Do You Need a Water Softener? The Signs to Watch For

What are the everyday signs?

Hard water leaves a trail. You see it as spots on glasses out of the dishwasher, a film on the shower door that returns a day after you clean it, tight skin and dull hair after a shower, and white scale crusting on faucets and showerheads.

Any one of these can have another cause. Several together usually mean hardness.

What do you do about it?

A softener removes the hardness, and the signs fade: cleaner dishes, a shower door that stays clear, softer skin, and appliances that last longer. The first step is finding out how hard your water runs, which takes about two minutes and costs nothing.