The water softener professionals at Butler Water Systems have been servicing the area in and around Cincinnati, Ohio for over 40 years. As such, they know a thing or two about dealing with hard water, and how to find out if you have hard water in your home or facility. For those who might be unaware, hard water has an abnormally high mineral content level, and is formed when “water percolates through deposits of calcium and magnesium-containing minerals such as limestone, chalk and dolomite.” While drinking hard water won't put you in danger, hard water does pose a threat to your home or facility, and water softening is strongly recommended.

Here is how you can easily check for hard water:

• Get a bottle with a cap and fill it halfway with water. After putting the cap on, shake the water, then remove the cap and dump the water out.
• Repeat this step, except this time add a half-dozen drops of liquid dish soap (any brand should do). However, after you remove the cap, wait before dumping the water out.
• If the bottle suddenly overflows with soapy suds, your water is not hard water. If the suds don't overflow, you potentially have hard water. The rule of thumb is that the longer it takes shaking the bottle for the bubbles to form, the harder your water is.

If you find you're a victim of hard water, consult Butler Water Systems by calling (513) 867-5700. Additionally, if you're looking for a reverse osmosis system, water filters, or water purifiers, visit the company's website to learn more.