How Very Hard Water Affects Your Family
While not a direct health hazard, very hard water's effects are noticeable daily. The high mineral content prevents soap and shampoo from lathering and rinsing completely, leaving a residue on your skin and hair.
- Skin & Hair: This residue can lead to persistently dry, itchy skin, aggravate conditions like eczema, and leave hair feeling brittle and dull.
- Bathing: You may notice you never feel completely clean, due to soap scum left on your skin.
- Infant Care: Mixing baby formula with hard water can introduce high levels of minerals, a consideration for many families.
Filtration Guide for 13.7 GPG Water
With water this hard, small pitcher filters are not effective for protecting your home. A whole-house solution is necessary to prevent costly damage.
- Best Option: A whole-house, salt-based water softener is the most effective solution. It physically removes the calcium and magnesium ions that cause scale.
- Alternative: A salt-free water conditioner is a viable alternative if you wish to avoid salt, but it only prevents scale buildup—it does not remove the minerals or provide the benefits of soft water (like using less soap).
The financial case is clear. A whole-house softener (around $1,500 installed) pays for itself in 10.4 years through annual savings of $144 on energy from Ohio Edison Co, detergents, and delayed appliance replacement costs.