls laundry. This article explains where California water is hardest, what scale does inside a system, and which options actually help.
Many California water supplies are hard — rich in calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health hazard, but it is rough on plumbing.
Scale builds inside water heaters, narrowing passages and forcing the unit to work harder. It clogs aerators and shower heads, spots fixtures, and shortens appliance life.
A softener treats the whole home; a filter improves taste but does not soften water. Descaling a tankless unit on schedule matters more than any additive. If white crust appears on fixtures quickly, the water is hard enough to plan around.
