The test
Your water, tested at your own kitchen tap
Hardness is the first number we look for, because it's the one a softener changes. The same visit covers a few quick checks.
A tester arrives with a small kit, runs your cold kitchen tap and tests the sample in front of you. Then we look at where the water enters the house: whether there's a softener already, how old it is, and where a drain and an outlet are. You get a result card before we leave.
What we check at the tap
Hardness, in grains per gallon
Iron, which shows as orange stains
Chlorine, if you're on city water
pH, a measure of acid or alkaline
Total dissolved solids, a rough count of what's in the water
The visit
What happens, in order
- 01
You book
Pick a day on the form or by phone. Tell us whether you're on city water or a private well, and what you've noticed.
- 02
We test at the tap
About twenty minutes. We run the cold kitchen tap and test the sample while you watch.
- 03
We look at the house
Where the water enters, what's already there, and where a drain and an outlet would go if an install makes sense.
- 04
You get the card
A written result card with each number explained, and a plain recommendation, which may be to do nothing.
The result card
Reading your result card
Five lines, and what each one is for.
Hardness
Counted in grains per gallon. It's the calcium and magnesium in the water, and the number that decides how fast scale builds up. A softener is built to change this one.
Iron
Shows as orange or rust-brown stains in sinks, tubs and toilets, and sometimes a metallic taste. A softener can sometimes handle a small amount. A larger amount usually needs its own step, and we'll say which you have.
Chlorine
City water is treated with it, and you may smell it in a hot shower or taste it in a glass. A carbon filter is the usual choice if the taste or smell bothers you.
pH
A scale from 0 to 14: below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. Water far from neutral can wear on copper pipes over time. If yours is, we tell you what we see and what to ask about.
Total dissolved solids
A rough count of everything dissolved in the water, in parts per million. It doesn't say what the solids are, so on its own it tells you little. We use it as a pointer, not a verdict.
These are quick field checks, not a lab report. For lead, bacteria, nitrates or anything else a kit can't measure, send a sample to a lab. We'll tell you what to ask for.
Questions
About the test
How often should I retest?
Once after any install, and again if you notice a change: new stains, a new smell, or scale coming back. Water can also change from season to season, so some people retest each spring.
Can you test a well?
Yes, at your tap. We check hardness and iron on site. A well also needs a lab test for things a kit can't measure, and we'll tell you what to ask the lab for.
Is the test a lab report?
No. It's a field test at your tap. It's good for hardness, iron, chlorine and pH, and it tells us whether a softener or filter is worth talking about. It doesn't test for lead, bacteria or nitrates.
What if my hardness is low?
Then we tell you so, and leave the card with you. A low number means a softener won't change much.
Book a hardness test
Twenty minutes at your kitchen tap and a result card to keep. The test is free and comes with no obligation to hire us.