Hard water problems can be found in nearly 85% of homes in North America. Hard water problems can look different to each individual household. It can take many forms, like spots on dishes, glassware, and utensils, higher electric and gas bills, due to mineral build-up on water heater heating coils, or dry, flaky skin from leftover mineral and soap residue. These are only a few of the hard water issues that could be happening in your home. Even worse, hard water over time can lead to shortened life spans for water-using appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers, due to mineral build-up on internal mechanisms.

How Does Hard Water Happen and How to Measure It

Simply put, water hardness is the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water. While the human eye can’t visibly see the calcium and magnesium molecules swimming around in your water, you can feel its real effects all around you. For instance, if you wash your hands at home and feel like there is leftover residue on your hands, that can be the cause of hard water. Same with taking dishes out of your dishwasher only to find water spots covering your dishes. 

When it comes to measuring water hardness, there are different levels of hardness. Water hardness or softness is measured using grains per gallon (gpg), where one grain is equal to 0.002 ounces of calcium carbonate dissolved in 1 gallon of water. According to the Department of Energy:

• 0–3 gpg is considered soft water.
• 3.5–7 gpg is considered moderate.
• >7.5 gpg is regarded as hard water and should be treated with a water softener.

While you can purchase water hardness meters at hardware stores and online, you may not always know what to do with the results. Culligan Water offers a free in-home water consultation that not only measures the hardness of your water but its levels of chlorine, nitrates, iron, TDS, and pH level. In addition to being presented with the results, you’ll receive an expert analysis of your water symptoms, fixtures, and appliances.

Now the real question is, how does hard water happen? The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your water is largely due to groundwater that flows over or through limestone. Just as waves carve into mountains and beaches on the surface, water carves into the limestone underground, picking up calcium and magnesium along the way. Unfortunately, there is no real way to stop hard water from happening in your groundwater. However, that is where a whole home water softener comes in handy for your household. 

The Benefits of a Water Softener in Your Home

A water softener is a great solution for households that suffer from hard water problems. Water softeners do just as they say, soften your water. Water softener systems utilize a process called “ion exchange” to remove dissolved hard water minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. These minerals flow through most filters, so a molecular reaction is required. Culligan water softeners use resin beads that capture the minerals and exchange them with a trace amount of sodium, resulting in softened water flowing throughout the household. Water softeners have also come a long way since first being introduced in the 1800s. Culligan Water offers a saltless water conditioning system that requires little maintenance and doesn’t require electricity, wastewater, or salt/chemicals.

A whole home system is an optimal choice for households looking to outfit all of their home’s faucets with soft water. The HANS Premium Water Appliance is a reverse osmosis system that cleans and naturally softens water at the source, letting you enjoy top-quality water from every place in your home. The HANS system boasts a 99.99% reduction of bacteria and a 99.99% reduction in viruses. 

Solve Hard Water Problems with the Help of Culligan Water of Greater Kansas City

Solving hard water problems in your home doesn’t have to be a task you take on yourself. Culligan Water of Greater Kansas City can help you find the right solution for your household’s hard water issues. As mentioned above, the best place to start is with a free in-home water consultation to find out what’s in your water. With every in-home water consultation, one of Culligan’s water professionals will conduct the test, walk through the results with you, and offer feasible customized solutions to best meet your needs and your budget. 

If you’re interested in learning more about your water or the solutions for hard water problems that plague your household, contact Culligan Water today! A whole home water system could be the right answer for your hard water woes.