Hard Water
Dallas tap water carries about 8 to 9 grains of hardness per gallon. Those minerals leave scale inside dishwashers, washers and ice makers. Over time, scale clogs valves and spray arms, coats heating elements and shortens appliance life. Simple habits slow it down, and some damage needs a repair.
Dallas Water Utilities' 2024 water quality report puts city water at about 8 to 9 grains per gallon. One grain per gallon equals about 17.1 milligrams per liter, so that is roughly 137 to 154 mg/L.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses this scale:
| Hardness | Milligrams per liter |
|---|---|
| Soft | 0 to 60 |
| Moderately hard | 61 to 120 |
| Hard | 121 to 180 |
| Very hard | Over 180 |
Nearby cities vary. The North Texas Municipal Water District, which supplies Plano, Frisco and Allen, reported hardness up to 165 ppm in 2024. Arlington tests at about 7.9 grains per gallon.
Scale builds slowly, so these signs creep up over months. Catching them early keeps a cleaning job from becoming a parts job.
See our dishwasher repair, washer repair and ice maker repair pages for more detail.
You don't need one, but it helps. A softener removes most of the calcium and magnesium that form scale. That protects appliances, faucets and your water heater.
Mayfair Enterprises doesn't sell or install softeners, so we have no stake in the choice. If you skip one, the habits above do most of the work. Plan on more frequent descaling, especially for dishwashers.
Cleaning stops working once scale has clogged a part. These are the usual hard water repairs:
Slow filling or small ice even after cleaning? Call Sam at 214-406-5754 or Reese at 269-227-0382. We'll test the valve and tell you what it needs.
Over time, it shortens their life. Hard water leaves mineral scale on the heating element, spray arms, filter and inlet valve. Dishes come out cloudy, filling slows and the heater works harder. Regular filter cleaning, rinse aid and descaling slow the damage a lot.
It is not required, but it helps. Dallas water at about 8 to 9 grains per gallon leaves visible scale in appliances. A softener cuts that buildup. Without one, clean filters, use rinse aid and descale your dishwasher and washer a few times a year.
Small, hollow or cloudy cubes are the most common sign. White flakes in the ice or a slow fill are others. Scale narrows the inlet valve screen and fill tube, so less water reaches the mold. Start by replacing the fridge water filter.
Get Started
Call or WhatsApp us between 8 AM and 8 PM, any day of the week. For a flooding washer, a dead freezer or an AC that quit in July, call any time.
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