You might be asking yourself the question, “How do I know if I have residential hard water?” You might also be wondering, “How do I test for contaminants in my residential water system?”
Hard Water Test:
It’s fairly easy to gauge whether or not you have hard water at your residence, hard water being an overabundance of calcium and magnesium in your tap water. If you notice mineral deposits forming rapidly in your kitchen appliances or if soap doesn’t seem to foam up very well in your sink or shower, there is a pretty fair chance you have hard water. Other hard water indicators are a slippery, oily sensation between your fingers when holding them under running water or the heavy mineral taste you might get when drinking water from the tap.
There are a variety of hard water testing kits available on the market to test for the exact levels of calcium and magnesium in your tap water. The general rule of thumb is anything over 5 grains (324 mg) per gallon means you have hard water. If you’re not too concerned with being exact but you do suspect you have hard water, you can find the relative numbers in public water surveys and reports at your local county or city government.
Testing for Water Contamination:
Testing your residential tap water for contaminants can be a fairly straightforward process as well. Chances are if you suspect contaminants for any reason, you are probably right, and by testing you will simply be confirming your suspicions.
There are several quick tests you can perform to get an initial feel of whether or not you have contaminated residential tap water. Smell is a big indicator. If you get that sulfuric, rotten egg smell from your water, or if you pour a glass and see floaties or sediment, then you most definitely should look into investing into some sort of water filtration system.
If you are suspicious that you have contaminated residential tap water, some of the specifics you should test for are bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, chemicals like arsenic and lead, or other contaminates such as viruses and microbes. Over chlorination of residential tap water is of great concern as well, and even small amounts have been shown to be of serious health concern over time.
Going further than simple on the spot tests of your household water supply, there are several types of self-test kits on the market. Home test kits are usually effective at giving good “within the ballpark” results, however, if you want laboratory quality test results, there are water testing companies available who will come to your home and perform extensive testing for nominal fee. Some companies require that you package and mail a quantity of water from your tap along with specific instructions on how to collect your samples. Professional water testing companies provide analysis and advice on possible solutions to ensure you have a contaminant free water supply at your residence.
You can read more about the subject of this article, Water Filtration and Softeners, at WaterFiltrationAndSofteners.com.
