Las Vegas hard water and your water heater
Las Vegas tap water runs about 16 to 18 grains per gallon of hardness, which is classed as very hard. Your water heater feels it more than any other appliance.
Where the hardness comes from
Most valley water comes from Lake Mead, which is fed by the Colorado River. The river carries dissolved calcium and magnesium. They are not a health risk, but when water is heated they come out of the water as scale.
What it does to a tank heater
- Scale settles to the bottom as sediment.
- Sediment insulates the water from the burner, so the heater runs longer and the tank bottom runs hotter.
- That extra heat and stress is a big reason tanks here tend to fail from the bottom.
- On electric heaters, scale builds up on the lower heating element until it burns out.
What it does to a tankless heater
Scale builds up inside the heat exchanger. That is why tankless makers call for regular descaling, and why hard water areas need it more often. A tankless unit that is never descaled can throw error codes and lose efficiency.
How to slow it down
- Flush the tank. Draining a few gallons from the drain valve regularly removes loose sediment. Many plumbers suggest a full flush yearly in hard water areas.
- Check the anode rod. The anode rod corrodes instead of the tank. Once it is used up, the tank starts to rust. Checking it every few years is cheap insurance.
- Descale tankless units on the schedule in the manual.
- Consider a water softener. It removes most hardness before it reaches the heater. Check your HOA and local rules on salt-based softeners first.
Common questions
How hard is Las Vegas water?
The Las Vegas Valley Water District reports hardness of about 16 to 18 grains per gallon (roughly 275 to 300 parts per million), which is classed as very hard.
Does hard water void my water heater warranty?
Some warranties exclude damage from scale or require regular maintenance. Read the warranty terms for your model.
Sources: Las Vegas Valley Water District: water quality FAQs