The “harder” water is, the higher its mineral content and alkalinity. When water penetrates deposits of magnesium and calcium that contain dolomite, chalk and limestone, it develops a hardness greater than 100 mg/L due to increased levels of magnesium, iron and calcium carbonate. Although even the hardest water isn’t bad for your health, it may damage equipment such as boilers, and water heaters because of the lime scale formation.
Your Water is VERY Hard if…
1. Your clothes look dingy no matter how much detergent you use. Hard water minerals readily combine with dirt in clothes to form insoluble salts, a type of chemically created soil that remains embedded in fibers. Clothes laundered day after day in very hard water also suffer gradual damage that can shorten the life of a pair of jeans or t-shirt by as much as 45 percent. Significantly hard water is definitely hard on your clothes.
2. You just squirted some lime remover on your shower head and sink faucets yesterday and already they are covered with that all too familiar white lime scale. Imagine how quickly scale accumulates inside plumbing fixtures where lime remover doesn’t reach. This scale build-up rapidly leads to restricted water flow, reduced efficiency of hot water heaters and loss of water pressure in well water systems.
3. Very hard water prevents detergents and other soaps from dissolving in water. When you step out of the shower, you may think you have rinsed off completely but in reality, you skin is still covered by an invisible soap residue. Consequently, you may suffer from dry skin, itching, flaking and exacerbation of chronic skin conditions (eczema or dermatitis, for example). In addition, hard water doesn’t lather well so most people who don’t realize they are bathing in extremely hard water just use more of the soap product–which leads to more soap residue being left on their skin.
4. No matter what kind of dishwashing detergent you use, your glasses and dishes always come out spotted, foggy or filmy. This is because hard water minerals are released from water molecules immediately after coming in contact with hot water. The harder the water, the less it looks like your dishes have been washed.
Hard Water is Hard on Well Water Systems
Greco & Haines strongly recommends that Connecticut residents relying on well water have regular check – ups of their well water systems to avoid problems caused by hard water. In addition, Greco & Haines offers a free well water analysis to determine the mineral content level of your well water. Greco & Haines also specialize in functionality tests and yield testing of well systems to ensure their Connecticut customers are receiving the full benefits of optimally operating well equipment and fresh, clean well water.