Easy Ways to Test for Hard Water in Your Home: Insights from a Pentair Water Softening Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Have you ever seen a strange coating on your dishes, or noticed that your hair feels rough after a shower? That might be because of your water. If you notice these things often, you could have hard water in your home, which has lots of minerals like calcium and magnesium in it. These minerals are safe to drink, but they can have a negative impact on other areas of your home.

Below, this Pentair water softening company in Warrenville, Illinois is going to share three easy ways to test the hardness of your water.

Why should you care about your water hardness?

Hard water can make your dishes look dirty, but it can also cause bigger problems. When the minerals in hard water react with soap, they create soap scum, which can completely cover the surfaces around your shower, bathtub, and sink.

Hard water can also block your pipes and appliances. Over time, the minerals build up and affect water flow. This can make your water heater and other appliances run less efficiently, which could lead to higher bills and expensive repairs later.

Thankfully, it is easy to check if you have hard water. And once you know you have it in your home, you can contact a professional Pentair water softening company in Warrenville, Illinois to install a high-quality system to solve the problem.

The water bottle test

The water bottle method is very easy. All you need is a clear plastic water bottle and some basic, unscented soap.

Fill your bottle about two-thirds full with regular tap water. Then add about ten drops of the soap, screw the cap back on, and shake the bottle. Look at what happens now. If you see lots of bubbles and the water looks clear, you probably have soft water. But if the water looks cloudy and there are only a few bubbles, maybe not.

This test is not precise, but it is a quick and easy way to get an idea of whether your water might be hard.

DIY test strips

If you want something a bit more accurate, you can use DIY test strips. You can find these at most home improvement stores, and they don’t cost much. To use a test strip, you just dip it in your tap water and see what color it changes to. Each color corresponds to a different level of water hardness, so you will know exactly how hard or soft your water is. 

Check your local water report

Every year, Warrenville publishes a water quality report. The latest report says that in 2024, Warrenville tap water contains 0.60-0.80 parts per million of fluoride. For locals, just checking this report can save a lot of time.  

You’ve tested your water and found out it’s hard. What next?

Hard water might not seem like a real problem at first, but over time, its effects can add up. From soap scum and dry skin and hair to clogged pipes and damaged appliances, hard water can make your life at home so much more difficult than it needs to be. But the good news is that a water softener can fix all these issues by removing the extra minerals from your water. 

So, if you have confirmed that you have hard water in your home, you should think about getting a water softener from a professional Pentair water softening company in Warrenville, Illinois.

Looking for a Pentair Water Softening Company in Warrenville, Illinois?

Are you tired of dealing with the problems caused by hard water? If so, and if you’re ready to have a new water softener installed by the best Pentair water softening company in Warrenville, Illinois, you’ve come to the right place — Johnson Water Conditioning is here to help. Contact us today to begin the process.