If you’re noticing a film on your skin, dishes that don’t look clean, soap build-up on your clothing, or have drinking water with a metallic taste, you may.

First, it’s important to understand what hard water is: it’s water that has extra minerals in it, like limestone, magnesium and more. It’s not dangerous for you, but hard water can cause a bad hair day, dry out your skin, or in the case of your home, cause an appliance to wear out faster. Soap scum and scale deposits are often the culprits for spotty water glasses after a full cycle in the dishwasher. In addition, it can slow down your water heater’s heating function. Hard water can be, well, hard on all of your appliances.

If you suspect you have hard water, the first step is to test it to confirm the issue. You can either purchase a water hardness test strip from a hardware store or contact a testing company. The results will determine the best next steps. Often people choose to condition their water or to install a whole-house water softener.