Water is one of the most important parts of our life. We drink it, shower in it, cook with it, clean with it. Yet most of us barely give it a second thought. It just comes out the tap and does what it’s meant to do… or so we think.
But have you ever noticed those white spots on your dishes, experienced a super slow drain or had your clothes come out rough and faded? That could actually be your water that causes that.
Most household water falls into one of two types: hard or soft. While this may sound a bit obscure, it’s important to understand because these affect your skin, power bills, appliances, and whole plumbing system.
What Is Hard Water?
When we turn the tap on, water comes out. But it has to come from somewhere.
In nature, water passes by rocks and picks up minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals stay in the water throughout the whole journey, through the pipes, and down the tap.
These minerals are what make it “hard.” The more minerals, the harder the water is.
Across Australia, water hardness varies a lot. It can differ based on state and even region. But generally, Queensland is known for having some fairly hard water compared to other states.
What Is Soft Water Then?
Soft water, on the other hand, has very little mineral content. It can either come naturally from having a low mineral content, or be treated to remove them.
Scientifically, water is generally considered soft if it has less than 60 mg/L of calcium carbonate. But even without testing, there are a few indications of your water hardness.
This soft water feels a bit “slippery” when you wash your hands. It helps soap lather better, and you’re less likely to find white marks on your taps or shower screens.
Why Should You Care?
Hard water is more than a Friday night trivia fact. This affects the house and plumbing which you are paying for, especially if your water is hard.
Here’s what you might notice with hard water:
- Your hair feels dry or dull
- You get water spots on glasses after washing
- The shower screen looks cloudy no matter how much you clean
- Washing feels harsher on your clothes
- You get dry or itchy skin after a shower
- Slow drains or lower water pressure
- Appliances breaking down sooner than they should
- Towels and clothes feel rough, even after washing
What’s really going on here is mineral buildup. Whilst these problems may not sound like a big deal, if left untreated it can wreak havoc on your plumbing system.
The Danger if Hard Water
The problem with hard water isn’t about having nice smooth skin, but having functional plumbing within your house.
When these minerals in water pass through your pipes, they can get deposited. Eventually, this deposit builds up into something called limescale. As the limescale grows, the area where water can pass through your pipes gets smaller.
This build-up can cause drains to slow, water pressure to drop and in bad cases clog pipes altogether.
Even appliances like washing machines and hot water systems can develop mineral buildup. This makes them work harder, use more electricity, and wear out faster.
These problems eventually will not only prevent your plumbing from doing the tasks they were built for, but cost to fix it.
What About Soft Water?
Soft water, on the other hand, is easier on everything. Your clothes feel softer, your taps stay clean, and your appliances last longer.
You probably won’t even realise how much of a difference it makes until you’ve had soft water for a while and then go back to hard water again. That’s when you notice how rough your towels feel or how annoying it is to scrub soap scum off the sink every other day.
Can You Tell What Type of Water You Have?
You usually can. Here are some signs:
- If your kettle has a white crust inside it
- If you need a lot of soap to get a lather, it might be hard water.
- If you have slow drains, that could also be a clue.
- If you’ve had to replace appliances more often than you’d expect, it could be because of mineral buildup inside them.
You can also buy simple test strips at hardware stores to get an exact reading. Your local council may also publish reports about the water hardness based on the area they get their water from.
What Can You Do About It?
The most effective fix is a water softener. These systems remove the calcium and magnesium from your water and swap them out with sodium. It sounds a bit science-y, but it certainly stops that limescale build up from getting worse.
You can get softeners installed for your whole house, or just for a specific area like the kitchen or bathroom.
Another option is regular maintenance. If you know your water is hard, you can stay on top of things by:
- Cleaning showerheads and taps regularly
- Using descaling products in kettles, coffee machines, and dishwashers
- Flushing out your hot water system every now and then
It doesn’t fix the problem entirely, but it helps reduce the impact.
Most people never stop to think about what kind of water they’re using.
But once you realise the difference, it’s hard to ignore. Understanding whether your water is hard or soft is a small thing, but it can help you prepare to save you some big headaches.
If these problems and signs seem all too relatable, your water might be the problem. And the good news is that it’s fixable.
If you’ve got questions, or notice that something is not working with your plumbing feel free to get in touch. If there is a problem with your plumbing, blocked drains, renovations leaking taps, or much more. We’ll be happy to take a look at it for free.
Let’s make plumbing something you’re proud of.
Plumbers Rockhampton 
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