Water heater repair in Tempe, AZ

SRP canals, the CAP and Tempe's treatment plants

The City of Tempe operates its own water utility. Most of its supply comes from the Salt and Verde river reservoirs through the Salt River Project canal system, and the rest is Colorado River water delivered by the Central Arizona Project. Tempe treats that water at two plants: the Johnny G. Martinez Water Treatment Plant in north Tempe near Papago Park, and the South Tempe Water Treatment Plant. The city also operates wastewater and reclamation facilities, including the Kyrene water reclamation site in south Tempe.

Both river sources are mineral-heavy, and CAP water in particular has high total dissolved solids. Tempe residents see white scale on faucets and tile, and plumbers routinely pull several inches of crusty sediment out of the bottom of tanks that are only five or six years old. Water softeners are common, especially in south Tempe, but even softened homes need periodic heater maintenance.

ASU rentals, ranch homes and the Lakes

North Tempe surrounds the ASU campus. Neighborhoods such as Maple-Ash, Mitchell Park, Holdeman, Tempe Gardens and Riverside are filled with 1950s and 1960s block homes, many now rented to students. Heaters in these houses are typically in a garage, carport closet or interior utility closet, and older ones may sit on original galvanized or early copper lines.

Central Tempe from Broadway to the US 60 has 1960s and 1970s subdivisions like Kiwanis Park, Hughes Acres and Broadmor. Tempe's south side, including the Lakes, Warner Ranch, Lakeshore, and the neighborhoods near Kyrene and Corona del Sol schools, grew in the 1970s through 1990s with two-story stucco homes and garage tanks. Downtown and the Tempe Town Lake area add high-rise condos and apartment buildings with central systems or small electric units.

The student rental market means a lot of heaters that are not watched closely. Four or five roommates sharing one 40-gallon tank put heavy demand on it, and maintenance often waits until something stops working.

What 115°F summers do to a heater

Tempe summers bring long stretches above 110°F, and a closed garage can exceed 120°F. Heat breaks down gas valve diaphragms, igniter wiring, rubber gaskets and the plastic parts on tankless units mounted on south- or west-facing walls. Electronic control boards on newer heaters are particularly vulnerable.

Cold water from the main also arrives very warm in summer, sometimes so warm that the cold tap runs warm for a minute. Heaters run less, which is good, but sediment keeps building. In winter, inlet water drops into the upper 50s, and that is when families notice that a heavily scaled tank no longer has the capacity it used to. Monsoon storms in July through September bring dust, flooding and power outages that can stall tankless and power-vent equipment.

The problems plumbers see most in Tempe

• Thick scale and sediment in tanks, causing popping noises and lost capacity.
• Clogged tankless heat exchangers on Tempe's hard water.
• Leaking tanks in ASU rentals that have not been serviced in years.
• Heat-damaged gas controls and igniters in closed garages.
• Failed relief valves crusted shut by mineral deposits.
• Corroded fittings on older galvanized lines in north Tempe homes.

Typical water heater prices in Tempe

Phoenix-area labor rates are moderate, and Tempe is in the middle of that range. Rental turnover work, older galvanized connections and scale-packed tanks that need extra time to drain are the main reasons a Tempe job lands at the higher end. The crackle a Tempe tank makes is mineral rock shifting under the flame, and our guide to flushing a loud tank covers how it gets cleared.

Arizona ROC licensing and Tempe permits

Arizona has no standalone plumbing board; the Registrar of Contractors in Phoenix issues and polices every plumbing contractor license in the state. Look for a residential or dual plumbing license, and confirm it on the ROC website, which also shows bonding and complaint history. Arizona's handyman exemption is limited, so a water heater replacement should be done by a licensed contractor.

The City of Tempe Community Development Department, through its building safety division, issues permits for water heater replacement. Inspectors look at the vent, the gas connection, the temperature and pressure relief line and its termination, and the seismic or anti-tip installation where required. If you are a landlord, permitted work leaves a record that protects you if a tenant ever has a water damage claim.

SRP, Southwest Gas and energy choices

Salt River Project provides electricity to most of Tempe, and Southwest Gas supplies natural gas. Many Tempe homes run gas tanks, though some north Tempe rentals and condos use electric tanks. Salt River Project has run heat pump water heater rebates in some years, and a Tempe garage that sits near 100°F most of the summer gives such a unit warm air to pull from while taking a little edge off the heat. Time-of-use rate plans can also change when an electric heater is cheapest to run.

Dealing with Tempe's hard water

On a Tempe tank, pulling a bucket of water off the drain spigot each quarter, plus a complete flush every twelve months, keeps the rock layer from hardening. A softener or a scale-reduction system on the cold line can slow the buildup significantly. For tankless units, descaling once a year is the standard recommendation on Tempe water, and installers should include service valves so it can be done without cutting pipe.

A south Tempe house with a salt-based softener eats through magnesium anodes quicker than an unsoftened one, so pull and look at the rod on a shorter cycle. A worn anode means the tank itself starts to corrode, and replacing the rod costs much less than replacing the heater.

Repair or replace in Tempe

Many Tempe tanks reach only eight to ten years because of scale and heat. If the tank is younger than about seven years, replacing a gas valve, igniter or relief valve is usually worth it. If the tank is leaking from the bottom, rumbling loudly even after a flush, or more than ten years old, plan for a replacement. In student rentals, landlords often replace aging tanks during summer turnover rather than risk a leak in the middle of the semester. If water is already pooling on the garage slab, leaking water heater lists what to shut off first.

Around Tempe

Mesa to the east and Chandler to the south each run their own water utilities and permit offices. Scottsdale to the north draws on CAP and SRP supplies with its own treatment plants. Guadalupe, a small town tucked against Tempe's southwest side, has its own town government. Ahwatukee, across Interstate 10, is part of the City of Phoenix and gets Phoenix water and Phoenix permits. Gilbert further southeast has its own water and building departments.

Water heater questions from Tempe