Water softeners are designed to remove hard minerals, like calcium, from your water supply. Hard water has a number of negative consequences associated with it, including adverse health effects and difficulty cleaning clothes and dishes. However, it can be hard to tell if you have hard water if you don't know what to look for. Thankfully, there are some signs you can keep an eye out for to help determine if you have hard water and need to get a water softener installed.

Dish Wear

One of the most obvious signs that your water contains high amounts of calcium and other minerals is a significant increase in the amount of wear that your dishes experience. If you notice that the colors are being rubbed off, your glasses have become foggy, or any other signs of abrasion, you most likely have hard water. Installing a water softener can help reduce the amount of wear that your dishes experience and maintain their appearance.

Scale Deposits

The easiest sign to spot when it comes to hard water is the accumulation of scale on your taps and water appliances. Scale takes the form of a white, flaky substance that is caked onto the faucets or surfaces within your home. This is a buildup of the calcium and other minerals within your water slowly gathering over time. Scale can increase water pressure, increase the risk of leaks, and generally cause more stress to the appliances that it forms on, and needs to be dissolved or removed by a professional immediately. However, it should be noted that you may still have hard water even if you don't have visible scale anywhere in your home.

Difficulty Washing

The minerals in hard water make it difficult for soaps and shampoos to work. If you notice that you're having trouble washing dishes, or if your shampoo doesn't seem to be working as it should, hard water is most likely the culprit. It should also be noted that showering with hard water can leave your skin feeling dry and itchy afterwards, as well as making your hair dull and flat.

Clothing Wear

In a similar vein to the first point, hard water will be abrasive to clothing in much the same way that it is to dishes. If you notice that the edges of your clothing is becoming frayed suddenly, or if the colors are being worn away after you put them in the wash, you might have hard water within your home.

For more information, contact a professional in your area or visit a website like http://johnsonwater.com/.

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