What is hard water and how can you reduce it in your home?
Hard water is safe to drink, but it contains mineral buildup that can eventually reduce water pressure and flow as it clogs pipes and showerheads. Personal hygiene becomes more difficult as the minerals often leave a film on the skin and scalp during washing, which can also create itchiness and dryness.
According to Homewater 101, 85% of American homes have hard water, which can decrease appliance lifespan up to 50%. Therefore, letting the problem go can create more expensive issues down the line, like constant appliance repair.
Luckily, there are solutions to create beneficial soft water that is better for skin, hair, laundry, and faucets. After testing for hardness levels with testing strips or kits, homeowners can use DIY options such as vinegar and professional water softener installation to fix the problem.
What Is Hard Water?
If your hands, hair, or dishes never feel quite clean but slimy after thoroughly washing them in hot water, it’s because you probably have hard water. Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved minerals it has, such as magnesium and calcium. Groundwater may pick up these naturally occurring minerals as it passes through rocks and soil.
When there’s 61 to 120 mg/L of calcium carbonate, the water has a moderately hard classification, while 180 mg/L is very hard.
What Are the Effects of Hard Water?
Hard water affects many aspects of your household. It can decrease the power of appliances you use daily, like water heaters, while adding time to your personal hygiene.
Household
Any household dealing with hard water may notice that it’s increasingly more difficult to shower or wash hands. That’s because the mineral buildup usually creates scale deposits along faucets, showerheads, and in pipes.
Such a buildup can wreak havoc on appliances by reducing their efficiency. Premature failure of large appliances like washing machines, water heaters, and dishwashers is common.
Body
As that scale continues to build up, it obstructs water flow and eventually reduces water pressure. Since the minerals reduce the effectiveness of soaps and shampoos, it takes longer for them to lather to clean one’s body and hair. Therefore, that once quick five-minute shower may now take 15 or 20 minutes, but the person may still not feel quite clean due to the residue left on the skin.
As a result, people may notice the skin becoming more itchy, irritated, or chapped due to minerals stripping away the skin’s natural oils. Once beautiful hair may become dull, stiff, and limp, and break off. Those with skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne may also get more flare-ups due to mineral residue and soap scum clogging the pores.
How to Test Water Hardness?
While you may have obvious signs of hard water like visible lime scale buildup, it’s always a good idea to know how to test water hardness yourself. There are test strips that you can put into a water sample for a few seconds. Liquid Titration Kits involve applying a liquid reagent to water until the color changes.
A simple DIY method called the soap bottle test involves filling a clear bottle 1/3 full with water, adding pure liquid soap, and shaking it vigorously. If it’s soft water, it should produce a lot of suds with clear water underneath, but hard water usually produces little to no suds, and the water will appear milky or cloudy.
How Can I Find Hard Water Solutions?
Some simple, natural, and DIY solutions include using white vinegar to dissolve mineral deposits on fixtures. You can also add a cup of vinegar to your dishwasher cycle. Baking soda may also help soften laundry.
However, a better solution is to call your local plumbing company in Ontario, Tiger Plumbing, for professionals with permanent water softening methods. After assessing your home, they can install the ideal water softening system based on your preference and needs. Homeowners can also rent a water softener if they’re unsure about purchasing.
Professional water softening solutions may include:
- Reverse Osmosis Systems
- Salt-free Water Conditioners
- Salt-based Water Softeners
- Magnetic/Electronic Descalers
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does a Hard Water Test Cost?
For a DIY hard water test kit, the typical price is around $24. However, the range can go from $9 to $259. Home goods stores such as Lowe’s have several options to choose from, so ensure the kit you choose has the features you need for proper testing.
Is It Healthier to Drink Hard or Soft Water?
Both types of water have benefits and cons. A good reason to drink hard water is due to the high concentration of calcium and magnesium. Such minerals are essential to supporting bone health and your body’s metabolic functions. They may also help your cardiovascular health, and for some people, this type of water can taste very good.
Soft water doesn’t have the extra minerals that hard water has, but it is much easier on the body’s exterior.
Which States Ban Water Softeners?
Yes, water softeners are banned in several municipalities in a few states. The states include Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. The reason for such a ban is environmental concerns related to brine discharge.
Brine discharge can increase the salinity in local waterways, potentially disrupting the balance of freshwater aquatic ecosystems.
Who Has the Softest Water in the US?
States that have the softest water classification include Oregon, Washington, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Delaware.
Get Hard on Hard Water in the Home
Living with hard water can have a harsh effect on your body, hair, skin, appliances, and eventually your home budget. That’s because hard water can eventually reduce how well your appliances work, and you may find yourself having to prematurely replace your washing machine before you’re ready.
Plus, daily hygiene is essential for appearance and overall health, but that can take longer and won’t be as effective due to minerals not permitting good lathering and not allowing the skin to feel quite clean from residue left behind. Luckily, with professional help, you can get the water softening treatment you need.
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