Water Softener: Signs You Should Get One for Your Home

You’re not alone if you don’t know if you need a water softener. Many homeowners wonder if their water is problematic. If you feel a residue after taking a shower, or the water out of your tap isn’t quite as clear as it could be, you probably have hard water. Let’s look if you need a water softener: signs you should get one for your home.

What is Hard Water?

When you hear the word “hard,” you probably think of hardness as found in the Mohs Scale of Hardness, but that would be incorrect. Hard water is really just the amount of minerals and metals found in your water. The two most common minerals are calcium and the most common metal is magnesium. These minerals and metals are suspended in the water you drink, bathe in, and in which you wash your clothes. Here are some signs you have hard water.

Water Testing

The easiest way to determine if you have hard water and need a water softener is to have your water tested by a qualified water specialist. The testing could be done at your home by the water specialist, but in most cases, you will be given a small cup to fill and return to the water specialist. The tests are quick and accurate, so it won’t take long to get the results.

Scale

Have you noticed a buildup of a substance on your showerhead? It’s known as scale and is a telltale sign of hard water. Also known as limescale, the scale can be found on glassware in the form of a film that clouds the glass. Scale can turn up on your plates, coffee mugs, silverware, and anything else that you clean with water. You can also feel the scale when you get a shower; just like your glasses, you will feel a film on you when you are done.

Water Stains

All those dissolved minerals and metals suspended in your water have to wind up somewhere; most of the time, it becomes an ugly, hard-to-remove stain. You’ve probably used to really scrubbing hard to get water stains out of your kitchen sink, bathtub, or bathroom sink. It also leaves unsightly brown stains on your clothes, especially whites. Adding a water softener will mean you don’t have to scrub away water stains on your fixtures or clothing.

Dry Hair and Skin

Scale can not only leave you feeling like you haven’t had a shower, but it can also give you dry skin and hair. The scale in your water means uncooperative hair when you get out of the shower, and the scale can also dry out your skin. The dead skin caused by scale can clog your pores, causing you to break out or develop blackheads. Getting a water softener will give you softer skin and cleaner hair.

Water Heater Damage

If enough scale builds up in your water heater, it can damage or ruin it. Why? Because heating water speeds up the chemical reaction that produces scale. The scale will eventually envelop heating elements and clog feed lines. You will be saving the cost of another water heater when you install a water softener.

Atlantic Coast Water Clinic Can Help You with Hard Water

If any of the scenarios we discussed above are familiar, then there is a good chance you and your family are dealing with hard water. Call us today about your hard water. One of our water experts will be happy to discuss performing a free water analysis and quote. Don’t put up with a film on your drinkware or your skin; get in touch today.