A flat city that collects water
Avondale lies on the low, flat floor of the West Valley, southwest of Phoenix near the Agua Fria and Gila rivers. Much of the city grew quickly from the 2000s on, with tract subdivisions spread across former farm and desert land. The flatness is the first thing that matters for water damage. There is little slope to carry water away, so after a heavy summer storm, runoff moves slowly, collects in streets and low yards, and can reach garage doors, front entries and back patio doors.
We do not often see dramatic flooding in homes here, but we do see water that enters in a thin sheet at a threshold, soaks the carpet or tile near the door, wicks into the bottom of the wall and runs under baseboards. The visible part looks minor. The wet part can be much larger.
The soil and the water
Avondale's soil is mostly fine desert alluvium with low organic content. Rainwater does not soak in quickly, particularly where the surface has crusted over or where caliche layers sit below. Landscaping rock and compacted yards shed water toward the house, instead of away from it, when grading is slightly off. When irrigation lines break or sprinklers run for too long, water pools against slabs in the same way.
Two kinds of water damage here
Storm water from outside. Entering at a garage door, a slider, an entry or an air vent. This water is dirtier than a plumbing leak because it has traveled over soil, yards and pavement. Whether it is treated as clean or contaminated depends on how long it sat and what it passed through, and we assess it before deciding how to clean it.
Plumbing water from inside. Supply lines, valves, water heaters, shower and tub fixtures, appliance hoses and AC condensate lines. These are more common than storms in a typical year.
Which one you have changes the work. See emergency water extraction for how we handle standing water of either kind.
What the houses are like
Many homes in Avondale were built in the 2000s and 2010s, with some older neighborhoods in the original townsite and near the historic center. Newer houses are mostly slab-on-grade, one or two stories, with tile throughout the ground floor and carpet upstairs. Many have large master bathrooms with showers, soaking tubs and multi-head fixtures, laundry rooms and kitchens with built-in appliances.
Those features are the source of many calls. A shower pan that was not waterproofed correctly, or a tile shower where the grout has aged, can leak into the wall and the floor below for a long time. Tub drains and overflow connections fail. Multi-jet shower valves involve a lot of plumbing in a small wall cavity. A leak there is hard to see and shows up as a stain on a ceiling or a damp spot on a bedroom wall.
Common calls
- Shower pan and tub leaks that reach the floor and the room next door.
- Storm water at doors and garages after monsoon storms.
- Water heater failures in garages and closets. See water heater flood cleanup.
- Supply line and valve leaks under sinks and behind toilets.
- AC condensate overflow soaking ceilings and attic insulation.
- Irrigation or broken line water reaching the foundation.
- Roof leaks after a heavy storm, where tile roofs have a failed underlayment or a flashing issue.
How we approach an Avondale job
Step 1: find the edge of the wet area
Water that came in at a door does not stop at the door. We use moisture readings and thermal imaging along the walls and floors to see how far it went. See moisture mapping.
Step 2: extract, remove and dry
We remove standing water, take off baseboards to open the wall bottoms, and pull wet carpet pad. Drywall at the base of a wall is often wet higher than it looks. Dehumidifiers and air movers do the drying. See structural drying.
Step 3: record the loss
We photograph the water entry point, the affected rooms and the readings. If the cause is a storm, we note it. If it is a plumbing failure, we note the source and the plumber's findings.
Drywall and baseboards
In Avondale houses, the baseboard and the lower edge of the drywall are the first places to absorb water. Baseboards swell and can mold behind. Drywall wicks upward. We use a moisture meter to find the height where the wall returns to normal and, if it is wet and swollen, cut out a clean strip above that line rather than a random hole. Clean cuts are easier for a contractor to patch. See controlled demolition and material removal.
Before the next storm
A few steps reduce the odds of storm water entering.
- Check that downspouts and gutters, where present, drain away from the foundation.
- Keep the grade around the house sloping away from the walls.
- Clear drains and catch basins on your property.
- Check garage door seals and slider thresholds.
- Move valuables off the floor in rooms near doors.
- Sandbags can help for a known low spot.
If water does come in, stay away from electrical items, photograph it from a dry place and call.
Insurance questions
Homeowner policies typically cover rain that enters through a damaged roof or opening, but flood water from rising ground water or surface water is usually excluded and requires separate flood insurance. The line between rain and flood is a legal and policy question, and we cannot answer it. We document the entry point and the source so that the claim has the facts. Ask your agent about your coverage before the storm season.
Occupied homes and families
Avondale is a community of families, commuters and first-time buyers. A job here usually happens in a house where people live. We keep the work areas contained, explain which rooms to avoid, and plan the drying around the household. We try to be clear about timelines so that you can plan work and school.
Mold after storm water
When storm water soaks carpet and drywall and the area is not dried within a day or two, mold becomes a concern. If the house smells musty, or the wet area was left for a few days, an inspection is a good step. See mold inspection and assessment.
Where in Avondale
Old Town Avondale, near Western Avenue and the historic center, has older homes and small commercial buildings with a different character from the rest of the city. Garden Lakes and the established neighborhoods north of McDowell Road have 1990s homes. Coldwater Springs, Rancho Santa Fe and the south side near the Gila River have 2000s tract homes. And around the Avondale Boulevard and Loop 101 corridor, there are shopping centers, warehouses and light industrial buildings.
Tell us which part of the city you are in and the rough age of the house. It tells us what plumbing and construction to expect.
Why tile is not a guarantee
Many Avondale homes have tile on the ground floor, and it is common to assume that tile is waterproof. The tile and grout are water-resistant, but the layers under them are not. If water gets under the tile through a crack, a failed grout line or a leak in the slab, it can sit between the tile and the concrete and keep the area damp. We check by taking readings and by listening, tapping and looking for loosened tile. If the slab is still wet, a dry floor surface can be misleading. See hardwood and tile floor drying.
Carport and garage conversions
Some Avondale houses have had garages converted into rooms, or additions built without the same drainage as the original house. A converted garage floor may sit a little lower than the rest of the house or have thin insulation, and it is a likely place for storm water to collect. If you have a conversion, tell us, because the floor and wall construction may differ from the rest of the house.
Questions from Avondale homeowners
Water came in under my garage door. Is the house wet?
Possibly. The water can travel into the wall bottoms and under flooring. We take readings.
Is storm water dirty?
It can be. We assess how long it sat and what it touched before choosing how to clean.
Does my homeowner's policy cover this?
Ask your insurer. Rain and flood are treated differently.
Can the tile stay?
Tile on a slab usually can, once the slab and the area beneath are dry.