Where spots come from
- Indoor glass and fixtures: calcium and magnesium left when water dries.
- Windows, screens, cars: often sprinkler water from irrigation wells.
- Inside appliances: scale in water heaters, kettles and ice makers over time.
Pool owners also see scale lines at the waterline, though pool chemistry, evaporation and fill water all play a part, so that is a separate conversation.
Kettles and coffee makers show scale first, because heating water drives minerals out of solution. If you descale often, note how often; that frequency is a useful, practical measure of how much hardness affects your household and helps you judge whether a softener is worth it.
What 100-120 mg/L means
That is roughly 6 to 7 grains per gallon. The Village's FAQ calls 100 mg/L or less soft and 200 mg/L or more hard, so Tequesta sits at the low end of the middle. You will see spots if water dries on glass, but scale builds more slowly than in harder areas.
The Village's finished water is a blend of directly filtered surficial water and RO-treated Floridan water. RO water is very low in minerals, while the filtered surficial water carries more; the blend explains why Tequesta lands at moderate hardness rather than very soft or hard.
Softener vs. conditioner
- Ion-exchange softener: removes hardness minerals; spots and scale drop noticeably. See softeners in Tequesta.
- Salt-free conditioner: changes how minerals behave but does not remove them, so spots can remain.
Compare salt-free vs. ion exchange.
With moderate hardness, a properly programmed softener regenerates less often and uses less salt than in harder areas. Ask how it will be set for your measured hardness and household size.
Low-cost fixes first
- Squeegee shower glass after use.
- Use a dishwasher rinse aid.
- Clean faucet aerators periodically.
- Point sprinklers away from windows and screens.
For existing deposits, a cleaner made for mineral scale removes most spots from glass and chrome; check the fixture maker's guidance first, especially for natural stone and specialty finishes.
Businesses
Ice machines, coffee equipment and dishwashers feel moderate hardness more than people do. Restaurants and offices should test at the equipment's supply line and decide based on service intervals, not appearance.
Ask your equipment service company what hardness level it recommends for the machines you run; that number, compared with your test, tells you whether softening makes sense.
Test before buying
Jorge measures hardness and TDS for free and tells you honestly whether softening is worth it. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
You keep the numbers whether or not you buy, and they let you compare any quote you get against your actual water.
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist