How To Tell if You Have Hard Water

One of the main problems with hard water is that you can’t see, smell or taste the issue when it’s coming out of your tap. Instead, hard water symptoms develop over time — and you might not even realize they’re related.

For this reason and many more, the best way to identify and measure water hardness is to have a professional water test. You’ll learn your water’s hardness level, discover how it impacts you and your home, and get personalized recommendations for the best water softening solutions.

Let’s take a closer look at all the ways you can tell if you have a hard water problem.

What Is Hard Water?

Water hardness is defined as a high concentration of calcium and magnesium. Sometimes called “hardness minerals” or “hard water minerals,” they’re found in both nature and the human body — which is part of why this water problem generally doesn’t impact health. However, this isn’t the case for the health of your home and plumbing system.

Water picks up mineral content as it travels from its original source to your tap. It may encounter different amounts of rock and soil depending on its course, which is part of the reason not all water has the same hardness levels. That’s also why water in nature may have varying hardness levels.

Hardness levels, or the amount of calcium and magnesium in your water, may be measured in parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/L). The most common measurement is in “grains per gallon,” which represents the total hardness level present in a given amount of water.

How To Spot the Signs of Hard Water

A professional test is the best and easiest way to understand your water quality and any potential hardness issues. However, there are plenty of signs to look out for that indicate hard water.

Here are just a few examples:

1. Dry or Irritated Skin

Hard water interferes with your skin’s natural moisture barrier. Over time, daily washing and bathing with hard water can lead to dryness, flaking, redness and irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.

2. Dull, Frizzy or Damaged Hair

Hardness minerals like calcium and magnesium can build up on your hair, causing frizz, breakage and dryness. If you color your hair, you may also notice faster fading. These minerals also can reduce the effectiveness of shampoos and conditioners, making it harder to restore moisture.

3. Brittle or Discolored Nails

Frequent exposure to hard water can affect nail health as well. Nails may become brittle, discolored or slow to grow due to the drying effect of mineral deposits.

4. Soap Scum and Spotty Dishes

Hard water minerals can build up around your home, leaving behind stubborn soap scum on dishes, glasses and silverware. You may notice cloudy spots even after using the dishwasher.

5. White, Flaky Streaks on Fixtures and Shower Doors

Mineral buildup can leave behind visible signs like limescale and chalky streaks on faucets, showerheads, tiles and glass. These deposits are tough to scrub away and tend to reappear quickly without a solution to soften water at the source.

6. Stiff, Faded or Dull Laundry

If your towels feel rough or your clothes look faded even after washing, hard water could be the culprit. Minerals can stiffen fabric fibers and dull colors, making laundry look worn out faster than expected.

7. Reduced Water Pressure

Minerals in hard water can accumulate inside your plumbing system over time. This leads to narrowing pipes, reduced water flow and ultimately lower water pressure throughout your home.

8. Appliance Wear and Efficiency Loss

Your water-using appliances — including dishwashers, washing machines and water heaters — may be working harder than necessary. Mineral scale can reduce efficiency and shorten appliance lifespan by increasing internal buildup.

9. Local Water Quality Concerns

Hard water levels can vary by region, depending on the natural landscape and water source. If you hear neighbors or local officials discussing water quality or hardness issues, it could be a sign that your home is affected too. 

Why Test Your Water for Hardness?

Professional water testing is the best first step for almost any kind of water problem. All you have to do is schedule a time, and your local water expert will come to your home and test your tap water for free — with results in about 30 minutes.

Here are just a few reasons why a professional water test is best to evaluate your water hardness:

Expertise

The most important part of a professional water test is the expert behind the answers. This individual knows how to read test results and interpret them in ways that make sense, especially when it comes to hardness levels. They also have plenty of experience working quickly and effectively to get the answers you need.

Flexibility

A water test works for both city and well water. While hardness can occur in both cases, it tends to be especially common in the latter (though city water is often hard too).

You can also have these tests performed whenever you like — for example, if you suspect you have a growing hard water issue or if you just moved to a new house — and you can even compare results before and after a water treatment solution. This kind of flexibility means that these tests can provide quick answers to address concerns or questions.

Convenience

A free water test is quick and easy in more ways than one. For example, there’s no need to research, purchase and figure out how to use DIY hard water test kits — which may not be as comprehensive. All you have to do is be ready to learn about your water and let your water expert handle the heavy lifting.

Context

Another benefit of having a professional water test is that your local expert can contextualize the results. That means they’ll make connections between home and water problems, helping you understand how each issue could be related or even compounding. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect when your hard water problem is solved.

Recommendations

Once you receive your test results, you and your water expert will be well-equipped to decide the personalized water softening solution that is right for you.

When it comes to water softeners, one size doesn’t fit all. Your water’s hardness is one factor that will help determine which solution is the right fit for you. Other considerations may include:

• Additional water issues you may have, like chlorine or iron
• How much water your home uses
• What other features you may be looking for, such as smart technology capabilities

If you rely on guesswork, you could end up choosing one that can’t keep up with your needs — but if you use the information and recommendations from a professional water test, you’ll know exactly which system is the best fit.

Additional Information

A professional water test doesn’t just tell you about hardness levels. It can also provide important insights about your drinking water quality, including potential contaminants that could be causing unpleasant tastes or odors.* Besides hard water, Culligan’s free in-home water test typically includes chlorine, TDS (total dissolved solids), iron, pH and more. If needed, you can also have a separate laboratory test, which can identify additional issues including PFAS, lead and bacteria.

Hard Water Solutions

Once you understand how hard water works, where to look for signs and how to measure and test its levels, there’s one more step: solutions. These can generally be broken down into two categories:

Long-Term Solutions

The most reliable long-term solution for high hardness levels is a water softener. The water softening process works by attracting, trapping and removing the mineral content from your home’s water. Other types of systems may “treat” the mineral ions, essentially making them less sticky and easier to break up with cleaning supplies — but real soft water can only come from a system that flushes out calcium and magnesium. That’s why systems you may see billed as “salt-free water softeners” are really not softeners but water conditioners.

Browse our water softener systems.

While there are DIY solutions available, water softener selection and installation is best left to the professionals. However, you have plenty of options for short-term solutions until you’ve chosen the right softener for your home.

Short-Term Solutions

When it comes to hard water, most “fixes” are focused on addressing symptoms, not the underlying cause. However, that can be a good thing in the short term — especially if you’re trying to prevent hard water damage while you decide on a softening solution.

To get started, decide which hard water symptoms are causing the most trouble. For many people, cleaning issues are a big concern — which is why there are lots of DIY solutions for scrubbing away limescale and soap spots. Vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are often top choices, especially because you can combine them in different ways depending on what area you’re targeting. Just keep in mind that cleaning hard water stains with more hard water won’t create perfect results because the minerals just keep building up.

Next, you’ll likely want to look for DIY solutions that address your hair, skin and nails. The focus here is generally on moisturizing — which means you might choose special shampoos and lotions designed to help lock in natural moisture while preventing mineral buildup. Remember that hardness can reduce the effectiveness of these products, so set your expectations accordingly.

However, the longer you put up with hard water, the more you’ll end up spending on DIY cleaning products and new routines for your hair and skin. That’s not to mention the extra effort that comes with these temporary fixes. For these reasons and more, it’s smart to prioritize getting a water softener to address these issues once and for all.

What Doesn’t Work

Unlike some other water problems, hard water can’t be boiled away. You also can’t treat it by letting it sit or adding disinfectants.

Filtration also does not tackle hard water. That’s because filtration and softening are two different water treatment processes — so, while they complement each other, they don’t fill the same need. (This is why you’ll still notice hardness symptoms even with a comprehensive filtration system.)

Identify and Treat Water Hardness in Your Home

Ultimately, DIY solutions and short-term fixes only get you so far. To properly identify and treat water hardness, the best approach is to start with a professional water test — and everything else will fall into place from there. Your local water expert will help you interpret your results, choose the right softening solution and know exactly what to expect. They can even recommend additional treatment options for drinking water quality problems like contaminants.

Ready to take the first step? Schedule your free, in-home water test and consultation today.

 

*Contaminants may not be present in your water.