Windgate Ranch, Scottsdale
Water Damage Restoration in Windgate Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ
The city's Gateway Trailhead sits at the entrance to Windgate Ranch, and most homes in its Census tract date from 2000 to 2019. Watch slow leaks, mold and water heaters, and know what to do first when water gets in.
ZIP code
85255
Median year built (Census)
2009
Drive from City Hall
About 14.0 miles
Homes built 2000 to 2019 (Census)
89.8%
About Windgate Ranch
Windgate Ranch is a North Scottsdale neighborhood, 14.0 driving miles from Scottsdale City Hall. Preserve Commission minutes place the city's Gateway Trailhead, at 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy, at the entrance to Windgate Ranch. A 2012 Toll Brothers guide describes a master plan with Old World hacienda-style architecture.
Slow leaks behind the baseboard: how mold starts in a newer home
Water that soaks a baseboard or the drywall behind it can grow mold if the area stays damp. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items in 24 to 48 hours.
In the Census tract that holds Windgate Ranch, 89.8 percent of homes were built from 2000 to 2019. The median build year is 2009, so a typical home is about 17 years old. The tract is wider than Windgate Ranch itself, so these numbers describe the tract.
Slow leaks from a fixture, a supply line or a window seal can wet a baseboard for weeks before a stain shows. Look for peeling paint, dark spots, and a puddle or soft patch at the base of a wall.
The EPA says the key to mold control is moisture control. It advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. The EPA guide to mold and moisture has the basics.
See mold remediation and mold after water damage for how it is handled.
Water heaters past the five-year mark
An IBHS study found the chance a water heater leaks or bursts begins to rise sharply at 5 years old. In the Census tract that holds Windgate Ranch, the median home was built in 2009.
A heater in a home of that age may be past 5 years. Find out how old yours is. Look at the pan and the floor around it for damp spots, rust or a drip.
A 2012 Toll Brothers community guide lists the City of Scottsdale for water, sewer and trash in Windgate Ranch. The guide is dated, so confirm with your bill. The city puts hardness north of Chaparral Road at 13 to 17 grains per gallon, and USGS says scale from heated hard water can build up inside a heater.
If the heater leaks, close its cold water valve and call a plumber. For shutoff basics, read emergency water shutoff in Scottsdale.
At the Preserve's front door: Gateway Trailhead and runoff
Preserve Commission draft minutes from 2017 place the Gateway Trailhead at the entrance to Windgate Ranch. The minutes say development surrounds the trailhead on three sides.
Gateway Trailhead
The city's trailhead is at 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy and has water and restrooms. The 2017 minutes call it the most visible thing in the Preserve.
Preserve land next door
The McDowell Sonoran Preserve covers more than 30,500 acres, the city says. Rain that falls on open desert has to go somewhere, so check where it runs along your lot.
Flood zone at the center
At the center of the community, 14.0 miles from City Hall, FEMA's flood map shows zone X, a 0.2 percent annual chance flood hazard outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. Check your own address, since zones are mapped lot by lot.
AC running all summer? The condensate drain is the leak you do not see
Phoenix averages 111 days a year at or above 100 degrees, the National Weather Service says. An EPA heating and cooling checklist warns that a plugged AC drain can cause water damage in the house.
The average last 100 degree day in Phoenix is Oct. 5, so cooling season runs from roughly May into October. In a home built around 2009, the AC has run through many summers.
The drain carries away the water the AC pulls from your air. When it plugs, water can back up and wet the ceiling, walls or floor near the unit. The checklist also says a plugged drain affects indoor humidity, which matters for mold.
Going away for the summer? Shut the main water valve and ask someone to check the house.
Water inside a Windgate Ranch home? Do this first
Close the main valve and stay off wet floors, then take photos. A 2012 Toll Brothers guide lists the City of Scottsdale for water here, so a leak before the meter goes to 480-312-5650.
- 01
Close the main valve
Shut off the main water valve. For a water heater leak, close the cold water valve on the heater instead.
- 02
Keep clear of power
Stay off wet floors near outlets until the power is off.
- 03
Photograph the damage
Take photos and video of the wet baseboards, walls and floors. Note the date you first saw the water.
- 04
Lift and move
Move rugs, boxes and furniture off the wet area, and pull furniture away from wet walls so they can dry.
- 05
Call the water line
On City of Scottsdale water, call 480-312-5650 for a leak on the city side of the meter. Check the name on your bill first, since the Toll guide dates from 2012.
- 06
Get the water out
Extractors pull standing water out of carpet, tile and pad. Fans and dehumidifiers dry the rest. See water extraction.
Water damage services for Windgate Ranch
Windgate Ranch homes deal with slow leaks, mold, water heaters and AC drains. Choose the job below that matches yours, or go to the Scottsdale water damage page.
Emergency water extraction
Standing water from a leak or overflow: what to do first, what can be saved and how drying works.Mold remediation and testing
Mold or a musty smell after a leak: when testing helps and how mold remediation works.Slab leak and burst pipe
Slab leak, burst pipe or a leaking water heater: what to do first and who fixes what.Flood and storm damage
Monsoon flooding, a roof leak or water dripping from the ceiling after a storm.Sewage cleanup
A drain backup or a toilet overflow brought sewage into your home. Stay safe, then call.Structural drying
Walls and floors still wet after the water is gone: how drying works, how long it takes, what can be saved.Commercial water damage
Water in an office, restaurant or shop: what to do first, cutting downtime and the file your insurer needs.
More North Scottsdale neighborhoods
Water damage pages for other neighborhoods in North Scottsdale.
- Water damage in North ScottsdaleDC Ranch and Pinnacle Peak Park, about 16 to 21 miles from Scottsdale City Hall.
- DC RanchReata Wash flood project area, about 15.9 miles from Scottsdale City Hall
- SilverleafGated hillside village inside DC Ranch, opened in 2002, 16.2 miles from City Hall
- GrayhawkOpened in 1996, built out by 2004, with two city parks; 15.3 miles from City Hall
- McDowell Mountain RanchMost homes here date from the 1990s; about 14.0 miles from City Hall
- TroonTroon Village circles Troon Mountain, about 20.5 miles from Scottsdale City Hall
- Pinnacle PeakPinnacle Peak Park covers 150 acres, about 21.4 miles by road from Scottsdale City Hall
- Desert MountainDesert Mountain spans 8,300 acres and 35 villages, about 28.5 miles from Scottsdale City Hall
- Desert HighlandsDesert Highlands sits about 1 mile from Pinnacle Peak and 19.5 miles from Scottsdale City Hall
Windgate Ranch water damage questions
Does the City of Scottsdale supply water in Windgate Ranch?
A 2012 Toll Brothers community guide lists the City of Scottsdale for water, sewer and trash, Arizona Public Service for electric and Southwest Gas for gas. The guide is dated, so check the name on your water bill.
How old are Windgate Ranch homes?
In the Census tract that holds the community, the median build year is 2009. About 46.1 percent of homes date from 2000 to 2009 and 43.7 percent from 2010 to 2019. Check your county record for your own home's year.
What do I do if I find mold on a baseboard?
The EPA says homeowners can usually clean a moldy patch smaller than about 10 square feet, roughly 3 feet by 3 feet. Larger patches call for the EPA's remediation guidance. Fix the moisture source first, or the mold comes back.
I leave for the summer. How do I protect my Windgate Ranch home?
Shut the main water valve and ask someone to check the house. A leak in an empty home can run unnoticed. Keep the AC drain clear, since an EPA checklist says a plugged drain can cause water damage inside.
Pick your town for local storm risks and what to do first when water gets into a home.
- ScottsdaleIndian Bend Wash Greenbelt: 11 miles of flood control.
- Paradise ValleyAbout 4.4 miles from Scottsdale City Hall, with four water providers and many properties on septic.
- North ScottsdaleDC Ranch and Pinnacle Peak Park, about 16 to 21 miles from Scottsdale City Hall.
- Fountain HillsAbout 21 miles from Scottsdale City Hall. 58% of homes here were built from 1980 to 1999.
- Cave CreekFounded in 1870 as a mining and ranching community, about 29 miles from Scottsdale City Hall.
- CarefreeEasy Street and Ho Hum Road, about 27 miles from Scottsdale City Hall.