Plumbing explainer
Hard water and scale
Toronto’s drinking water is drawn from Lake Ontario and is considered moderately hard. That means dissolved calcium and magnesium, which leave white crust wherever water evaporates or is heated.
- Aerators soaked
- Showerheads cleaned
- Water heater flushed
- Tankless descaled on schedule
Questions? Call(365) 517-7215. A plumber picks up, day or night.
- Open 24/7. Phone answered every hour, holidays too.
- Licensed & insured. Trade licence details given on request.
- Shown before cut. You see the fault and the plan first.
- Gas by gas techs. Licensed gas technicians on gas heaters.
Where scale shows up
- Faucet aerators, showerheads, kettle bottoms, dishwasher spray arms and the inside of water heaters collect scale.
- On fixtures it reduces flow; in water heaters it insulates the heating surfaces and shortens their life.
Cleaning fixtures
- Unscrew aerators and soak them in white vinegar for an hour, then brush and rinse.
- Showerheads can be soaked in a bag of vinegar tied around the head.
- Avoid harsh acids on finished metal.
Water heaters
- Flush tank heaters yearly to remove sediment, and have tankless heaters descaled on the schedule the manufacturer recommends.
- Anode rods also wear faster in some water conditions.
Softeners
- A water softener reduces scale but is a choice, not a requirement.
- If you are considering one, think about where it would sit, its drain, and whether you want softened water at the kitchen tap.
Close the main valve first, phone second.