You wipe the shower glass, turn around, and the white film is already back. Welcome to Central Florida, where tap water can meet every safety rule and still be hard on your faucets, dishes and water heater.
A free in-home water test is a quick way to find out what is actually going on. It is not a lab report and it is not a sales lecture. It is five simple readings taken at your tap and explained in plain English, in about 20 minutes. This guide covers exactly what is checked, how to read your numbers, and what the test can’t tell you.
What a free in-home water test is
It is a free, no-obligation check done at your home by a Brita Pro water specialist, at a time you choose. It answers the questions homeowners actually ask: Why is there scale on everything? Why does the water smell like a pool? Where are these orange stains coming from?
- About 20 minutes, tested on the spot at your tap.
- Five readings: hardness, iron, chlorine, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS).
- Each number is explained in plain language, and you keep a written copy of your results.
Brita Pro of Central Florida is a family-owned business based in Longwood, installing water treatment in Florida since 1986.
What we check, and why it matters in Central Florida
Most Central Florida tap water starts underground in the Floridan Aquifer, which runs through limestone. That is why so many homes here notice white scale on showerheads, spots on glasses, soap that won’t lather, orange staining on well water, and a chlorine taste or smell on city water. You can see typical ranges by county on our Central Florida hard water map. The five readings in this test are the ones behind those everyday problems.
Hardness (calcium and magnesium)
Hardness is the “scale” number. The higher it is, the more mineral buildup you get on fixtures, glass and the inside of your water heater and dishwasher, and the harder it is to get soap to rinse clean.
Iron
Iron is the usual cause of orange or rust-colored staining in sinks, toilets and laundry. The EPA lists its noticeable effects as a rusty color, sediment, a metallic taste and reddish or orange staining. It turns up most often in private well water.
Chlorine
City utilities add chlorine or chloramine on purpose to keep water free of germs on its way to your home. That is normal and regulated. The reading shows how much reaches your tap, which helps explain a pool-like taste or smell. If that is your main complaint, our guide to why Florida tap water can taste weird goes deeper.
pH
pH tells you how acidic or alkaline the water is. According to the EPA, low pH can cause a bitter metallic taste and corrosion, while high pH can leave a slippery feel, a soda taste and deposits.
Total dissolved solids (TDS)
TDS is the total amount of minerals, salts and metals dissolved in the water. It is a broad indicator, not a list of contaminants: a high number does not automatically mean “bad”, and a low number does not automatically mean “perfect”. The EPA links high TDS to hardness, deposits, staining and a salty taste.
How to read your numbers
Your written results show all five readings. Here is how to compare them with published reference points.
Hardness: mg/L and grains per gallon
Hardness is shown in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or grains per gallon (gpg). Water softeners are usually set in gpg. The U.S. Geological Survey gives the conversion, 1 gpg = 17.1 mg/L, and classifies hardness like this:
- Soft: 0 to 60 mg/L (up to about 3.5 gpg)
- Moderately hard: 61 to 120 mg/L (about 3.6 to 7 gpg)
- Hard: 121 to 180 mg/L (about 7.1 to 10.5 gpg)
- Very hard: above 180 mg/L (above about 10.5 gpg)
To convert your own result, divide mg/L by 17.1 to get gpg, or multiply gpg by 17.1 to get mg/L.
Iron, pH, TDS and chlorine
| Reading | Reference point | What kind of limit it is |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.3 mg/L | EPA secondary guideline (taste, color, staining) |
| pH | 6.5 to 8.5 | EPA secondary guideline (taste, corrosion, deposits) |
| TDS | 500 mg/L | EPA secondary guideline (taste, deposits, staining) |
| Chlorine / chloramine | 4 mg/L maximum | EPA limit for disinfectant in public water |
The iron, pH and TDS figures are EPA secondary drinking water standards. They are non-enforceable guidelines for taste, odor and appearance, and the EPA says these substances are not considered a health risk at those levels. The chlorine figure is the maximum residual disinfectant level in the EPA’s national primary drinking water regulations, the ceiling utilities must stay under.
One number rarely tells the whole story. What matters is whether the readings match what you see and taste at home, and whether you are on city water or a well. If your numbers look fine and you have no problems, we will tell you that.
City water vs well water
City water
City water is treated and disinfected before it reaches you, so the usual concerns are chlorine (taste and smell) and hardness (scale and spots). Good questions to ask during the visit: Is my hardness in the “hard” or “very hard” range? Is chlorine behind the taste I’m noticing?
Well water
A private well is your own responsibility, and its water varies from one property to the next. The usual concerns are iron (orange staining) and hardness (scale), and the two can show up together. Chlorine is normally absent unless the well is already being treated. A rotten-egg smell is hydrogen sulfide, which this test does not measure. Our guide to removing sulfur smell from water covers that problem.
The Florida Department of Health recommends testing private wells for bacteria and nitrate at least once a year. The in-home test does not cover those, so pair it with an annual lab test.
What an in-home test does not replace
This test checks hardness, iron, chlorine, pH and TDS, and nothing else. It does not replace a certified lab test for bacteria, lead or nitrate. Those need a state-certified laboratory and can’t be confirmed with an at-the-tap screening. Your county health department can explain how to collect a sample and where to send it.
Based on the Florida Department of Health’s guidance, test a well sooner if:
- the water’s color, taste or smell changes
- someone may have become ill from drinking it
- a new well has been drilled or work has been done on the well
- a flood has affected the well
For everyday problems such as scale, staining and taste, the in-home test is the quickest way to see what you are dealing with.
What happens after the test
- The specialist takes the five readings at your tap.
- You get your written results.
- Each number is explained in plain language, and your questions are answered.
- You decide what, if anything, to do next.
If the results look fine, we say so and you keep the report. If a reading explains a real problem, the specialist walks you through the options and why each would or wouldn’t help. Brita Pro of Central Florida installs whole-house water filtration, water softeners, well water treatment for iron and hardness, and under-sink reverse osmosis drinking water systems, and repairs all major brands of softener. Every system is set up for the home’s own water, measured on installation day. Installation is done by factory-trained technicians, usually takes under two hours, and comes with a lifetime manufacturer warranty that transfers to the next homeowner.
Book your free water test
The free in-home water test is available in Orange, Seminole, Lake, Volusia, Brevard and Osceola counties. It is free with no obligation, takes about 20 minutes at your tap, and you keep a written copy of your results.
Book your free in-home water test online or call 407-634-4345. Se habla español.
Before the visit, it helps to know whether you are on city water or a private well, and to jot down what you have noticed: spots, scale, staining, taste or smell.
Brita Pro of Central Florida
1608 N Ronald Reagan Blvd, Longwood, FL 32750
407-634-4345
Frequently asked questions
Is the water test really free?
Yes. It is free with no obligation, and you keep a written copy of your results. If your numbers look fine, we tell you so.
How long does the free in-home water test take?
About 20 minutes, tested on the spot at your tap.
What does the test measure?
Five things only: hardness, iron, chlorine, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS).
Is it the same as a lab test?
No. It does not test for bacteria, lead or nitrate. For those, use a state-certified lab or ask your county health department. The Florida Department of Health recommends private well owners test for bacteria and nitrate at least once a year.
Does a high TDS reading mean my water is unsafe?
Not necessarily. TDS measures everything dissolved in the water without identifying what it is. The EPA’s 500 mg/L figure for TDS is a taste and appearance guideline, not a health limit.
Will I be pressured to buy something?
No. The specialist explains your results and your options. If nothing needs fixing, you are told that.
