Hardness in Water
What is Hard Water?
You probably have hard water if you have these classic symptoms of hard water:
- Ring around your bathtub
- Dull or hard to manage hair
- Need to use excessive body lotions or creams
- Razor blades dull easily
- White clothes are graying
- Glasses and dishes are spotted
- Dry, red, rough irritated skin
- Need for fabric softener and bleach
- Scale at mouth of faucets
- Shortage of hot water
- Shortened water appliance life
- Plugging shower head jets
- Shriveling of pod vegetables
- Fraying of clothes in washer
- Scale build-up in pipes
You can also have your water tested for hardness. It is recommended that anything moderately hard or more is softened or conditioned.
| How is the Hardness of Water Measured? | ||
| Degree | *Grains /gal | Mgl or ppm |
| Soft | <1.0 | <17.0 |
| Slightly Hard | 1.0 – 3.5 | 17.1 – 3.5 |
| Moderately Hard | 3.5 – 7.0 | 60 – 120 |
| Hard | 7.0 – 10.5 | 120-180 |
| Very Hard | 10.5 plus | 180 plus |
*Grains of hardness in gallon of water.
* milligrams per liter or parts per million