Do I have hard water? 3 ways to find out if hard water is a problem for your home.

If you have noticed issues with limescale, the performance of your washing machine and the dishwasher, your increased water bills, performance of your boilers, or the cleanliness of your laundry, a hard water issue may be at the back of your mind. Don't leave hard water unaddressed. The mineral deposits that make your household water supply hard, will build up over time to cause plaques and scale that will cause costly damage to key household appliances, like your boiler or washing machine, which you will have to repair and deal with.

These 3 key tests and signs can help you determine if it is likely that you have hard water.

1. Look for tell-tale residues on your sinks and taps, glassware and laundry:  The calcium and magnesium salts that make water hard leave characteristic scale and build up on surfaces and materials that have been in contact with the water. Look for white scale build up around taps and showers, or dullness to clothing that has been washed in your household water. Glassware may have frank hard water spots or etching.

2. Soap suds test: Take an empty clear 500 ml bottle and fill with your household water. Add a few drops of liquid soap and shake, looking for suds. If no suds, add more soap and shake. The more soap required for the formation of suds, the harder your tap water is likely to be.

3. Test your water with hard water test strips, or invite a professional expert to do a quick test and to give you an advice on what water softener will be best to buy for you, according to your individual needs and budget. You can get a better estimation of your hard water issues by obtaining testing strips online or from a water company. Dip a test strip into your household water for a few seconds and compare with the reading panel supplied to check your results.

In addition, your local water company should be able to tell you if you are in a hard water area and provide more precise information about the level of hardness. If hard water is affecting your property you may want to consider implementing a water softening treatment strategy to mitigate the effects of hard water which can be costly.

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