West Fargo, ND -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/11/2014 -- Most people who have hard water realize it quickly, but the details of the hardness can take more work to determine. That's why FM Water Systems and other water treatment companies strongly recommend testing before choosing a treatment system. This ensures that the chosen system will be able to handle the specific problems that it is meant to address.

"Some signs of hard water are obvious," said Ray Larson of FM Water Systems. "When residual water is left to evaporate in a sink, hard water will leave a mineral residue. It also takes more detergent than normal to wash clothes, dishes, or even yourself. Depending on which minerals are involved, washing clothes in hard water can also result in yellowish or brownish stains."

These aren't the only problems hard water can cause. Mineral residue will also clog up appliances that use thin tubing, such as coffee makers, Water Piks, and the icemakers in refrigerators.

Many people find that the physical properties of the minerals in hard water aren't the only unwanted things about it. The taste of certain minerals, such as iron or copper, can be quite strong. This results in water that can be described as tasting like what comes out of a rest area fountain. Some people like certain hard water flavors, but in most cases, a much weaker flavor is preferred.

"Turning bad-tasting hard water into water that's crisp and clear can require one or more hard water appliances," Larson said. "A water softener solution addresses the issues with mineralization and allows detergents and soaps to work well, but it often leaves water with a flavor that's too salty for some people's tastes. Therefore, another common solution is filtration."

Filtration is more versatile than water softening because it can be set up to work either with specific faucets or installed to treat all of the water in the house. However, cost is often a factor. Whole house water filtration is convenient, but the size of the filters needed can make it so that replacing them is a bit costly. Single-faucet filters, on the other hand, are cheaper but leave most of the water untreated. Either way, the water from a filtered supply will taste better than that from a softened supply as long as the filters are changed on the proper schedule.

"For great water all through the house, the best solution is to combine a water softener with a filtration system. The softener takes care of the mineral content, while the filters eliminate the salty residue. These systems can be set up so that both treat the whole house, or they can involve a whole-house softener and a per-faucet filtration system. The second option is great when drinking water is only drawn from one or two faucets, but washing takes place using more outlets," said Larson.

About FM Water Systems
FM Water Systems is a water treatment system company that serves all of North Dakota and part of northern South Dakota. It offers water softeners, filtration systems, and other solutions for problems involving hard water.