From Instruments Direct, a pack of individual hardness test strips designed for measuring the calcium and magnesium mineral levels in the water. The water hardness test strips are made from a thin plastic material and a tip treated with a chemical that changes colour when immersed in water. These testing strips are easy to use and provide accurate results within 10 seconds.

The water in an area can be described as soft, moderately soft, slightly hard, moderately hard, hard or very hard. The hardness category you have will depend largely on the geology of the ground below you. Areas with non-porous rock (such as granite) generally have soft water. This is because rainwater cannot penetrate the rock and the water stays soft. Likewise, areas with porous rock (such as limestone or chalk) generally have hard water. This is because the water picks up particles of magnesium and calcium which remain in the water all the way through the treatment process.

Water hardness is measured by the number or of mineral deposits in your water in ppm (Parts per Million). A soft water area would have under 60 ppm while a hard water area would see readings of 180 ppm plus. The official measurement is ppm in a litre of water.

• Take a single testing strip and hold the test end under in a sample or a stream of running water
• Remove the strip from the sample or running water and carefully shake off any excess liquid.
• Expose the indicator tip to the air and wait for a few seconds for it to change colour
• Compare the test tip with the supplied colour chart.
• The full range scale 0, 50, 125, 250 and 500 ppm (soft – hard- very hard)

• Accurate, rapid results
• Easy and simple to use
• Dip and read in seconds
• Supplied in a re-sealable bag
• 50 disposable single-use strips

Detecting the water hardness levels in your area is extremely useful. If you happen to work or reside in a hard water area you may need to take extra care of domestic, commercial and industrial equipment and machinery. Hard water deposits known as limescale can build up on the elements, drums and moving parts, which in time can cause damage, costly repairs and eventually failure. The addition of anti-limescale cleaners can help slow down this process. Some of the more common areas to watch are

• Laundrettes – washing machines and steam irons and presses
• Commercial kitchens – kettles and dishwashers
• Aquariums - limescale on pumps, filters and tubing

Colour chart