Q: Is there any way to keep sediment and calcium from building up in your water heater except for installing a water softener?
A: No there isn’t, especially not in the Tucson area. The problem is that Tucson is at the end of the supply line for Central Arizona Project water. So by the time that water reaches Tucson, there has been a lot of evaporation; that, of course, leaves the CAP water much harder. Then that water is mixed with ground water which is even harder. The only way to handle the problem is by installing a water softener. Water softening can benefit your water heater as well as other equipment and appliances in your home, like your dishwasher, clothes washer and faucets and fixtures.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
