Does New Hampshire have hard or soft water?

Whether you have hard or soft water in New Hampshire can impact your lifestyle or business in unfortunate ways. The easily visible limescale and buildup on faucets and drains is from the “hard” mineral ions. They, unfortunately, build up on the surfaces of your showers and tubs, faucets and fixtures, and dishes and utensils. While hard water isn’t harmful to your health, it can cause some irritating issues around your home or business.

But this issue is more than just unsightly. For businesses to homeowners, it can cause hair, skin, nails, and washed fabrics to feel brittle. Also, you may see orange staining or brownish water in your basins,, and this corrosive material, picked up from lakes, soil, and rivers, can do damage to your pipes, appliances, and more.

If you have softer water, you can see a full lather with soap, tell a difference in how your hands and hair feel, and expect a longer lifespan from your pipes and appliances. 

Does New Hampshire have hard or soft water?

Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon (GPG) or parts per million (PPM). Water is considered soft if it has a hardness of less than 60 PPM. 

The water in New Hampshire is generally soft, with a moderate hardness of around 39 PPM. This rating means that the water does not possess a lot of dissolved minerals, making it ideal for drinking, cooking, and other household uses. 

Some of the softest water cities in New Hampshire are Manchester (19 PPM) and Concord (16 PPM). On the other hand, Portsmouth has water with a hardness of 101 PPM, meaning it is moderately hard and may not be ideal for use. 

While many NH towns may have soft water, it doesn’t guarantee that your home will experience this! Often if you’re on well water, you may have a leak in your pipes, letting in sediments, or some other issue that generates elements like iron, calcium, and more into your water.

What to do if you have hard water quality.

Hard water is simply an overabundance of “hard” mineral ions like iron, calcium, and magnesium in your water. The good news is that there are a few different ways to combat hard water. You could choose to continue using moderately hard water, but will find yourself using more water, soap, and money to keep things running. 

We always recommend a simple water softener, which can remove hard minerals from your water before they have a chance to build up on surfaces. With the right solution, it doesn’t have to be something you worry about. 

For the short term, you can —

1.  Use vinegar solutions to clean your dishes and appliances, 
2. Lower your water temperature (hot water contributes to hard water stains),
3. Use a rinse aid with your dishes to help the soap do its job,
4. Clean pipes and appliances with acidic, chlorine-based cleaner solutions to help remove the sedimentation. 

NH Tap water softener solutions for hard water.

If you’re questioning, “does New Hampshire have hard or soft water?” because you’re struggling with your water quality, know that there is a good solution out there! In the water filtration world, ion exchange is the gold standard. And at NH Tap, we provide you with a water softener system that utilizes a smart-metered, efficient system to distribute softened water throughout your whole home or business!

Here’s how it works —

• Step #1: Water enters the top of the water-softener tank and flows down through the resin beads.
• Step #2: The resin beads hold a negative charge, which attracts the positively charged minerals in the water (a process known as ion exchange).
• Step #3: The mineral deposits cling to the resin beads, and the now-softened water exits the tank and flows throughout the house.

Our water softener system is perfect for New Hampshire homeowners because it comes with backup power sources, computerized distribution for smart salt usage, and easy ongoing delivery and full-service packages. You can set your water quality on auto-pilot with NH Tap — contact us today to find out more about our water softener solutions!