Think You Might Have Hard Water?

Hard water is full of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It can be unhealthy to consume and harm your plumbing. Here are some easy ways to tell if you have hard water. 

• At-Home Soap Sud Test – Add ten drops of liquid dish soap to a clear, closed container/bottle holding your tap water, close the top/cap and shake it. If your water is fairly soft, there should be plenty of suds at the top of the bottle after shaking. If there aren’t, try adding ten more drops and shaking. Do this until you see suds at the top of the bottle. The more drops you have to add, the harder your water is. (Please note that this test isn’t perfectly accurate, as different soaps react differently to different minerals.)

• White Scale – Annoyed at the layer of white grit covering your tap, sink, or dishes? This is probably the most tell-tale sign you have hard water. The grit is composed of minerals. If left behind, over time it can clog your pipes.

• Contact Your Local Water Company – It’s very likely that your local water company, if you use city water, will know what’s in your water. Look them up and find out if they can tell you how hard your water is.

• Professional Testing If you want a more accurate reading, you can purchase a water hardness test. You may even be able to get a free one from a water softener company.

• White Scale Annoyed at the layer of white grit covering your tap, sink, or dishes? The grit is actually composed of minerals, left behind by the water and over time, it can actually clog your pipes.

Luckily, you don’t have to just live with hard water. Call our expert plumbers at Abbey Plumbing and Mechanical now at (905) 822-0521 if you have hard water or damage caused by its residue.