Is There Really a Difference Between Hard Water and Soft Water?

You’ve probably heard the terms “hard water” and “soft water” before, but do you really know what they mean?

Because pipes live underground and behind walls, it’s easy for homeowners to ignore their plumbing so long as water flows from the faucet when they turn it on. But hard water could be damaging your system and you’d never notice it — unless you keep an eye out for these few things.

Hard vs. Soft Water

Hard water is determined by how much calcium and magnesium are present — the more calcium and magnesium in your water, the harder it is. While hard water hasn’t been shown to be dangerous to your health, it can have other negative effects on your skin, hair, and plumbing.

To protect your home from hard water, we suggest installing a whole home water softener. Water softeners act like large filters that remove these minerals from your water.

Determining if You Have Hard Water

While hard and soft water may look identical to the naked eye, there are ways to tell if you have hard water, like:

• Feeling a film on your hands after washing them.
• Spots on your glasses, silverware, and fixtures.
• Mineral stains appearing on your clothes after they come out of the machine.
• Poor water pressure over time.

Do you already have a water filter, but find it doesn’t work as well as it used to? Since 1970, we’ve helped homeowners solve their water softener issues once and for all through licensed and guaranteed products installed by highly-trained service professionals.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing has been assisting homeowners with their plumbing issues for decades, and our expertise is unmatched! To learn more, give us a call at (717) 516-2673 or fill out our form!