Do you have a problem with your home’s water quality? Call Iron Mountain Plumbing today at (435) 422-4667 for custom solutions.
When you hear the term “hard water,” you’ll most likely want to know what determines the hardness or softness of the water and where the water flowing throughout your home falls.
As the leading providers of water softener services in St. George, Utah, we know the impact of hard water in any home. So, how do you know if you have hard water? We’ll cover the top signs to watch for and more in this post.
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water has a high amount of minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. Soft or normal water also contains these minerals but in moderate quantities.
Thus, most water softeners work by reducing the concentration of these minerals in the water. Water hardness is a problem common with homes that depend on groundwater sources, but it can also present in homes that use municipal water sources.
Five Signs You Have Hard Water
How do you know if you have hard water flowing through your pipes? The first thing you should do is to watch for the most common signs. They include the following:
1. Stubborn Soap Scum
Do you find soap scum all over your bathroom walls, even after rinsing? Do you have soap residue all over your hands after washing clothes or doing the dishes? It’s a clear sign that the excess calcium in the water is reacting with other minerals.
With soft water, you’ll get heavy bubbles when you’re washing. And after you rinse, you won’t find any dried-out residues on the surface where you washed or on your hands.
2. Dry Skin and Hair
Your skin is delicate. Therefore, it will most likely show you some signs if you have hard water. One of the first signs is skin dryness, but you should also watch for other signs like psoriasis, eczema, itchiness, and acne flare-ups.
If you always feel itchy after washing or taking a bath, it’s a good idea to check for water hardness.
Similarly, hard water will make washing off the shampoo from your hair very difficult. Over time, this problem will make your hair look dry, limp, and unhealthy.
3. Regular Plumbing Trouble
The high mineral content in your water can cause mineral buildup in your pipes. Over time, you’ll experience plumbing issues like persistent clogs, a reduction in water pressure, and more. Appliances and fixtures that use water may also break down frequently across your home.
For faucets and other fixtures, you’ll find white spots around or inside them.
4. Stained Clothes
Do your clothes have stains or a dull appearance after several washing cycles? It’s a sign that you have excessive minerals in your water.
5. General Trouble With Using Soap
Do you find yourself using a lot more soap than necessary because you can’t seem to work up enough lather? That’s a common sign that you have hard water. The minerals in the water will react with the soap, reducing its efficacy.
So, if your favorite soap is no longer as effective as it once was, you may have to look beyond the soap manufacturers.
How to Confirm You Have Hard Water
How do you know if you have hard water for certain? You can determine the quality of your water by running a few confirmatory tests. Here are some of the things you can do:
Analyze the Local Water Testing Report
If you see any of the signs above, you can request the latest water testing report from your provider. The report will itemize all documented contaminants in your water and the concentration levels for each one.
You can expect to see the levels of mineral content, amount of pesticides, and more. The report will also show hardness and other water properties like turbidity, conductance, and pH levels.
Hire Your Local Plumbing Company for a Test
An experienced plumbing company that provides water hardness tests can come out to your home to complete a test or collect some samples for testing at a local laboratory.
Complete a DIY Water Hardness Test
Many home improvement stores have DIY water test kits that will change color if certain ions are present in the water. You can compare the color results to the accompanying color chart to see the mineral concentration in your water.
What Is the Solution to Water Hardness?
If you confirm the presence of hard water in your home, you can deal with it in two major ways:
Get a Water Softener
A water softener is a type of water softening system that uses the process of ion exchange to remove excess minerals in your water. The setup features a mineral tank that contains a special resin that can remove magnesium and calcium while infusing sodium ions from another compartment known as the brine pack.
With the softener working, you will notice significant improvements in the quality of your water. All those signs of hard water, like stubborn residue, scale buildup, and reduced water pressure, will disappear almost immediately.
Use a Water Conditioner
Unlike a water softener, a water conditioner will not remove the excess minerals. Instead, it will alter their properties to make the water more malleable. It will reduce the probability of mineral buildup and will make your water easier to use for washing and cleaning.
Find the Perfect Water Hardness Solution for Your Home
How do you know if you have hard water without professional guidance? Granted, you can use DIY test kits, but only if you know how to interpret the readings. It’s best to work with an experienced plumbing company for a thorough analysis and to set up the perfect solution for your home.
That’s where we come in.
Our experienced team at Iron Mountain Plumbing has helped many homeowners improve the quality of their water, and we can help you too. Call us at (435) 422-4667 to schedule a consultation and say goodbye to all the effects of hard water.