A lot of people take for granted that when they turn on the faucet that the water being poured from the tap is clean and pure. While there may not be an indication that the water is loaded with minerals or chemicals there is a way to test the hardness or purity of water to determine just how clean it is. Through water testing NC residents are actually able to see the difference in the water that is delivered to their home and water that is being treated through filters and reverse osmosis. Using chemicals that are able to make the sediment settle and reveal the condition of the water that is being supplied from the city wells a person that is trained to identify the different particulates that are in the water supply can show a homeowner how hard water is damaging their appliances and plumbing as well as costing them money that they do not have to be spending.
Hard water is comprised of minerals (rock) and debris that naturally appear in water that is being taken from the ground. Water softeners and purification systems remove the sedimentary rock and other contaminants that are in the water making it softer. When showering and using soap most people notice that it can be difficult to wash away all of the lather that is used to clean their skin, that is because of the minerals in the water that allow soap to cling onto the skin instead of being washed away down the drain. Soap scum on the edge of bathtub and spots on glasses from the dishwasher reveal hard water deposits to the untrained eye and as the minerals settle in the pipes corrosion and congestion can occur in the plumbing.
Inside a hot water heater the amount of sediment that collects at the bottom and long the sides of the tank reduce the efficiency of the unit and can lead to early replacement of the appliance that has been corroded from the inside out by hard water. Dishwashers and clothes washing machines also take the abuse of hard water as they clean up dirt and sterilize the items that are being cleaned. However the installation of a water purification system can remove 90% of the contaminants that destroy appliances and with a reverse osmosis filtration system the remaining minerals are removed to deliver pure drinking water to a household. By undergoing water testing NC residents are able to see just how bad the incoming supply of water is and make the choice to clean up the water and make their home more energy and cost efficient as they use less soap and increase the life of their water using appliances.