How to Address the Buildup in Your Pipes
Posted in Pipe Repair, on April 17, 2025
You may see buildup in and around faucets and drains in your home. Boca Raton’s water supply is hard water, which contains many minerals. This factor often leaves you cleaning your sinks and clogging your pipes. To alleviate this burden, plumbing companies can help. Broward Plumbing can help clean and replace plumbing systems or be on-site for emergency plumbing services. Call our plumbers in Boca Raton for any of your plumbing needs. Our emergency plumbers can even be at your property on the same day you call.
Read below to learn how to address the buildup in your pipes.
What Causes Buildup?
The leading cause of water buildup is hard water. Calcium and magnesium are common minerals found in Boca Raton municipal water. Over time, these minerals can build up in the pipes. If not appropriately treated, buildup can cause corrosion or leaks in the pipes. The buildup is prominent in cast iron pipes, so if you have cast iron in your plumbing system, you most likely experience hard water damage.
Ways to detect that there is a buildup in your pipes are to look for these indicators:
- Reduced water flow
- Higher water bills
- Faulty water temperature
How to Get Rid of Buildup?
If you are aware of a buildup in your pipes, it’s crucial to handle it promptly. There are ways to fix it yourself; however, these fixes are only temporary.
- Vinegar: Calcium can be broken down with acids. A common remedy is pouring vinegar into the drain. The downfall of this method is that vinegar can damage your plumbing. Vinegar would also have to sit in the pipes for 24 hours to clear all the buildup from your pipes, stopping the water supply to the house.
- Pipe Cleaner: Another method is a pipe or drain cleaner. CLR or Drano can help, however only temporarily. With these chemicals, you essentially add dangerous chemicals to your water supply, which can leave traces of toxins in your drinking water.
- Pipe Replacement: If you have cast iron or polybutylene pipes, it's time to consider replacing them. There are better choices for your plumbing systems than these two, as both have many disadvantages. If there is a buildup in your pipes, it’s best to replace them altogether to eliminate the root cause of the buildup.
Contact a plumber in Boca Raton with Broward Plumbing to determine your best option. We will advise you on what is best for you, your plumbing system, and your bank.
How to Prevent it?
If you're not experiencing severe issues with your plumbing system in terms of buildup, it's still a good idea to take preventive measures so you don’t run into those problems in the future. The function of a water softener is in the name. It works as a filtering system, extracting minerals from hard water to supply the house with soft water. This relieves your pipes of mineral buildup, lengthening the lifespan of your plumbing system.
The best solution to prevent mineral buildup in your pipes is to switch to PVC pipes. These are recommended because they are corrosion-resistant, leak-free, chemically resistant, and lower in cost. The installation process is very short and can improve the longevity of your plumbing system.
Broward Plumbing for Pipe Cleaning
Broward Plumbing has been providing all plumbing services to clients in and around Boca Raton, with customer satisfaction being our top priority. We will get your plumbing system in the best shape possible to have your home up and running again. Contact our plumbers in Boca Raton today for pipe buildup. Our emergency plumbers can be on your doorstep as soon as possible. Book a service today!