Water Softener in Avondale, AZ

Local conditions first

The City of Avondale serves most of the city with a blend of well water from the West Salt River Valley aquifer and Colorado River water delivered under an agreement with Phoenix. The city also uses SRP and CAP water and recharges SRP water at the Agua Fria and McDowell Road basins. It disinfects with free chlorine. The city's report we reviewed doesn't state a hardness number, so we won't guess one.

Some Avondale addresses are served by Liberty Litchfield Park for both water and wastewater. Liberty customers should read Liberty's report. Either way, a tap test before you buy settles how much capacity you need.

Comparing your options

Signs to look for

• Scale ridges inside the toilet tank and on the flapper
• Showerheads with plugged nozzles
• Water heater sediment that crunches when the tank is drained
• Spots on dark cars and outdoor windows

Timing and seasonal notes

The hottest months are hard on equipment in a garage. Keep the control valve out of direct sun and away from the water heater flue. If you're adding a loop to a house that doesn't have one, a cooler month is a better time to have the main opened up. Avondale Development Services lists water heaters among minor plumbing work reviewed over the counter; for a softener that changes piping, ask the plumber to check what the city requires. The city has also inventoried service lines to find lead and galvanized lines, including pre-1990 services, so an older home's main is worth a look while the plumber's there. Program the valve to your tested number and recheck after a few weeks of use.

When you call, have your water bill handy so the plumber knows whether you're a City or Liberty customer, and mention whether a softener loop already exists. If you're replacing an older unit, note its age and whether salt is still being used. That tells the plumber whether a repair, a reprogram or a full replacement is the likely outcome, and whether a carbon tank belongs in the same visit.