What Is Hard Water & Do You Have It?
What Is Hard Water & Do You Have It?
Hard water is water with a high mineral content, mainly calcium and magnesium. These minerals are picked up naturally as water passes through rocks such as chalk and limestone, and they are the main cause of limescale around the home.
What causes hard water?
Rainwater is naturally soft. When it falls onto areas with porous rock, it can dissolve minerals from chalk and limestone. Those minerals travel with the water supply and create hard water in your home.
The higher the calcium and magnesium content, the harder your water is likely to be.
What problems can hard water cause?
Limescale
White scale deposits can build up on taps, shower screens, kettles, appliances and bathrooms.
Appliance damage
Scale can affect washing machines, dishwashers, kettles, boilers and hot water systems.
Poor lathering
Soap, shampoo and detergents can work less effectively, meaning you may use more product.
Common signs of hard water
- Limescale in your kitchen and bathroom
- Blocked taps and clogged shower heads
- Kettles and appliances scaling up quickly
- Low water flow from scaled fittings
- Extra cleaning around taps, glass and tiles
- Clothes looking dull or feeling less soft
- Soap not lathering well when washing
- Skin or hair feeling dry after showering
Do I have hard water?
Whether you have hard or soft water depends mainly on the geology of your area. More than half of the UK is affected by hard water, especially areas where water passes through chalk or limestone.
Hardness is usually measured in parts per million, also called ppm.
Areas customers often ask us about
What is soft water?
Soft water has low levels of calcium and magnesium. If your area has hard water, the most effective whole-home way to soften it is with a water softener installed on your incoming water supply.
A softener uses ion exchange to remove hardness minerals before the water travels around your home.
How can a water softener help?
- Helps stop new limescale forming
- Protects boilers, pipework and appliances
- Can make bathrooms and kitchens easier to clean
- Helps clothes wash better and feel softer
- Soap and shampoo lather more easily
- Water can feel softer for bathing, showering and washing hair
- Can reduce the amount of cleaning products, soaps and detergents needed
Hard water FAQs
Is hard water safe to drink?
What causes limescale?
How do I test water hardness?
What is the best way to soften water?
Want to know if your home has hard water?
Check your postcode hardness or contact North East Water Softeners for help choosing the right softener.