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How to Detect Hard Water - by visual inspection - Water Softener Guide
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• How visual inspection can detect hard water
• What hard water deposits look like on plumbing fixtures

Easy Ways for a Homeowner, Tenant, or Inspector to Detect Hard Water

Hard water is not just an aesthetic concern in the shower. Very hard water can clog pipes [photo] and water heating equipment (especially tankless coils such as the ones we show here) leading to costly repairs.

Hard water is not normally health concern people although the treatment of hard water using a conventional ion-exchange (salt) water softener can, especially if improperly adjusted, place salt (NaCl) into the water supply at a level which people on low-salt or no-salt diets may wish to avoid. We discuss this point further at HOW SOFTENERS WORK.

Here are some visual clues that the water supply at a building is hard

• There is a water softener installed - look for the water softener treatment tank and salt tank, usually installed close to where water enters the building or close to the water pressure tank and pump controls if a private well is in use.
• Hot water pressure is noticeably less than cold water pressure in the building. Since minerals precipitate out of hard water faster when the water is heated, we expect hot water piping to clog with minerals faster than cold water piping.
• Signs of tankless coil clogging from hard water: When a tankless coil is installed, since that's where our water is the hottest, often the tankless coil clogs before other plumbing materials.
  
  Look for evidence of previous acid-cleanout of the tankless coil. If the coil has been cleaned before, you'll see extra drain valves and shutoff valves installed on the hot and cold water lines close to the tankless coil.
  
  The plumber uses these valves and drains to first isolate the tankless coil from the rest of the building water supply piping, and second, to pump an acid through the coil to try an dissolve the mineral clogging therein.
  
  Once a tankless coil (or "hot water coil") has been acid-cleaned it may re-clog faster than before, since the surface of the copper tubing has been etched by the copper and may be more receptive to mineral deposition.
  
  A pile of tankless coils found in a home, such as we show in the photo in this section, is a likely sign that they have been replaced repeatedly - the water in this home is probably quite hard.
  

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WATER SOFTENERS
  DETECT HARD WATER
  MEASURE WATER HARDNESS
  HOW SOFTENERS WORK
  HEALTH RISKS & WATER SOFTENERS
  SALT OR WATER INTO SEPTIC
  REDUCE IMPACT OF SOFTENER
  SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CLEANING
  OTHER SOFTENER METHODS
  Winterize Water Softener & Treatment Equip
  Restoring Water Softener & Treatment Equip
WATER TESTING
WATER TESTING ADVICE

• North Dakota Standards for Water Softeners, North Dakota General Authority Law, Chapter 62-04-08, Water Softener Units http://www.legis.nd.gov/information/acdata/pdf/62-04-08.pdf. "The objective of this chapter is to provide a standard of quality, capacity, and performance for water softener units. Water softener performance is to be based upon referee tests procedures described in section 62-04-08-09."
• Culligan Mark 10 Water Softener 1994-1998 Installation and Operating Instructions (covering models manufactured after 1995) (1-96) 01881948.pdf available from www.culligan.com
• Water Softeners, CMHC, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/wawa/wawa_005.cfm - October 2008. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada to the development of this document. For further questions regarding water treatment and water quality, contact Health Canada at watereau@hc-sc.gc.ca or call 613-957-2991 or 1-866-225-0709.
• "Commercial Water Softener Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia) for commercial, industrial and residential application www.ibcwater.com.au (07) 3219 2233
• "Non electric water softener, Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia), op.cit.
• "Water Softener Twin Tank Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia), op.cit.
• Our Water Hardness Table used at originated with but was edited and added to from http://www.bestfish.com/tips/110598.html and also from http://www.water-research.net/hardness.htm
  

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems


• Cesspools Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Drywells Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location


• Additives & Chemicals: Septic System Maintenance - Are they even needed? Are they even legal?
• Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
• Cheating on Water Tests - (Chlorine in Wells and Septics) Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - Water Test Cheating Warnings for Home Buyers and Home Inspectors
• Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
• What is a Septic System An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
• Contamination in Buildings how to test buildings for bacterial contamination from Sewage and Septic backup, remediation, & references
• Leach Field Inspection Procedure Septic Leach Fields - how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures - what causes septic field failure?
• Maintenance: Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Sewage & Septic Backups and what to do about sewage spillage in buildings
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for Septic Tanks: When, How, What to Watch For when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• Water Usage: Capacity: Determining Needed Septic Capacity - Typical residential water usage for people, appliances, and activities.

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