Hard water is a common condition across Maryland and the rest of the United States. Hard water can cause some health problems and may also reduce the lifespan of your appliances, clothing, and more. As such, you’ll ultimately save money and protect your health by using a water softener.

Hard water is caused by an excess of minerals in your water. Magnesium and calcium are the most likely culprits. Mineral buildups, meanwhile, can cause a whole host of problems.

So how do you know if your water is hard? Let’s look at six signs that indicate you have hard water.

Soap Won’t Sud

The excess of minerals in your water will prevent soap from sudsing. This, in turn, will reduce the soap’s effectiveness. You may find yourself struggling to wash dishes, with spots frequently left behind after washing. Likewise, clothing may be coming out of the washing machine still dirty.

You can actually use the reduced sudsing to test if you have hard water. Put some of your tap water into an empty water bottle and then add a drop of soap. Seal the bottle and give it a few shakes. If it’s not sudsing like it’s supposed to, you may have hard water.

Short Appliance Life

Does your coffee maker seem to break down well before its life should be up? Have you had to replace a washing machine or dishwasher sooner than expected? If so, hard water might be the culprit. The excessive minerals can build up in machines and cause them to break down.

In fact, hard water frequently destroys water heaters, causing you to pay for expensive repairs. Calcium, magnesium, and other minerals often build up on the heating element itself. As a result, you might hear a popcorn popping sound.

Scummy Bathtubs and Curtains

Scum will build up on bathtubs and curtains over time. When your water is hard, however, it’ll build up very quickly. As soap mixes with the minerals in your water, it will form a white, soapy residue. This residue, in turn, will stick to your curtains, shower doors, and bathtub.

You can always scrub the scum off. However, if you have hard water, your curtains and tub will quickly be overwhelmed with scum once again. If you want your shower to stay cleaner longer, you’ll need to soften your water.

Itchy Skin

Hard water can also cause other shower-related problems, including itchy skin. The minerals in the water will irritate your skin, often leaving it dried out. The soapy residue created when soap and the minerals combine could irritate your skin even more.

Further, that soapy residue will also stick to your clothing after you run it through a wash. From there, it will rub off on your skin, causing further irritation. The best short-term solution would be to wash it off, but if you take a shower with hard water, you’ll be exposed to more residue.

Brittle, Frizzy Hair

Besides irritating skin, hard water can cause your hair to become thin and brittle. In a worse case scenario, your hair will be weakened and could fall out prematurely. This could thin your hair. If you’re finding  clumps of hair follicles around your drains and your hair is losing its vitality, it might be due to hard water.

Mineral Deposits Around Your Sinks and Faucets

Hard water will produce a mineral deposit, known as scale, around your sinks, faucets, and shower. It might start as a light, white coating around the edges of your tub or sink but can quickly build up into a thick layer.

What Should You Do About Hard Water?

Noticing some of the above signs of hard water around your home? A water softener will reduce the excessive minerals found in your water. This way, you’ll protect your hair, skin, and body as a whole. If you don’t soften your water, you’re leaving your body exposed!

So use a water softener to remove the calcium, magnesium, and other minerals from your water supply. This will protect your appliances, piping, shower, health, and more. If you have city water, the Hague WaterMax® BEQ system will do just the trick.