If your water has more than 60 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter of water it is considered to be moderately hard. When water contains 121 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter up to 180 mg/l, it’s considered hard. Water with more than 181 mg/l is considered very hard.
While you may not know how to measure for calcium carbonate without professional help, these four signs can help you determine if you should consider installing a water softening system.
Watch for Stains on Faucets and in Basins
One of the most obvious signs of hard water is the presence of hard water stains on your faucets, sink and tub basins, and on drain fixtures. If you have hard water, faucets and drain fixtures will develop a scaly lime green coating, while sink and tub basins will develop a cream or white color that resembles dried milk. These stains are the result of chemical compounds in the water that are affecting its quality.
While chemical compounds are usually diluted in the water and are therefore safe, they build up over time to cause these stains. A mixture of one cup bleach to half a cup of dishwasher detergent is enough to remove stains, but they will reappear if the hard water problem isn’t resolved.
Higher Water and Heating Bills
As soon as you notice scale buildup around your faucets, you should call a plumber. If you have hard water and allow scaling to continue accumulating on your faucet heads, this usually means similar buildup is occurring inside your plumbing system’s pipes. As a result, water flow is reduced, forcing your water heater, furnace, and appliances to work harder.
You’ll be using more energy to perform the same household functions, resulting in higher utility bills. While most people attribute higher utilities to a problem with their HVAC system, it may also be caused by the chemical deposits that hard water leaves behind.
Poor Laundry Results
There are a number of signs to look for in regards to your laundry. If you have hard water, you’ll notice that the color of your clothes will fade faster or take on a grayish discoloration. Additionally, your clothes will become rough and may cause itching.
If you or a family member has sensitive skin, hard water may make it worse. A breakout of acne or eczema may be the result of hard water affecting the quality of your clothes and bedding. You can often verify the problem is hard water by smelling freshly washed clothes to discover if it has a sour odor. If so, you may need to have a water softening system installed.
Watch for Damage
Over time, washing clothes and linen in hard water will result in greater wear, causing rips, tears, or a thinning of the material. Similarly, washing your dishes in hard water will affect them, especially when it comes to washing glassware. Eventually, the chemicals in hard water will affect the quality of the glass, making glassware more prone to cracking and breaking. It has a similar effect on your plumbing.
If you find that you frequently need to call a plumber, the problem may have something to do with the quality of your water. You can save money by avoiding emergency repairs with an annual monthly maintenance plan for plumbing services in Bullhead City, Lake Havasu & Golden Valley.
If you suspect your home suffers from hard water, you can buy a testing kit at your local hardware store. Alternatively, you can request testing from a professional contractor who has more refined tools for testing the calcium carbonate content in the water. This is the first step you can take in deciding if you need to add a water softening system to improve the quality of water delivered to your home’s faucets.
