How to Tell if You Have Hard Water

Is my water hard or soft? How do you know.

Some lucky homeowners have never experienced hard water at home. To a large extent, this is a regional problem. The worst affected areas are located in the upper reaches of the central and western regions. But for those who live in hard water areas, this may be one of the most annoying plumbing problems of all of them. Hard water is tap water with abnormally high mineral content. This is a regional problem because geographical features such as thick limestone layers play a role. When groundwater emerges from these layers, it will absorb traces of minerals on the way to the municipal water supply. When it reaches your tap, the tap water has hardened.

Signs of hard water

Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and even aluminum can give water properties, making it unsuitable for drinking, washing and damaging household pipes.

If you suspect that you may have drunk hard water, please pay attention to these obvious signs:

Spotted dishes: hard water makes it difficult to wash soap and detergent off. Whether you wash dishes by hand or use a dishwasher, your water hardness will play a role in your rinsing cycle. Dishes washed with hard water usually have chalk stripes and spots - traces left by soap.

Soap residue: just as soap sticks to your plate, it will stick to your bathtub, tiles and shower curtain. Soap residue can also accumulate in shower areas where soft water is used, but hard water will make it accumulate faster.

Laundry problems: hard water will even make it difficult to wash the washing powder on the clothes, and will make the bright colors dim too early. Clothes washed with hard water often feel itchy or stiff.

Troublesome shower: it seems that all these flushing problems are not enough. You can't even take a satisfactory shower with hard water. Mineral deposits make foaming difficult and equally difficult to wash away.

Dry skin: due to the soap film left by hard water in the shower, homeowners often have dry skin problems when showering in their homes with hard water problems.

Interesting taste: some minerals in hard water are actually good for health, but there is no benefit in the taste department. Hard water usually tastes or smells metallic, sulphuric, or sour.

Electrical damage: these mineral deposits in tap water will eventually accumulate on almost everything they contact, causing damage that may damage electrical appliances. Equipment at risk of hard water damage includes water heaters, refrigerators, ice makers, dishwashers, and washing machines.