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Is it hard or soft?

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  • 07-04-2017 2:20pm
    #1
    Doctor Nick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭


    How do I find out if the water in my area is hard or soft? I've Google and can only find a questionnaire thing from DCC which doesn't really answer the question. Also which is the good one?


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    #2
    Tayschren
    Closed Accounts Posts: 186 ✭✭Tayschren


    Doctor Nick wrote: »
    How do I find out if the water in my area is hard or soft? I've Google and can only find a questionnaire thing from DCC which doesn't really answer the question. Also which is the good one?

    Do you have a buildup of limescale on your sink top and in the kettle, has your shower cap been clogged up or jebus forbid your washing machine conked out- if so you have Hard water.


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    #3
    Boom_Bap
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,730 Mod ✭✭✭✭Boom_Bap


    Soap doesn't lather very well in hard water.
    If you get loads of suds, you've got yourself some soft water.


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    #4
    topper75
    Registered Users Posts: 5,942 ✭✭✭topper75


    Soft is good. No lime in the water.

    You'll know it's hard if there is limescale in your kettle. Probably means you live in a limestone area.


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    #5
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    I'm disappointed that you didn't start this thread with "Hi Everybody!"

    Excellent thread title though.


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    #6
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,268 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Make a cup of tea. If you get a film of "scum" on the top, then you've got hard water. If not, enjoy your tea.


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    #7
    Doctor Nick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭Doctor Nick


    Tayschren wrote: »
    Do you have a buildup of limescale on your sink top and in the kettle, has your shower cap been clogged up or jebus forbid your washing machine conked out- if so you have Hard water.

    No to all. Just bought some descaler for my iron and nespresso maker just cause you're supposed to (even though I bought both years ago and nothing particularly wrong with them). If they're not giving me trouble Should I go to the trouble of descaling?

    Boom bap suds aren't an issue. My bubble bath :pac: goes "flat" very quickly.

    I guess I'm lucky?


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    #8
    Doctor Nick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭Doctor Nick


    Jep Gambardella wrote: »
    Make a cup of tea. If you get a film of "scum" on the top, then you've got hard water. If not, enjoy your tea.

    Not a tea drinker but would same apply to coffee? I guess I've established that it's a soft water area. Thanks all


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    #9
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Punch the water. If it punches you back it's hard.


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    #10
    Armchair Andy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,847 ✭✭✭Armchair Andy


    biko wrote:
    Punch the water. If it punches you back it's hard.


    If it's not from a public scheme then your water's well hard.


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    #11
    Cianmcliam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 715 ✭✭✭Cianmcliam


    You could go to a local pet shop and ask for a water hardness test kit, the usual one is a GH test. Should only cost between €10-20. You can get sets of test strips as well that show lots of parameters, hardness, pH, nitrites, nitrates and maybe even phosphate.


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    #12
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,962 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Idea from chemical knowledge but not tested: put a little water in a glass, and add some vinegar. If you see fizzing, it's probably hard water.

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



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    #13
    foxy farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 3,194 ✭✭✭foxy farmer


    Hard water- thats ice isn't it?


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    #14
    Special Circumstances
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,569 ✭✭✭Special Circumstances


    foxy farmer wrote: »
    Hard water- thats ice isn't it?

    No speculation!


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    #15
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 40,928 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Doctor Nick wrote: »
    No to all. Just bought some descaler for my iron and nespresso maker just cause you're supposed to (even though I bought both years ago and nothing particularly wrong with them). If they're not giving me trouble Should I go to the trouble of descaling?

    Boom bap suds aren't an issue. My bubble bath :pac: goes "flat" very quickly.

    I guess I'm lucky?

    If there is no scale then you dont need to descale!!!!!!!

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



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    #16
    Ted111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭Ted111


    http://www.galwaywater.ie/top/map

    http://www.softwater.ie/coverage.html


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    #17
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,551 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    Doctor Nick wrote: »
    I've Google

    We all have Google.


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    #18
    Jack the Stripper
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,203 ✭✭✭Jack the Stripper


    If in doubt just drink your own urine.


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    #19
    Ted111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭Ted111


    Jack the Stripper wrote: »
    If in doubt just drink your own urine.

    What if it's hard?


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    #20
    Jack the Stripper
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,203 ✭✭✭Jack the Stripper


    Ted111 wrote: »
    What if it's hard?

    Wait till your in 6th class you will learn all about it.


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    #21
    Ted111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭Ted111


    Jack the Stripper wrote: »
    Wait till your in 6th class you will learn all about it.

    I don't want to wait.


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