This day and age, no one should have to live with hard water. There are so many innovative and affordable solutions to hard water problems, that having hard water at home is simply unacceptable. Water quality is important, and plays a major role in our health, as well as our comfort and well-being. Not sure about the quality of your water? Just look for the signs.
Continue reading to learn the top 5 signs that suggest you are living with a hard water problem, and what you can do to solve it quickly and within budget.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water contains hard mineral ions, like calcium, iron, and magnesium. Although these are essential minerals for us, we do not want them in excess in the water we use to cook, clean, and consume. Aside from hard minerals, there are several other types of contaminants that contribute to water hardness, and all combined, can alter the way water looks, tastes, feels, and performs.
Hard water is measured in grains per gallon (GPG), but it can also be read in parts per million (PPM) or milligrams per liter (mg/L) of calcium carbonate. The more grains, the harder the water, which means the degree of “hardness” varies on a spectrum. Water can be anywhere between marginally hard to very hard. It depends on where you live, how you obtain your water, regional soil conditions, crops, farming, and more.
Top Five Indications of Hard Water:
❶ Limescale Buildup
The hard mineral ions found in hard water commonly leave behind a distinctive white film called limescale, which forms quickly and in abundance when water contains high mineral content. This white film is immediately evident around faucet spouts, shower heads, clean dishes, and even around plumbing pipes. The film develops and builds overtime, as hard water goes untreated.
❷ Cloudy Water (and Dishes)
Is your water cloudy? Healthy water is clear. So, if you fill a glass with your tap water, and it looks cloudy or otherwise muddles, it is a tell-tale sign of hardness. Speaking of glasses, if your glass cups and plates are cloudy or have white spots all over them, it is another common sign of hard water. As mentioned, this is a layer of film known as limescale.
❸ Greasy Water
Your water should feel crisp and clean. So, if your water feels slimy or greasy, or if your skin feels greasy after cleansing, you are probably dealing with a hard water issue in your home. When hard water buildup accumulations in your plumbing pipes, it causes water to feel slimy because it contains so many additional contaminants, like mold.
❹ Appliance Failure
If you have water-based appliances, like refrigerators with ice makers, dishwashing machines, washing machines, water heaters, and water softeners, hard water can destroy them over time. So, if any of your water-using appliances breaks down or drops in performance sooner than they should, it could be due to hard water. Hard water buildup can clog lines, corrode heating elements, and damage many other internal components within appliances.
❺ Dingy Laundry
Hard water does not allow soap to later properly, nor does it allow water to rinse things well. As a result, a hard water problem tends to always boil over into the laundry room, and present itself in the form of dry, faded, dingy laundry. At times, it can make your laundry feel greasy, as it the soap residues were not properly, rinsed. Other times, it dries out and fades your laundry, making your textiles look old and worn before they should.
Do you suspect that you might have a hard water problem at home? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for professional home plumbing inspections and water quality services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients.
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