If you have hard water, you’re not alone. More than 85% of the country has water with a high mineral content including calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium—also known as hard water. While it isn’t harmful to your health, it can cause several problems. Here, learn the signs that you have hard water, as well as why a water softener is an ideal solution.

How to Tell If You Have Hard Water

As mineral scale builds up in a home or business’s plumbing lines, you may notice issues with water pressure. White, chalky scale deposits within faucets and other fixtures restrict flow as well and may begin building up on their exteriors to create unsightly messes.

Hard water also harms water-using appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters. In a water heater, for example, scale builds up on the heating element to cause premature failure and costly replacement.

Water with a high mineral content not only builds up where it shouldn’t, but it also makes cleaning tasks more challenging. It leaves soap scum on sinks, showers, tubs, and fixtures while causing spotty dishware, glassware, and silverware. Hard water also makes it tough to fully rinse personal care products from the body, resulting in dull hair and itchy, dry skin.

How a Water Softener Helps

If you have hard water, consider installing a water softener. The device uses an ion exchange process to remove calcium, iron, and other minerals from the supply before replacing them with low levels of sodium. Water softeners help appliances and plumbing systems operate efficiently and last longer so you save money on energy bills, repairs, and untimely replacements. Plus, since the device eliminates soap scum and scale issues, you’ll spend less time cleaning your home or business.

Installing a water softener also means spending less on clothes and toiletry items as fabrics will look better for longer and you’ll use less product to get clean, respectively. Meanwhile, hair looks shinier and feels softer, while skin retains its natural oils to look and feel better.

Another benefit is that food tastes fresher because it isn’t dried out by minerals. This is especially helpful if you operate a restaurant because dishes stay flavorful. 

If you need a water softener for your home or business in Adams, Clay, Webster, or Nuckolls County in Nebraska, contact K & G Plumbing & Heating. The company has served the region since 1992, providing plumbing and septic system services using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. Call (402) 463-4470 to schedule an installation, or visit the website for service details. Like the Facebook page for residential plumbing tips.