Plagued with hard water problems in Connecticut?
What is Water Hardness?
Water hardness is the leading water quality problem in the U.S. as reported by consumers.
This type of water forms when there are too many minerals in the water. Despite these problems,
having hard water is not bad for your health, so feel free to drink it, cook with it and use
in any other common water related uses. 85% of the United States contains hard water, so it
would be known by now if hard water was a real health risk.
Despite hard water not having any affect on a person's health, it can still cause problems for consumers' homes. It can aggravate the deterioration of household plumbing and appliances, deposit a white "crust" of minerals on everything in which the water is used as well as lower the efficiency of water heaters. Due to this, one out of five Americans surveyed in the 1997 National Water Quality Survey said they were not satisfied with the quality of their household water supply.
Hard Water Common Causes
Water becomes "hard" due to a number of reasons, but the main reason is that when water falls on the earth's surface, it gets absorbed into the ground. As it goes through the ground, it is absorbing minerals from the Earth's soil, and since 22% of the Earth's fresh water is groundwater, naturally we can have a lot of hard water. Among the top contributors to hard water are calcium and magnesium. Water hardness is measured with "grains per gallon" of water (gpg) or "milligrams per liter" (mg/l). These are the most commonly used units of measurement in water testing laboratories while conducting a chemical analysis of the water.
You can evaluate the hardness of your water supply by referring to the following chart. If you know the hardness of your water, you can check it according to the chart below:
| Grains Per Gallon (gpg) | Milligrams Per Liter (mg/l) or Parts Per Million |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Less then 1.0 | Less than 17.1 | Soft |
| 1.0 - 3.5 | 17.1 - 60 | Slightly Hard |
| 3.5 - 7.0 | 60 - 120 | Moderately Hard |
| 7.0 - 10.5 | 120 - 180 | Hard |
| Over 10.5 | Over 180 | Very Hard |
How to Identify Hard Water
The best way to find out if you have hard water is to get it tested professionally. The following signs may help you determine if you have hard water in your home:
- Pipes becoming clogged constantly and water flow is decreased.
- A high degree of scale (white/chalky mineral deposits) builds on your plumbing fixtures, coffee pot, pots and pans and dishes as well as other kitchen utensils.
- You have higher than normal hot water heating costs and shorter lifespan of hot water heating elements.
- Your laundry is not getting entirely clean and looks dingy due to noticeable decrease in cleaning power of detergent and soap.
- There is increased soap scum residue in your bathtub and on bathroom tiles.
- A film is left on your skin after taking a shower or bath.