How To Tell If Your Water Is Hard

Every time you watch television, you see commercials selling products that help “prevent hard water stains” or “prevent mineral buildup.” As you stroll down the aisles of your favorite grocery store, you notice these products and so many more that feature the words “Hard Water” somewhere on the label. It makes you wonder: How big of a deal is hard water and how do you know if you have it? Here are a few tell-tale signs that your water may be hard:

1. There are white, cloudy spots on your dishes after they’ve been washed. You’ve tried using rinsing agents, but the spots keep coming back. Even when you hand dry, your dishes never really look clean because of those unsightly spots.
2. Your skin is dry and itchy after bathing. You use soap for sensitive skin and copious amounts of lotion, but you can’t seem to get rid of the ashy, somewhat scaly appearance that makes your skin look older than it actually is.
3. You notice mineral buildup around your water fixtures. It may even prevent water from flowing freely from your shower head (maybe you DON’T actually have a water pressure problem). Not only does mineral buildup look unsightly, it can also damage the seals that prevents your plumbing from leaking.
4. You hear rattling noises coming from your hot water heater. This is the result of small rock-like mineral deposits swirling around the water tank. If your tank is not emptied regularly to prevent the mineral deposits, you’ll likely have to replace it sooner rather than later.
5. Soap scum is everywhere! The minerals in your water combine with the detergents in your soap and shampoo, leaving a cloudy, chalky mess on your shower curtains, tile, and tub surface. You scrape away every time you clean your bathroom, but the soap scum returns after just one or two showers.

Once you’ve determined that you have hard water, your next step is to decide what to do about it. The only permanent solution to hard water is to invest in a water softener. At SpringWell, we offer both the traditional salt-based water softener and a salt-free option — both of which will not only rid your entire home of hard water, but extend the life of the appliances that use water, such as your dishwasher and icemaker.