How Hard Water Affects Your Family
While not a direct health hazard, the 20.6 GPG water in Northridge impacts daily life. The high concentration of calcium and magnesium prevents soap and shampoo from lathering effectively, leaving behind a residue on your skin and hair.
This leads to common complaints of dry, itchy skin, eczema flare-ups, and hair that feels dull, brittle, and difficult to manage. For families, using such hard water when preparing baby formula can be a concern regarding mineral concentration.
Filtration Guide for Very Hard Water
With a hardness level of 20.6 GPG, a simple pitcher filter is insufficient. To protect your home and improve your quality of life, a whole-house solution is the most effective approach.
- Recommendation: A whole-house, salt-based water softener combined with an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) system for drinking water. The softener removes the damaging minerals from your entire home, while the RO unit provides purified water for drinking and cooking.
- The Payback: A professionally installed water softener costs around $1,500. With estimated annual savings of $221 on energy, detergents, and appliance longevity, the system pays for itself in approximately 6.8 years. This calculation doesn't even include the hundreds of dollars saved by no longer needing bottled water.