Hard water can reduce energy efficiency, drive up your bills, and damage your home
Hard water contains dissolved minerals that can leave behind residue.
Buildup from these minerals can damage your plumbing and appliances.
Water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers are at risk of hard water damage.
You can prevent hard water damage by installing a whole-home water softener.
If you’re pulling cloudy dishes out of your dishwasher, finding white residue on dark, clean laundry, or noticing a slimy feeling on your skin after washing your hands, mineral buildup in your water could be impacting your appliances. Household appliances can be expensive to replace, and hard water can cause them to degrade more quickly.
Understanding the facts about hard water can help save you money and prevent damage to your belongings. In this guide, we’ll lay out a list of appliances commonly impacted by hard water, how to identify hard water damage, and what to do about it.
Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved calcium or magnesium in your water. Hardness is a spectrum, with a higher mineral content per gallon indicating harder water.
The calcium in hard water reacts with most soaps to form soap scum. This reaction is what causes glassware to become cloudy or spotty in the dishwasher. It’s not dangerous for your health, but it is an unsightly sign of potential problems for the future of your appliances.
Hard water is a relatively common occurrence in the United States. Households in many parts of the country are impacted by hard water to varying degrees, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves trace amounts of natural minerals and carries them into groundwater systems.
As hard water moves through plumbing, it can result in a buildup that clogs pipes and lowers water pressure.
Any appliance in your home that uses water can be negatively affected by hard water. Appliance manufacturers will void your home warranty in many cases if you use hard water.
One of the most expensive examples of hard water damage occurs in water heaters. Whether you have a gas or electric hot water heater, hard water can reduce its efficiency for a negative environmental impact that wastes water, electricity, and money.
When hard water is heated, the calcium and magnesium content forms a rock-like buildup called hard water scale near the bottom of the tank or the heating element’s location. The heating element must then heat through the buildup before it can heat your water, using more energy and eventually leading to appliance failure.
Hard water can be rough on clothes, causing them to fade in color and wear out faster. You may notice a chalky white substance left behind after washing that makes fabrics feel stiff and rough.
As hard water minerals build up on your machine’s pump, filter screens, and other moving parts, it will need to work harder to get your clothes clean, shortening its lifespan by up to three years.
Washing machine repair costs $50 to $450, and replacement is even more expensive than that. However, a broken machine or plumbing problem can lead to even more costly water damage.
Hard water can stain utensils and permanently etch glassware in your dishwasher. Some detergents promise to combat this hard water scaling, but they tend to be more expensive and won’t prevent the need for early replacement of your dishwasher in the long term.
Ice machines and coffee makers also require water flow to operate. Mineral buildup can cause both of these common kitchen tools to depreciate.
What is hard water going to do to your home before you take action? The first step to stopping hard water is confirming that it's actually the problem. There are several options for detecting hard water that range from purely amateur to highly technical. The first step is just to look for obvious visual cues. You probably have hard water if you're noticing the following:
Spots or film on dishes after washing
Crust around faucets and drains
Lack of lathering in your soap
Dirty, scummy tubs and showers that are impossible to clean
Dry, frizzy hair with no other explanation
Dry, flaky skin with no other explanation
Hard water makes it hard to maintain clean bathroom fixtures regardless of how frequently you clean. However, you should get further confirmation if you suspect that your grime problem is caused by hard water. Next, take a look at how to tell if you have hard water.
Here's an easy DIY test for hard water. Simply pour a small amount of dish soap into a bottle or container that has been filled with your tap water. Next, shake the container. If you don't see any sudsy foam, this is a telltale sign that you have hard water.
If you have public water, your local water provider can give you a recent testing report. The report should detail hardness, pH levels, and contaminant levels. Anything that is above 7–11 grains per gallon (GPG) is considered hard water. Getting a full report can help you determine which types of water filters would be best based on the makeup of your home's tap water.
Testing strips for hard water can be easily purchased online. Common at-home kits for testing hard water come with strips that have been chemically treated to react to the presence of ions in water. After dipping a strip in your own tap water, you'll match the color on the strip to a chart that is included with your kit to get a reading of the mineral concentration at your home.
You can also take matters into your own hands to get a definitive answer about your water hardness levels by hiring a water-testing company. Some companies send techs to your home to test in person. Others will provide you with testing kits that contain vials that can be shipped to a local laboratory. Getting a professional analysis is important if you want to confirm the need to improve water before paying the water softener installation cost.
The best way to prevent hard water damage in your home is to install a water softener. This whole-home solution will protect all of the appliances in your home by transforming the hard water into soft water. Water softeners tend to cost anywhere between $500 and $6,000, depending on the size and type. Call a local water treatment expert to find out if your home is a good candidate for this solution.
While you wait to have a water softener installed, there are short-term solutions you can use. Raise your washing temperature and spend a little extra money on higher-quality detergents for your washing machine and dishwasher. Look for a low pH that can help dissolve the minerals in hard water. Many people opt to run vinegar through their coffee pots, which has the same effect.
