You’ve likely heard of “hard water” – but what exactly is hard water? What causes it? And is it something to be scared of?
Today we’ll break down everything you need to know about hard water.
What is Hard Water?
“Water hardness” refers to the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in water. The more of these minerals that are present, the harder the water. Hard water has a high concentration of these materials and is likely noticeable – it may show as white spots on faucets or cloudy film on dishes.
Hard water is extremely common in groundwater and well water systems.
Is Hard Water Bad?
Let’s address the elephant in the room: hard water is not dangerous to drink. Having some calcium or magnesium in your water is generally a good thing – drinking water with these minerals helps your overall intake which improves your health. However, if there’s too much of these materials in your water, it can start to pose some external problems. While it’s completely safe to ingest, you may notice less-than-desirable effects:
- Unsightly spots or buildup on surfaces that regularly come into contact with water (such as faucets, drains, tubs or glass doors)
- Cloudy film left on dishes (both hand-washed and dishwasher)
- A strange/undesirable taste to tap water
- Negative impacts to hair (stripping moisture and increasing dandruff)
- Skin irritation (itchy, red skin or under-moisturized skin)
- Faded laundry
How to Get Rid of Hard Water
Luckily, reducing your water’s hardness is fairly easy. Installing a water softener will get rid of hard water. Water softeners remove calcium and magnesium and replace them with softer minerals such as sodium and potassium. These softer minerals do not build up and are much easier on appliances, laundry, skin & hair. Having a water softener installed is the only way to remove hard water from your home or business.
We service & maintain all makes and models of water softeners. Reach out to us to find the right water softener for your home.
NHR plumbing is a family owned and operated residential and commercial plumbing contractor based in Ramsey, MN. We provide 24/7 emergency plumbing services, main line cleaning, as well as planned instillation including: water heaters, water softeners, water conditioners and plumbing fixtures.