3 Simple Hard Water Tests for Business Owners
Approximately 1.6% of the earth’s water is groundwater, meaning that it travels through sediment and collects mineral content along the way. Hard water is perfectly safe, but it may cause damage to your pipes without proper treatment. As soon as you recognize hard water signs in your business, you may want to conduct a hard water test to determine the extent of the problem and steps to resolve it.
As a resource for you, the Gunther Salt team compiled three simple ways to test for hard water and how you can try them before ordering our water-softening salt.
DIY Hard Water Test
When you’re in a pinch, you may want to conduct a simple DIY test to determine if your business has hard water. You’ll need a clean water bottle and a liquid soap free of dyes, perfumes and detergents. Remember that many soap formulas lather despite the presence of hard water, so stick to a simple formula like Castille soap.
Fill the bottle two-thirds of the way with tap water and add a few drops of soap. From there, shake the bottle for a few seconds. If the water is free of mineral content, it will remain mostly clear with plenty of bubbles — however, hard water will appear milky with few bubbles present.
While this hard water test won’t give you an accurate measurement of grains per gallon, it’s a quick way to see if you need to test for hard water using approved methods.
City Reports
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is a water quality report that provides information about the mineral and chemical composition of your water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires these reports in every community — regardless of where your business is, you should still be able to access these reports online or through the mail after experiencing hard water signs.
This information helps business owners and residents determine the proper settings for their water softeners and the amount of salt to us. However, the information in CCR reports is typically tailored to local water systems, meaning each report will look different. Upon receiving your report, it may be beneficial to use online resources to find the information you’re looking for.
Keep in mind that CCR reports may be generalized — for exact measurements of water hardness, you may want to use a legitimate hard water test.
Hard Water Test Strips
The most tried-and-true way to test for hard water is to buy a pack of test strips. These test strips have a chemical indicator that changes color with the presence of certain minerals that make water “hard,” such as calcium and magnesium.
Once you recognize hard water signs, you would typically fill a glass with water and dip the test strip in for the recommended time. The strip will then change color to correspond with a hard water color chart. By comparing the color to the chart, you will get an accurate reading of your business’ hard water number in grains per gallon (GPG).
Hard water test strips provide quick results at an affordable cost. Plus, you can buy these strips at any hardware store. A laboratory test for hard water is the only method that may provide more accurate results, but store-bought test strips typically suffice for most water-softening purposes.
Order from Gunther Salt
If you’ve identified excess mineral content in your water, it’s time to soften it to prevent further damage to your facilities. When you see hard water signs, contact the Gunther Salt team. We’ve earned a reputation as a leading provider of water-softening salts, offering a diverse selection of solar salt, rock salt, and evaporated salt. With multiple delivery options available, we reliably serve countless organizations throughout the Midwest.
We’re here to provide convenient salt orders and deliveries after your hard water test. For bulk water softening salt, visit our Bulk Ordering page to provide your product and delivery information. For custom pallet deliveries, visit our Other Ordering page to contact a representative.
