All our guides

Choosing a softener

What size, which type, and whether to rent or buy.

• Choosing the best water softener for ArizonaWhat to look for in a water softener for hard Arizona water, compared on published specs: capacity, metered valve, NSF/ANSI 44 and warranty.
• Renting vs buying a water softenerRent or buy a water softener in Phoenix? A no-sales look at what each includes, the contract terms to check, and which suits renters, short stays and owners.
• Reverse osmosis in PhoenixReverse osmosis for Phoenix drinking water: what it removes, how it differs from a softener, and the certification to check. Independent, no sales.
• Salt-free vs salt water softenerSalt-free water softener or salt-based for Phoenix hard water? What each really does, by the numbers, with no product to push. How to choose.
• Water softener for an apartmentWant a water softener for an apartment in Phoenix? What renters can do without plumbing, what shower filters really remove, and how to ask your landlord.
• What size water softener do I need?Water softener size chart for Phoenix-area homes, built from each city's published hardness: grain capacity by household, recharge days and salt a year.

Installing and owning a softener

Fitting it, setting it, salt, recharging and repairs.

• How often should a water softener regenerate?How often a water softener should regenerate in Valley water, worked out from your city's figure. Timer vs metered valves, and fixes for recharging too often.
• Outdoor water softener in ArizonaCan a water softener be installed outside in Phoenix? What manufacturers' heat, sun and freeze limits say, and how covers, enclosures and garages fit in.
• Water softener drain lineWater softener drain line basics from the manuals: tubing size, run length, the air gap, septic systems, and who sets discharge rules in Phoenix.
• Water softener hardness setting by cityThe hardness setting for Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and more, from each utility's own figure, plus how to change it on your softener.
• Water softener installation in PhoenixWe don't install or sell softeners. What a Phoenix installation really involves, DIY or plumber, and the questions to ask any installer before you sign.
• Water softener leakingWater softener leaking in your Phoenix garage? Use the bypass first, then find the source: tank, brine tank, drain line, overflow or valve. Plus noises.
• Water softener loopWhat a water softener loop is, how to tell if your Phoenix home has one, a simple diagram, and what installing on a loop, or adding one, involves.
• Water softener repair or replace?Water softener not working? Five free checks before you pay for service, which faults are worth repairing, and when replacing makes more sense.
• Water softener salt guideWhich water softener salt to buy, and how many 40 lb bags a Phoenix home really uses, worked out from your city's hardness. Plus how to stop salt bridges.

Hard water problems

Spots, scale, water heaters and what softening changes.

• Does a water softener add sodium?A softener adds about 8 mg/L of sodium per grain removed (University of Nebraska–Lincoln). What that means in Phoenix, Chandler or Surprise water.
• Hard water and tankless water heatersWhat Phoenix's hard water does to tankless water heaters, how descaling works, and what a softener changes. Plain advice from a site that sells nothing.
• How long do water heaters last in Arizona?How long do water heaters last in Arizona? The DOE puts tank heaters at 10 to 15 years. How Phoenix hard water, flushing and the anode rod affect yours.
• How often should you drain your pool in ArizonaHow often should you drain your pool in Arizona? Why calcium builds up, what to test, and the City of Phoenix rules on where pool water can and can't go.
• How to remove hard water stainsHow to remove hard water stains from shower glass, faucets, toilets and dishes with vinegar or citric acid, and how to stop white spots coming back.
• Is a water softener bad for plants?Is a water softener bad for plants? Its sodium harms desert soil over time. What Arizona and other extension experts advise for Valley lawns and gardens.
• Swamp cooler calcium buildupSwamp cooler calcium buildup comes from Phoenix's hard water evaporating on the pads. Bleed-off, pad changes and cleaning steps from cooler makers.

Arizona water

How hard Valley water is, whether it's safe, and where our figures come from.

• How we get our dataThe public water utilities behind our Phoenix-area hardness figures, the kind of data each publishes, what it measured and when we last checked it.
• Is Arizona tap water safe to drink?Is Arizona tap water safe to drink? What each utility says about its own water in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, Sedona, Flagstaff, Prescott and more.
• Is Phoenix tap water safe to drink?Is Phoenix tap water safe to drink? The City of Phoenix's own words on meeting federal and state standards, and why hard water isn't a health risk.
• Phoenix water hardness by cityYes: Phoenix water is 10 to 17.6 grains per gallon. Compare official hardness figures for Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and more.
• Tucson water hardnessTucson water hardness in Tucson Water's own words, plus Oro Valley, Marana and Metro Water figures and how to find your number for a water softener.
• Water testing in PhoenixWater testing in Phoenix: how home hardness strips read, when to use an Arizona licensed lab, and why a free in-home test is usually a sales step.

Cities

Hardness, softener size and dial setting for each place: see the city pages on the home page, or compare them all in the hardness by city table.