The water coming out of your tap in Ocala is generally safe, clean, and delicious, but it's also hard. Really hard. Marion County sits on top of the Floridan Aquifer, which is loaded with dissolved calcium and magnesium picked up from the limestone below Florida.
How hard is Ocala water?
Most city connections in Ocala test between 15 and 20 grains per gallon, which the water industry classifies as "very hard." Well water can go higher, and often adds iron and sulfur to the party.
What hard water does
- Scales up water heaters (cuts efficiency by 20 to 30% after a few years)
- Shortens tankless water heater life dramatically if not treated
- Clogs fixtures, especially shower heads and faucet aerators
- Leaves spots on glassware and streaks on shower doors
- Makes soap and shampoo perform worse
- Can dry out skin and hair
How to fix it
A properly sized water softener solves almost all of it. We test your water on-site and size the unit to your household's usage and the actual hardness of your specific supply. For well water with iron or sulfur, we add pre-treatment.
If you're on a budget, a whole-home softener is usually $1,800 to $2,800 installed. Tankless water heater owners: a softener plus annual descaling will double the life of your unit.