Hard Water Archives - Ising's Culligan

How Do You Get Rid of Hard Water Stains in the Shower?

Picture this: You gave your entire house a good scrub and it looks spotless. Well, except for a few pesky stains in the shower that simply won’t go away.

Those are hard water stains and are nothing more than a mineral deposits. While these stains won’t affect your health, they make your bathroom look dirty and unkempt.

So, how can you get rid of them?

Here are some solutions.

How to Remove Hard Water Stains

Numerous cleaning products on the market can help you remove stubborn hard water stains. But, if you are looking for a more natural solution, then vinegar and baking soda can come to your aid.

If you want to remove hard water stains from your bathtub or tiles, then you can mix one part water with one part vinegar to make a natural cleaning solution. Spray the mixture on the stains and leave it for at least 15 minutes. Then use a cloth to wipe the solution.

If you want to remove water stains from the shower glass, you can use the same water-vinegar solution or immerse the glass in warm white vinegar. Let it sit for about ten minutes and then add baking powder to the surface of the glass, where the stains are. Rub the baking powder gently with a cloth to remove the stains then rinse everything with water.

Think Long Term

While you can probably clean hard water stains with these homemade solutions, they can become permanent if left unattended for too long. And, if you live in an area with hard water, these stains will soon become a nuisance as they tend to reappear shortly after you’ve just cleaned them.

So, you need to think of a more long-term solution than scrubbing them the moment they appear.

At Culligan Water, we can help you!

Our systems improve the quality of your water so that you get fewer stains and streaks in your shower, bathtub, and sink. And, because the quality of the water is noticeably improved, your skin will get softer, your laundry will get cleaner, and the water you are drinking will be healthier.

Interested in Our Systems? Give Us a Call!

If you want to learn more about our filtration and water treatment systems, fill out the form on our website, or give us a call at (925) 447-3717, to learn more about the best solutions to fix your water problems.

How is Water Hardness Measured?

Water hardness is the amount of dissolved magnesium or calcium in the water. Hard water contains a high percentage of dissolved minerals, whose effects can be seen or felt through soap scum on shower doors, build-up on plumbing fixtures, difficulty in producing lather, or the feeling of a film residue left on your hands after washing. Measuring the hardness of your home’s water can help you determine the kind of softener that will best suit your domestic needs.

Testing Water for Hardness

Depending on the primary source of water used in your home, you may be less or more likely to experience hard water problems. Well-water users are the most vulnerable to this water hardness issue. Fortunately, there are several ways to confirm water hardness, including:

Check with Your Supplier

If you get your household water from a city supplier and you suspect that it might be hard, it is best to contact them as the first step. You can get information about your area’s general water hardness levels from the annual reports on the supplier’s website.

However, it is essential to note that this information is often comprehensive and unlikely to tell you exactly how hard the water in your household is. To get this information, you have to conduct a water hardness test.

Test Your Home Water Supply

You can choose from the various home testing kits available in the market to determine the level of mineral concentration in your home’s water supply. You may also opt to work with a water treatment company like Ising’s Culligan Water, which offers you the benefit of getting accurate results, interpreting them, and advising you on the measures to take.

Upon determining the level of water hardness in your household, you can discuss the most appropriate solutions with your water treatment company.

Get Reputable Water Treatment Experts Today at Ising’s Culligan Water

At Ising’s Culligan Water, we will help you find a quick and effective solution to any issues you may be experiencing with your household water, including water hardness. Please fill out our online contact form now or give us a call at 925-447-3717 to get a free quote.

What are the differences between automatic water softener systems and portable exchange tanks?

Hi, I’m Jay with Ising’s Culligan Water. I’m here today to discuss the differences between automatic systems and portable exchange tanks.

There’s a variety of automatic treatment systems. These different systems are composed of water softeners, carbon filters, depth filters, and certain treatment systems that remove hydrogen sulfide and iron. To understand the regeneration process, we will look at water softeners as an example. In water softeners, there is a resin and or media inside of the softener that removes the impurities out of the water that creates hardness, for instance, calcium and magnesium. As the water flows through the softening system and the resin removes these impurities, the resin only has a certain life on how long it lasts before that resin needs cleaned. Typically, the hardness of the water in different areas will vary, therefore the resin inside of the tank will last as long, dependent on the hardness of the water. Therefore, the resin in the tank needs cleaned and or what we call, in our world, regenerated.

An automatic system will automatically regenerate this resin on site. There is a separate take that sits next to a water softener called a brine tank. The brine tank holds a brine solution that is made up of salt and water. When the resin needs cleaned and the regeneration process takes place, the water softener itself will suck the brine solution out of the brine tank and it will wash the resin in the softening tank. At that point, the brine solution that has now cleaned the resin has taken all the hardness and impurities off of the resin and will flush it down the drain. The resin is now new again and ready for use.

The difference, though, between an automatic system and a portable exchange tank is the fact, for the portable exchange, we do the regeneration process for you. Therefore, instead of a second tank sitting on site and it automatically occurring, whether it be set up on a time clock, meaning every couple of days at a certain time, or based on a meter, after you use so many gallons, we base the size of the tank on how many gallons you use a month or every couple of weeks, at which point we’ll show back up, give you a new tank. We will take your old tank back to our shop and we will regenerate the tank ourselves. There are also certain areas, especially in the state of California, where the city municipalities do not allow automatic systems because they do not want the brine solution washed into the drain. Therefore, please check with your city municipality for what is regulated and what is acceptable in your area. 0:02:51.7 Jay: I hope you found this video helpful. If you have any other follow-up questions, please leave them below or give us a call at 925-447-3717. If you liked this video and want to receive releases of new videos, please don’t forget to hit subscribe below. Thank you, and see you next video.

How Do You Select the Best Water Softener for Well Water?

Hard water can be damaging to both your health and your piping system over time. Being aware that you have hard water is the first step towards taking measures, so read on to find out what the signs of hard water are, how to test it, and what to do about it.

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water is characterized by high concentrations of minerals like magnesium or calcium. While these elements are normally present in the water system, when they exceed a certain concentration the water becomes damaging to your pipes, appliances, and even to your health and well-being.

Damage Caused by Hard Water

Hard water can cause scaling on the inside of your pipes, causing breaking and bursting over time. It can reduce the lifespan of your appliances using water, and water heaters. When it comes in contact with soap residue, it forms soap scum, which can easily form clogs in your sink and bathtub drains.

If you use hard water daily, you might notice damage to your skin, in the form of rashes and dry skin or dull hair.

Do You Need a Water Softener for Your Well Water?

To determine if you do need a water softener for your well, do a quick test for water hardness. Your municipality or private water purifying companies can provide free tests in your area.

Try our online water problem diagnosis or book a free in-house water test from Ising’s Culligan Water.

If your water hardness is more than 7 grains per gallon, it’s a sure sign that a water softener is needed.

How to Choose the Right Well Water Softener

When it comes to your well water, choose a system that is not hard to maintain and has a minimal impact on the environment. Standard salt-based softeners that have been used widely in the past are not so desirable anymore, because of the damage they cause to the environment.

If you do choose a brine system, make sure it has a smart monitoring feature that tells you when it’s time to replace the salt in the brine tank. Our systems are equipped with a wifi system that alerts you to an easy to install and use the app.

If you are going to a salt-free solution for your well water, choose a product like our Culligan Salt-Free Conditioner or check our offer for more options.

If you need a water softener for your well, call us at 925-206-3727 or fill in the online contact form.

What Your Tap Water Could Be Doing to Your Hair, Skin, and Nails

Hard water is not only increasing your bills by reducing the water pressure in your pipes, damaging your appliances, and insulating pipes that are supposed to have great heat exchange, but it can also affect your health over time.

The most affected parts of your body are your hair, skin, and nails. Let’s see how you can spot this problem and what to do about it.

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water is defined by a large concentration of hard particles – minerals – in the water. The main minerals found in hard water are magnesium and calcium, which form limestone and other hard deposits, which can accumulate on the inside of the pipes and make cleaning less effective.

How Does Hard Water Affect Your Hair

Hard water can make your hair care routine ineffective, because it leads to product and dirt build-up, hard to lather shampoo, difficulty rinsing the shampoo and other products from your hair, and mineral build-up on your hair and scalp.

Such aggression caused by dirt, products, and minerals on your hair and scalp can be terrible for your hair’s health. Signs of hard water include limp and dull hair, dry and itchy scalp, fading color (if your hair is dyed).

How Does Hard Water Affect Your Skin

Skin can also be affected by hard water, leading to problems as serious as chronic eczema or dryness. Similar to what it does to your scalp, hard water will dry your skin and leave residues on it, which can lead to irritations and skin conditions.

If you notice your skin being dry even when using moisturizing products, and you correlate it with a visible film on your shower walls, windows, and fixtures, you most probably have hard water.

How Does Hard Water Affect Your Nails

Nails that are constantly exposed to hard water will become dry, brittle, and dull. Washing your dishes or simply washing your hands regularly with hard water in your water system will show on your nails, too.

How to Get Rid of Hard Water?

As you can see, hard water is bad for your house and yourself. If you notice any of these signs, consider getting your water tested and investing in a water softening or conditioning system if your worries are confirmed.

Ising’s Culligan Water is a company specializing in testing and purifying your water system. Contact us online, or give us a call at 925-206-3727 and you can schedule a free in-home water test or complete a water diagnose quiz yourself.

Are There Environmental Benefits To A Water Softener?

Hard water can cause a lot of nuances in a home. While it’s not a health risk, it can cause some damage to hair and skin health long-term. But, the biggest problems hard water causes have to do with the health of your house.

From damaging pipes to kitchen appliances, washing machines, and even your water heater, hard water is just something a lot of homeowners want to address, and a water softener seems to be a good solution. But is it environmentally-friendly?

How a Water Softener Impacts the Environment

Water softeners have a regeneration process during which they flush the system clean, and seemingly waste the water because of this step. And water waste has a huge negative effect on the environment.

However, if you look at it closer, this argument doesn’t seem to hold up.

Soft water is much more efficient than hard water, which means the household will consume a lot less water than previously. In the long-run, water is actually saved thanks to the water softener.

Additionally, using soft water can also help keep your appliances functional for longer, which eliminates the need to buy new ones. The manufacturing and purchasing of these appliances can also take a toll on the environment, so using the ones you already have for as long as possible is ideal.

What about the Salt?

Water softeners require salt to create a brine solution that removes the hardness from the water (usually calcium and magnesium). The concern is that this salt will eventually end up in the water system and affect the environment.

And that has been a problem with water softeners, historically, but manufacturers are seeking to address it with more efficient systems that require very low amounts of salt. A Culligan High Efficiency Water Softener, for instance, only requires homeowners to add salt once, maybe twice a year, depending on the level of hardness their water is at.

Signing off

Softening your home’s water is in itself a big step towards creating a more environmentally-friendly household, and the right system can help drive your efforts home. The Culligan High Efficiency Water Softener is designed to assist homeowners on this path, and it’s patented technology makes this system 46% more efficient than other systems on the market.

We at Ising’s Culligan Water can help you get this system in your home. Get in touch with us now for more information.

Is Hard Or Soft Water Better For Your Skin? Everything You Need To Know

Wondering whether hard or soft water is better for your skin? Find out how hard water affects your skin care routine now, and make sure you have the water softening products you need from Ising’s Culligan Water!

Hard Water Is Tough On Your Skin & Interferes With Hygiene Products

Hard water is full of minerals that tend to strip away moisture from your skin, which is never a good thing. If you find that you have to moisturize frequently – even immediately after you get out of the shower – hard water may be part of the issue.

In addition, hard water tends to form a filmy “scum” layer when minerals like calcium and magnesium react with soap. This can clog the pores, which may lead to issues like acne and eczema. It also may leave your skin feeling filmy and sticky after you get out of the shower.

Soft Water Is Better For Your Skin

Soft water is water that has been treated to remove “hard” minerals like calcium and magnesium. It’s much better for your skin, since it does not contain minerals that strip away moisture, and it won’t form soap scum or block your pores. If you’re serious about skincare, soft water is a must-have!

Is My Water Too Hard? Signs You’ll Recognize During Your Skin Care Routine

Not sure if you have hard water in your home? Here are a few easy-to-recognize signs that you may notice during your skin care routine.

Film that forms on your body or face after using soap and cleansers
Buildup of whitish material around the tap, shower head, or faucet
Frequent soap scum buildup in bathtubs, showers, and bathroom sinks
Weak water pressure or water that smells or tastes strange

If you notice these signs, you may need a water softener from Ising’s Culligan Water. Water softeners attach to your plumbing system and use a special design to completely eliminate “hard” minerals like calcium and magnesium – leaving you with better quality water and better skin, too!

Get A Water Softener For Better Skin!

Soft water tastes better, won’t leave residue in your pipes, and even helps you clean your skin and hair more effectively compared to hard water. So don’t put up with hard water any longer. Contact Ising’s Culligan Water today to explore our water softener solutions, and get the soft, pure, high-quality water you deserve.

What Is Hard Water, And What Causes It In Your Home?

You may have heard of “hard water,” and be wondering if you have hard water at your home – but you may not even be sure what it is. In this blog from Ising’s Culligan Water, we’ll give you an overview of the basics of hard water, what causes it, and how to “soften” your water to reduce the negative effects of hard water. Let’s get started.

What Is Hard Water? Understanding The Basics

The term “hard” water is used to refer to water that has a higher-than-average concentration of minerals, typically calcium and magnesium. Water that’s “hard” is not harmful to your health, but it can have some annoying and potentially costly effects, such as:

Spots on dishes and clothes – Mineral deposits can end up on your clothing or on your dishes when you run them through your dishwasher, interfering with proper cleaning.
Filmy buildup when bathing – High mineral content interferes with the detergent effects of soap and shampoo, which can create a nasty film on your body or hair.
Scale buildup in appliances – Over time, mineral deposits of calcium and magnesium can build up in your appliances like coffee makers, dishwashers, refrigerators with water dispensers/ice machines, laundry machines, and more, so they may need to be cleaned more frequently.
Narrowing pipes – Mineral buildup can actually reduce the width of your pipes over a prolonged period of time, which may lead to a higher likelihood of clogs and plumbing problems.

What Causes Hard Water?

Hard water occurs naturally in some areas, particularly in the American Southwest and states like New Mexico, Nevada, California, and Utah. This is because water supplies are often stored in reservoirs with high levels of limestone, chalk, and gypsum.

Over time, minerals like calcium, magnesium carbonates, and sulfates can leach into the water, making it “hard.” While water treatment plants may remove some of this buildup, the water may still remain hard, even when it arrives at your home’s tap or faucet.

Ising’s Culligan Water Can Help You Soften Your Water – Contact Us Today!

The best way to treat hard water is with a water softener from Ising’s Culligan Water. Water softeners can remove the excess minerals from your home’s water supply – providing you with better overall water quality, and preventing the common problems associated with hard water. Contact us now online or give us a call at 209-690-0007 to learn more and get started right away.

What Are The Advantages Of Having Soft Water?

Considering a water softening system from Ising’s Culligan Water? Not sure if it’s right for you and your family? In this blog, we’ll discuss a few benefits and advantages you’ll enjoy if you choose to install a water softener in your home.

What Is “Hard” and “Soft” Water? An Overview Of The Basics

“Hard” water refers to water that has a large concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. In some areas, the nature of the water table and storage methods used to store water supplies causes more of these minerals to enter the water.

Common signs of hard water include feeling a filmy on your hands after you wash them, spots on your dishes, mineral stains on clothes, and decreased water pressure due to mineral buildup.

“Soft” water refers to water that’s been run through a specialized water softener, which replaces the magnesium and calcium in the water with sodium, eliminating the negative effects of hard water.

The Advantages Of Soft Water – Why You Need A Water Softener

So, why is soft water a good thing? Here are just a few reasons you should invest in a water softener if you have hard water in your home.

Preserve your plumbing – Calcium and magnesium from hard water tends to build up in your pipes over time, creating hard deposits that narrow your pipes and constrict the flow of water. A water softener can prevent this.
Keep appliances in great shape – Your appliances, such as dishwashers, laundry machines, kettles, coffee makers and more can be damaged by high levels of mineral content in hard water. Soft water will help them last longer.
Cleaner dishes, clothes & more – Mineral deposits on clothes and dishes will be completely eliminated when you invest in a water softener. You’ll also get better results when using your household water to do things like wash your car.
Softer skin & smoother hair – Hard water can make it harder for soap and shampoo to work effectively, as the magnesium and calcium will react with the soap to create a nasty film. Soft water will eliminate this issue, and can help you get smoother, healthier skin and hair.

Contact Ising’s Culligan Water To Learn More About Our Water Softening Systems!

If you’re considering a water softener in Livermore, CA or the surrounding area, Ising’s Culligan Water is the best option for you. We have a wide range of water softening systems for households of every size. Learn more about the benefits of water softening by contacting us online, or giving us a call at 925-206-3727.