For a written exam, a teacher asked her class to “briefly explain hard water.” One conscientious student submitted this answer:
“Ice.”
Few substances are as soft as water. Nothing can erode a rock like water’s continuous flow or drip! Here are some obvious signs your home or commercial property has hard water; its mineral-infused strength may be causing damage to appliances and fixtures. You may be a Texan with hard water if:
- It tastes or smells bad. You use terms like, “rotten eggs,” or “rusty” to explain your water.
- Your dishwasher-washed dishes have spotty/chalky streaks
- Your laundry doesn’t look or feel “clean.” – Hard water requires more soap to do the same amount of work.
- Your skin has a whitish soap residue after you shower. Hard water is brutal on hair, making it dull or stiff-looking. You’ll need a chelating shampoo to reduce residue or a showerhead filter/water softener.
Hard Water Home Test
You can invest in a home water testing kit ($10-$150) to learn about the mineral levels – and most importantly, the contaminants – in your water. Your local North Houston plumbing company can test your water as part of their annual plumbing inspections. You can also do this home test, which may be quicker than your hold time with the water company:
- Fill a clear bottle with 12 ounces of tap water.
- Add ten drops of liquid hand soap.
- Shake the bottle vigorously.
If there are plenty of suds on the top of the water, it’s soft. If not, it’s hard. Would you like to learn more? Add ten more drops and shake. No suds? Keep adding hand soap in increments of 10 to discover the hardness of your water:
- 20 drops = slightly hard
- 30 drops = moderately hard
- 40 drops = hard
- 50+ drops = very hard
North Houston Plumbing Solutions
Bradbury Brothers Services is a Best of The Woodlands Online winner! To learn why your neighbors in Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Spring, Tomball, and Willis recommend our plumbing services, call 281.661.4283 or 936.756.5472.
