How to Tell if You Have Hard Water

All water contains minerals, but hard water has higher levels of calcium, magnesium and/or manganese that can take a toll on your home’s plumbing system and appliances. Fortunately, there are various types of water softeners available that can alleviate a hardness problem. If you recognize these telltale hard water signs, get the advice of a licensed plumber about your water softening options:

• Spots on clean dishes — Dishes washed in soft water that doesn’t have a high mineral content are usually sparkling clean and clear. If your glassware and cutlery regularly come out of the dishwasher covered in a foggy-looking film or opaque water spots, you likely have a hard water problem.
• Evidence of limescale — Do chalky white deposits mysteriously appear on your plumbing fixtures and faucets? If so, you’re seeing the residue of the high mineral content in your water supply. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though, because limescale is also building up unseen inside your plumbing pipes and water-using appliances.
• Frequent plumbing problems — As mineral scale accumulates inside your plumbing system, you may notice a drop in water pressure in your home, or have to deal with repeated drain clogs. Both issues are directly related to the hardness of the water supply.
• High water heating costs — If your energy bills are getting higher, hard water deposits inside your water heater tank may be the culprit. When water is heated, the minerals that increase water hardness form into solid particles. As they accumulate on the elements or burner, heating efficiency declines and your energy costs rise.
• Poor performance from soaps and detergents — Does your clean laundry feel stiff, rough and scratchy and are your hair and skin dry and dull-looking? If so, it’s probably due to high levels of hardness minerals in your water that are making shampoos, soaps and detergents less effective.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues — especially HVAC and plumbing issues — so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

Photo Credit: Csaba J. Szabo/FreeImages.com