by Trevor Woods |
Last Updated: November 2, 2020 So, you’ve just purchased a house. Congratulations! Now it’s time to figure out everything that’s wrong with it. Where to begin? An important thing to look at is the type of water you have. It’s easy to assume all water is the same, but that is certainly not the case. A water hardness test kit or a simple observation can help you determine if you have hard water or not.
If you have figured out your home has hard water, don’t fret! Hard water is still usable, and not as weird as it sounds. It’s not a solid, but there are some things about it that will make it, well, hard to use in the home. Let’s look at hard water and what it is exactly.
What Is Hard Water?
You may be wondering why they call it ‘Hard Water.’ Well, it is not because it comes out of the faucet as a solid if that’s what you’re imagining. Quit being so literal, sheesh!
It’s still wet, it still looks like water. So, what exactly is hard water, you ask? The hardness of water has to do with the concentration of minerals found in the water. Generally, hard water is measured by the concentration of magnesium and calcium that is present.
When these minerals are heavily concentrated in the water, this makes it difficult, or hard to wash things with the water. Essentially, when you mix soap with the water it creates solids which is how you get soap scum.
This means you must use more soap to get any kind of lather, which can become wasteful and a burden on the budget. So, the expression hard water is derived simply from it being difficult, or hard to wash things with water that has concentrated minerals in it.
What Are The Signs Of Hard Water?
If you are curious as to if you have hard water or not, there are signs to look for around the house. Of course, these areas will be located where you use water such as the bathroom and kitchen. Let’s take a look at some of the main signs you can check for.
Stains And Mineral Deposits
If you take a look around the tub and sinks, you may notice orange stains. These are from the minerals concentrated in the water and can be a sign you have hard water.
Sink faucets and shower heads with white build-up are another sign of hard water. The buildup will not come off with a wipe of a sponge and has deposited itself into the crevices of the faucet. This is another telltale sign of minerals lurking in your water.
Mineral deposits otherwise known as scale or limescale can be found when you have hard water. The scale is powdery and white and leaves a residue on items washed with the water.
Glassware can be spotty and look like it needs to be washed again. It can also buildup inside appliances and cause operational issues. This can get expensive! If you notice any of these signs, it is important to remedy the situation right away.
Higher Electricity Bill
When you have hard water, your appliances will have to use more of it. Hard water requires up to 29% more energy from the water heater.
Your dishwasher will also suffer hard water effects. Dishes will not come out clean because the soap cannot mix well with the water.
Clothing
Along with the increased electricity bill, you may notice your clothes graying and having a dingy color to them.
Towels will not feel soft whether you use fabric softener or not.
Personal
You have to use water, too! Having hard water can leave you with very dry skin, limp hair, and razor burn.
Where Is The Water Hard?
Hard water doesn’t just happen in your kitchen sink. In fact, some of the hardest waters are found in streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, Utah, parts of Colorado, Nevada and California.
Prairie provinces (mainly Saskatchewan and Manitoba) contain high quantities of calcium and magnesium, often as dolomite, which are readily soluble in the groundwater that contains high concentrations of trapped Carbon Dioxide from the last glaciation.
How Do You Test The Hardness Of Water?
Once you have assessed the situation and suspect hard water is the culprit, it’s time to get proactive. Doing at-home water hardness tests can help you see the severity of the issue in order to move forward with a remedy.
Soapy Water Bottle Test
Use a clear empty glass or plastic bottle with a cap. Full it up about a third of the way with the tap water in question. Add a few drops of soap and shake for about 15 seconds. Set it down and take a peek.
If when you set the bottle down you don’t get suds resembling a great bubble bath, you most than likely have hard water. The water will appear cloudy/milky with no bubbles in sight. If the water was soft, you would have those suds immediately.
Water Hardness Test Kit
The best way to test your water is to use an at-home hard water test kit. The kit will come with
Get your hard water test results in seconds!
The reliable and consistent accuracy of these test strips provides a simple and convenient way to measure water hardness.
How To Use A Water Hardness Test Kit
So, you’ve done the DIY test, you have examined the faucets, and you’re fairly certain you’ve got hard water on your hands. Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright. You’ve done the right thing and purchased a water hardness test kit. Here is how to use it!
Water hardness test kits come with strips that have chemically treated pads on them that will measure the hardness of the water. They can also be used to confirm if a water softener is doing the job it was purchased to do.
Using a water hardness test strip is a straightforward process. You collect a water sample and run the strip under it. The strip will change colors, and you will compare it to the chart included in the kit. The color will indicate the concentration of minerals in your water, and if you have hard water, it’s time to investigate a solution.
Hard Water Measurement Scale
After you collect
Degrees Of Water Hardness
- Soft Water – 0-17.1 mg/L of minerals
- Slightly Hard Water – 16.1-60 mg/L of minerals
- Moderately Hard Water – 61-120 mg/L of minerals
- Hard Water – 121-180 mg/L of minerals
- Very Hard Water – more than 180 mg/L of minerals
The water hardness test kit should have a chart similar to the measurements listed above to check your water’s hardness levels.
If you have a water hardness test strip result that is less than one grain per gallon, you have soft water.
Any measurement higher than one grain per gallon is a level of hardness.
How To Treat Hard Water
Finding out you have hard water can be overwhelming especially if you have never dealt with it before. Do not fear, there are solutions! Don’t feel like you have to get used to the scale buildup in the tub or stains.
Typically, a salt-based water softener is used to treat hard water by replacing hard water mineral ions with sodium ions. These softeners release salty wastewater that can unfortunately affect the environment.
Provides complete limescale-free water for a family of 5 and can generate approximately 400 Gallons of filtered soft water every day.
It is engineered for both city and well water. This softener is equipped with an efficient digital meter control so it consumes less salt and water.
There are now salt-free alternative softeners that can control your hard water dilemma. They do not produce wastewater and do not require electricity. These softeners crystalize hard water minerals to reduce the scaling effects that you see on surfaces.
Solves hard water problems without the need for chemicals, salt, or maintenance, while keeping healthy minerals in the water by preventing scale deposits from forming and allowing the existing scale to break down.
Conclusion
Figuring out you have hard water can be totally daunting. The nice thing is that water hardness test kits are easily accessible and affordable. Doing the self-administered test can get you the answers you need. After the test, it will be up to your preferences as to what kind of water softener you want to purchase. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
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