If you live in Pilot Point, Denton, Aubrey, Sanger, or anywhere else in the North Texas area, there’s a good chance your water is quietly working against your home’s plumbing, water heater, and HVAC system. Hard water is one of the most overlooked causes of premature plumbing failure in the DFW metroplex, and most homeowners don’t realize it until the damage is already done.
At Capital Plumbing, Inc., we see the effects of hard water damage every week. Understanding what it is, how it affects your home, and what you can do about it could save you thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements.
What Is Hard Water, and Is North Texas Water Hard?
Hard water simply means water that contains elevated levels of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. These minerals are picked up as groundwater moves through limestone and chalk formations in the ground.
North Texas sits on the Barnett Shale and is fed largely by surface water from reservoirs like Lewisville Lake and Ray Roberts Lake, as well as groundwater from the Trinity and Woodbine aquifers. The Denton County area consistently registers water hardness levels between 12 and 20 grains per gallon (gpg), well above the 7 gpg threshold considered “very hard” by the U.S. Geological Survey. In practical terms, this is some of the hardest water in the state.
How Hard Water Damages Your Plumbing
The calcium and magnesium in hard water don’t stay dissolved forever. When water is heated (or simply sits inside your pipes) those minerals precipitate out and form a crusty, rock-like buildup called scale or limescale.
Inside Your Pipes
Scale accumulates on the interior walls of your pipes, slowly narrowing the passage water can flow through. Over time, you may notice:
Reduced water pressure throughout the house
Slow-filling fixtures and appliances
Gurgling or unusual sounds in the walls
In severe cases, scale buildup can cause pipes to become nearly fully occluded, leading to complete blockages that require pipe replacement rather than simple cleaning. Older galvanized steel pipes are especially vulnerable, once scale takes hold, it’s nearly impossible to remove without damaging the pipe itself.
At Your Fixtures and Valves
Faucets, shut-off valves, and supply line connections are prime spots for scale to accumulate. Hard water deposits can:
Seize shut-off valves so they can’t be turned in an emergency
Cause faucet cartridges and aerators to fail prematurely
Create persistent drips as scale prevents valves from seating properly
This is why many North Texas homeowners find that their faucets start dripping or their shower pressure drops within just a few years of installation, even with brand-new fixtures.
Hard Water and Your Water Heater: A Costly Combination
Your water heater is probably the single appliance most harmed by hard water — and it’s one of the most expensive to replace. When water is heated, mineral precipitation accelerates dramatically. In a tank water heater, this means:
Sediment accumulation on the tank floor.
Calcium deposits settle to the bottom of the tank, forming a thick layer of sediment. This forces the burner to work harder to heat water through the insulating layer of scale, driving up your energy bill and causing the bottom of the tank to overheat. That overheating stresses the tank lining and dramatically shortens its lifespan.
Scale on the heating elements.
In electric water heaters, the lower heating element is submerged directly in the water — which means it’s constantly exposed to mineral-rich water. Scale coats the element, reducing its efficiency and eventually burning it out entirely.
Anode rod consumption.
Water heaters are equipped with a sacrificial anode rod designed to attract corrosive elements so the tank walls are protected. Hard water chews through anode rods significantly faster than soft water, leaving your tank unprotected sooner.
The average tank water heater in a soft-water environment lasts 12–15 years. In North Texas hard-water conditions, without proper maintenance, that lifespan can drop to 6–8 years. Annual water heater flushes — which Capital Plumbing can perform as part of a routine maintenance visit, can dramatically extend the life of your unit by removing sediment before it hardens into a permanent crust.
Hard Water and Your HVAC System
Most homeowners don’t think of their HVAC system when they think of hard water, but the connection is real, especially for systems that use water.
Condensate Drain Lines
Your central air conditioner removes humidity from the air, and that moisture drains away through a condensate drain line. If your drain line becomes clogged (whether from algae, debris, or mineral buildup) water can back up into the system and cause water damage inside your home or shut the system down via a safety float switch. Capital Plumbing’s HVAC team routinely inspects and clears condensate drain lines as part of HVAC maintenance visits, preventing costly water damage before it starts.
Humidifiers Integrated with Your HVAC
Many North Texas homes have whole-house humidifiers installed on their HVAC systems. These units introduce water directly into the air stream and are highly susceptible to scale buildup, particularly on the water panel, distribution tray, and solenoid valve. A clogged humidifier doesn’t just fail to humidify... it can also allow water to overflow and drip onto your furnace or into your ductwork.
Signs Your Home May Be Suffering from Hard Water Damage
Not sure how hard water is affecting you? Here are the most common signs our technicians encounter in North Texas homes:
White, chalky deposits around faucets, showerheads, and the base of toilets
Soap that won’t lather well and skin or hair that feels filmy after showering
Cloudy spots on dishes and glassware even after washing
Higher energy bills without an obvious explanation (a scaled water heater works much harder)
Shortened appliance lifespans dishwashers, washing machines, and ice makers all suffer in hard-water environments
Frequent faucet and fixture repairs despite having newer installations
What You Can Do About Hard Water in Denton County
The good news is that hard water is a solvable problem. There are several approaches depending on your budget, your home’s size, and how severe your water hardness is.
Whole-House Water Softeners
A salt-based ion exchange water softener is the most effective long-term solution for hard water. It replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions, producing water that won’t form scale. A properly sized and installed whole-house softener protects every fixture, appliance, and pipe in your home simultaneously. Capital Plumbing can install a water softener as part of a whole-home water quality upgrade, integrating it cleanly with your existing plumbing.
Descaling and Water Filtration Systems
For homeowners who prefer not to use a salt-based softener (or want to address specific points of use) electronic descalers, template-assisted crystallization (TAC) systems, and point-of-use filters are alternatives worth discussing with a licensed plumber.
Routine Maintenance
Even without a softener, regular plumbing and HVAC maintenance goes a long way. Annual water heater flushes, periodic faucet aerator cleaning, and regular HVAC condensate drain checks all help offset the damage hard water would otherwise cause silently over the years.
Protect Your Home Before Hard Water Costs You More
Hard water is a fact of life in Denton County and the surrounding North Texas area. But it doesn’t have to mean shortened appliance lifespans, unexpected pipe failures, or sky-high energy bills. With the right maintenance routine and the right water treatment approach, you can get ahead of the damage.
Capital Plumbing, Inc. serves Pilot Point, Denton, Aubrey, Sanger, Celina, Gainesville, and the surrounding DFW metroplex. Whether you need a water heater flush, a water softener installation, a pipe inspection, or a full HVAC maintenance visit, our licensed team is ready to help.
Call us at (940) 440-1100 or visit capitalplumbinginc.com/contact to schedule your appointment.