Although hard water is not a health hazard, it can have an adverse impact on your hair and skin. It can also make it difficult to clean clothes or dishes, and over time, hard water can wreak havoc on pipes and water heaters. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to test for hard water so that you can protect yourself and your home from its effects.
The Soap Test
The soap test is an easy, effective, and fast method of determining if your home has hard water. All you need to do is pour some tap water into a bottle, add some liquid soap, and wait a few seconds to see how foamy the water gets. Generally speaking, the more foam that you see, the softer your water is. This is because soap typically has an easier time lathering in soft water compared to liquid contaminated with magnesium and calcium.
The Strip Test
Another method of testing for hard water is to buy a testing kit for a few dollars online. You may also be able to get a testing kit directly from your local water authority. All you need to do is place the strip into a small amount of tap water, wait for the strip to change color, and then compare it to the key on the box.
Other Steps That You Can Take
You can get in touch with your local water utility to get a detailed water quality report. Although these reports can be technical, they offer a wealth of information that you can use to confirm the results of other tests that you have done. Furthermore, these reports can give you a more objective idea of how hard your home’s water is.
Generally speaking, results above 121 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter of water are considered the threshold for hard water. Anything higher than 180 milligrams per liter is considered to be extremely hard water.
You can also get in touch with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing to conduct a water analysis if you don’t feel comfortable gathering or analyzing your own data. The team there may also be able to take steps to resolve issues with hard water, such as adding a water filtration system.
If you suspect that your home has hard water, the time to act is now. Fortunately, it only takes a few minutes and a couple of dollars to get the answers that you need. Remember, the team at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is here to help make your home a safer and more comfortable place to live.