Why do you need a water hardness test kit? We will answer that question shortly, but first let’s cover the basics about water hardness, issues, and causes.
Hard water can be an inconvenient condition to live with on a daily basis. One thing hard water does is it creates mineral buildup in your pipes, fixtures, and appliances.
Another problem comes from the fact that soap does not react properly with hard water — your soap won’t lather and it will leave behind a tough-to-remove layer of soap scum on surfaces.
The soap residue can also remain on your skin because it’s tough to remove it completely with hard water, and this can cause irritation and skin conditions.
If you want to test your water to see where your water supply falls on a hardness scale, you can use an inexpensive water hardness test kit.
The results will allow you to develop a game plan to treat your water, since if it’s very hard water it can be more difficult to treat.
Hard water is caused my calcium and magnesium particles. These mineral particles come from rocks, originally, and they make their way into wells and water supplies.
Water softeners can improve your water, but first it’s helpful to know what degree of hardness you’re going to need to remedy.
Harder water will require you to add salt more often to your softener, and your level of hardness will also be a factor in which water softener system is right for you.
Here are some good options for test kits that you can get for not much money.
Table of Contents
Water Hardness Effects
Here’s a chart to let you see some of the effects hard water can have in your home.
Measurements listed in ppm (parts per million).
Hardness below 80 ppm: soft water, soap will easily form suds
Hardness above 80 ppm: at this level, detergents that contain softening agents will lose effectiveness
Hardness above 120 ppm: this level of hardness means you’ll have some scaling inside appliances and pipes
Hardness above 250 ppm: dishes will come out filmy from dishwasher at this level of hardness
Water Hardness Test Kits
Water hardness tests kits are easy to use and will help you improve your water quality.
Water Hardness Test Strips,Upgraded 100ct,0-425 mg/L, HoneForest Hard Water Test Kit
This pack contains 100 test strips that are easy to read by matching colors to determine the amount of hardness.
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
JNW Direct Water Total Hardness Test Strips, 150 Strip MEGA Pack
- CHECK WATER HARDNESS: This handy water hardness test kit allows you to test the hardness of all water sources, from home faucets and taps, to well water, water softeners, dishwashers, showers, aquariums, and many more
- MULTIPLE USES: The right levels of water hardness can make a huge difference in the softness of your laundry. Determine whether your water softener is working as efficiently as expected with this water softness test kit. It also helps you keep tabs on your water conditioning and reverse osmosis systems
- QUICK & ACCURATE: With this water hardness test kit for water softener it’s quick and easy to accurately measure water hardness! The hardness water tester offers instant reliable results with simple and clear instructions. Simply dip and compare with the color chart
- 150 TEST STRIPS: Get more for your money with our soft and hard water test kit. The hard and soft water test kit contains 150 water hardness test strips that can be used to test home faucets and taps, well water, water softeners, dishwashers, showers, and many other water sources
- INCLUDES EBOOK: Our hard water tester strips come with a handy eBook packed with information about your water hardness. Record, track and monitor the results of your water test strips with ultimate accuracy for best results
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This kit contains 150 test strips, which should last you a long time if you like to test your hardness level from time to time. You might do this if you suspect that your water softener has stopped working.
Total Water Hardness Test Strips. Each Strip Best and Reliable for Home Testing Pool, Spa, Aquarium, Drinking Water, Well
- Is Your Water Softener Working? – If you have a water softener installed, check its effectiveness quickly by taking a water sample and testing with the strips.
- Keep Your Fishes Happy – Some fishes need it soft, some need it hard, and some very hard. Maintain the amount of hardness in the water by testing regularly.
- Maximize the Lifespan of Appliances and Save Money – Hard water leaves mineral build up in pipes and hastens corrosion. Ensure that soft water runs in your system by testing often. 125 strips goes a very long way.
- Clean and Clear Glasses – Avoid hard water stains in your kitchenware by testing the water daily. Hard water also reduces the lather of soaps, making it less efficient.
- You’re Our Priority – Helping people is our top concern, but high-quality Just Fitter ph test strips are sensitive to heat and light. In the unlikely event they malfunction, contact us for an immediate replacement.
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Like the others, these easy-to-read strips give you a color-coded result that you simply match to the chart that they provide. This pack contains 100 strips.
Bulk Water Hardness Test Strips – 15 Second Results Reading from 0ppm to 500ppm
- AT HOME WATER TESTING STRIPS: Our hard water test strips requires no laboratory testing. Get your results quickly and easily within 15 seconds! Take your own sample and get fresh results without having to mail anything in. Our home water test strips detect low levels of impurities and foreign substances and keeps your family protected.
- FAST AND RELIABLE RESULTS: Test Assured water drinking water test strips is easy kit to use and fun experiment for home, classroom & home school- Used by schools, but also great for home schooling or exciting at-home experiment. All of our tests and equipment are made right here in the USA, you can rely on the results!
- COMPARE SOFT AND HARD WATER: Our water test strips are perfect for all age groups and include full instructions. This easy to use strips contains everything you need to screen your drinking water for unwanted contaminants. It provides testing for softness and hardness of water. It has reseal bag to keep remaining strips fresh.
- EASY TO READ COLOR CHART: The large color chart makes distinguishing your test results effortless. The total hardness is measured in PPM. Our strips go from 0ppm (0 grains) all the way to 500 ppm (30 grains) hardness. It is a perfect Water test strips to calibrate your water softener or simply check the water hardness.
- WATER QUALITY TEST STRIPS: Simply dip the test strip in water and compare with color chart for instant and reliable results, no complex water hardness test. It saves time and provide accurate test results within seconds. No need to visit a store or wait for someone else to test the quality of your water. Enjoy consistently accurate and reliable results whenever you need them.
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
These strips have five colors that correspond to different hardness levels. The package contains 35 test strips and as you can see by the product title, these take 15 seconds from the time you dip the strip in water to the time your result is ready.
Essieny Drinking Water Test Strips Upgrade 14 in 1, Best at Home Testing Kit for Accurate Water Quality Testing, Improved Low Level Sensitivity, 100PCS
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
These test strips cover much more than hardness, so if you have other concerns you can gather a lot of information with these. This product will test hardness, alkalinity, and lead, copper, iron, mercury, chromium, bromine, nitrate, fluoride, and sulfite levels. The package comes with 60 strips.
Final Thoughts
Water hardness levels should be checked if you’re about to purchase a softener system; this will help you determine which softener will be best for you based on your degree of water hardness.
In addition, you should also test to see how your softener is working so you know when it’s time to add salt. These test strips are easy to use and for not much money you can have a supply that can easily last you through several months of testing needs.