Hard water contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that can cause things like skin irritation, particularly for people with eczema.
Fortunately, you can install a water softener in your home to reduce these mineral levels and enjoy softer, more balanced water.
Do you need a water softener? Most of us won’t detect hard water issues right away, but there are signs that you’ll begin to notice over time.
Read on to learn the five methods you can try to find out if you could enjoy the benefits of a water softener.
1. Check In With Your Hair and Skin
When you’re routinely washing your hair, hands, and body in hard water, it will start to have an effect. The minerals in hard water can leave your skin and hair dry and brittle. It can also block your pores, causing more frequent outbreaks than normal.
2. Look For Staining
Take a look at your sinks, toilets, and showers for signs of staining. The minerals (and metals) in hard water will often cause staining on both porcelain and stainless steel and leave scaly, white buildup around your faucets. You can use bleach to remove the stains, but until you learn how to soften water, those stains will come back.
3. Investigate Your Shower Head
Limescale buildups are also a common effect of hard water. You may notice limescale on your dishes and coffee pot but one place that will almost surely show limescale buildup is your shower head. In particularly bad cases, this limescale buildup may also make its way into appliances such as dishwashers, laundry machines, and more.
4. Compare Utility Bills
If limescale buildup has reached your pipes, your plumbing and electricity have to work harder to push water through the pipes. As a result, your utility bills can start to creep up. If you think you’re paying more for your services, compare your bills from the last several months.
(Worried that a water softener will impact your bills? Take a look at this high efficiency water softener.)
5. Assess Your Laundry
Hard water can weaken the cleaning ability of soaps and detergents. It can also leave a thin residue on your clothes and linens after several washes. If your laundry is starting to look faded or even grey in color or fabrics are starting to feel rough and worn, you may have a hard water problem.
Do You Need a Water Softener? These Methods Will Help You Find Out
Many homeowners are living with hard water without realizing it. By using these methods, you can find out: do you need a water softener? If the answer is yes, invest in one and start enjoying the benefits of soft water right away.
Making home improvements is a great way to keep your family happy, healthy, and thriving. If you’re looking for more ways to boost your family life, take a look around. We have plenty of helpful tips, guides, and information that will make your family smile.
