Tankless Water Heater in Brandywine, MD

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Brandywine. Tell them whether you're on WSSC Water or a private well, whether the house uses natural gas, propane or electricity, and how many bathrooms you have. Owners of new homes sometimes want to swap a builder-grade tank for tankless; owners of older farmhouses and the 1950s and 60s homes in the area usually need more gas and vent work. Either way, the plumber explains what the fuel line, venting and permit will involve before quoting.

Cost factors

• Fuel. Natural gas, propane or electric each change the supply work.
• Gas pipe. Even new homes often need a larger line for a whole-house unit.
• Water source. Well water may call for a sediment filter or softener ahead of the unit.
• Venting. Distance from the utility room to an outside wall.
• Permit. WSSC Water permits and inspects plumbing and gas work, including LP gas, across the county.

Brandywine conditions

More than half of Brandywine's housing was built in 2010 or later, alongside a pocket of 1950s and 60s homes, and growth has centered on US 301 and MD 5. Prince George's County's water and sewer plan says WSSC supplies public water from the Potomac and Patuxent rivers and that rural areas are served by individual wells. Brandywine sits partly in the county's rural tier, so water service varies by address. WSSC water is disinfected with chlorine and UV and treated with a corrosion inhibitor; well water should be tested, since iron, sediment or hardness can all shorten the life of a heat exchanger.

Washington Gas serves Prince George's County and BGE serves some parts; rural parcels may lack mains entirely. WSSC Water requires gas water heater replacements, natural gas or LP, to be done by a registered plumber or gasfitter under a WSSC permit.

Before the plumber arrives

• Have a water bill or well test results on hand
• Know your fuel: gas bill, propane tank or all-electric
• Clear space around the heater and the route to an outside wall
• Find the main water shutoff, or the well pressure tank's valve
• If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, or your propane supplier, from outside