Plumbing Inspection in Surprise, AZ

Surprise conditions

Surprise has some of the youngest housing in the West Valley. Census-based figures put the median home at about 2004, with only about 3% of units built before 1980. That means first-generation water heaters, pressure regulators and fixture valves in many neighborhoods are now reaching the age where they need attention.

Water and sewer depend on the address. The City of Surprise serves much of the city and owns most of the wastewater system, but not every resident is on city service. EPCOR provides water or wastewater to some residents, and the City of El Mirage serves water to the Original Town Site. The city's address lookup shows your drinking water provider, and that tells you whose water quality report and rules apply.

Repair or replace

Signs to act on

• An inspection deadline in your purchase contract
• A water heater that still has the builder's label from the 2000s
• Toilets that run or rock
• Low pressure at one fixture or high pressure banging in the pipes
• Wet spots in the yard near the irrigation valves

Timing notes

Schedule the plumber early in the inspection period so there's room for a follow-up. Before summer, it's worth checking outdoor hose bibs and irrigation lines, which take a beating in the heat. Permits for any follow-up work go through the City of Surprise Community Development Department.

Ask the plumber to name the provider for the address in the report, since the City of Surprise, EPCOR and El Mirage each publish their own water quality reports and run their own programs. In a newer house the findings list is often short, but items such as a missing drain pan under a garage water heater or a waterlogged expansion tank are worth fixing before they cause damage. Builder-grade toilet fill valves and faucet cartridges also tend to wear out as a house reaches its second decade.