If you live in the Midwest, where hard water is common, then you know what a pain it can be. It’s defined as water containing higher than usual levels of dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium carbonates, from traveling through underground deposits of limestone, chalk, or gypsum.
Water full of such dissolved minerals can cause white chalky build-up to form on fixtures, as well as causing spots on your glassware. While most reports suggest there are no inherent health risks from drinking it, it can dry out hair and skin. Clothes can feel stiff when they come out of the washing machine after multiple washes in it. Also, If you have low water pressure, that can sometimes result from calcium building up within your pipes. Finally, these minerals can clog up your shower heads over time. The solution? Get a High Sierra shower head!
Things Can Get Ugly Quickly
Conventional shower heads make their spray by forcing water through many small holes (“jets”). Over time, minerals can build up in and around those holes, clogging them up. The tinier those holes, the more likely they will get clogged from hard water.
As well, these shower heads often come with flow regulators (also known as flow restrictors). They’re usually small plastic or rubber discs, often brightly-colored, and typically placed close to where the shower head attaches to the shower arm. These discs also have small holes that can clog up over time from minerals.
In contrast, High Sierra Showerheads have a clean, straight water path. The water from your shower arm enters through a large opening in a flexible diaphragm, and exits through a second large opening. They give a drenching spray of large, heavy, high-energy droplets. A spray that remains consistently strong over time, even when you have hard water minerals.
The Top Cities with Hard Water
Many areas of the USA are lucky to have softer water. If you live in the Pacific Northwest or Northeast, odds are you probably have some pretty good water. Surprisingly, two cities that are among the worst offenders are San Antonio and Austin, Texas, despite having many beautiful water features.
Here are some of the top cities in the USA for hard water:
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Phoenix, Arizona
- San Antonio and Austin, Texas
- Tampa, Florida
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles and Sacramento, California
High Sierra to the Rescue!
By replacing your conventional shower head with a High Sierra shower head you’ll be doing your body a favor. And also save lots of time and hassle in your busy life.
Do your shower heads always clog up? Do you have to frequently clean them, by rubbing the flexible “nibs” attached to their holes, cleaning out their holes and flow regulator discs with toothpicks, or even soaking your shower heads in vinegar-filled bags? And when all that fails, do you sometimes need to replace your clogged shower heads outright?
Invest in a High Sierra feel-good, low-flow shower head and shower luxuriously, without worrying about clogging from hard water minerals!
(And as for the rest of your house, attach a water softening system to your plumbing and your skin will softly sing.)