7 Signs Your Water Needs Testing
You don’t need a lab to suspect a problem. Here are the everyday signs that mean it’s time to test.
4 min read
Water problems usually show up before anyone notices. By the time you taste it, smell it, or see it, the issue has been around a while. Here are seven everyday signs we hear about most.
1. Spots on glassware and dishes
White spots after the dishwasher cycle mean hardness — calcium and magnesium left behind when water evaporates.
2. Soap that won’t lather
Hard water reacts with soap and prevents it from foaming. If you use more shampoo than you used to, your water may have changed.
3. Orange or brown staining
Iron, common in well water, leaves rust-colored marks on toilets, tubs, and laundry.
4. A pool-water smell
Strong chlorine smell at the tap means high disinfection levels — usually a city water issue, sometimes seasonal.
5. A rotten-egg smell
Hydrogen sulfide. Common in well water. Often gets worse over time. Treatable but needs the right system.
6. Water that tastes "off"
Metallic, salty, earthy, or flat tastes all mean something. Your tongue isn’t wrong.
7. New skin or hair irritation
If your skin gets dry or your hair gets brittle after a shower, water quality is usually the culprit. Chlorine and hardness both contribute.