Tankless Water Heater in Burke, VA

Will a tankless unit fit my Burke house?

In most cases, yes. The median home in Burke was built in 1979, and neighborhoods such as Kings Park and the Burke Centre clusters are full of colonials, split-levels and townhouses with a gas tank in the basement or a first-floor closet. A wall-mounted tankless unit frees that floor space. The questions are whether the gas pipe from the meter is large enough, and whether there is a reasonable route to an outside wall for a sealed vent. In townhouses with an interior utility closet, that vent route can decide the whole project.

What does Fairfax County require?

Burke is unincorporated, so Fairfax County Land Development Services issues the permit. The County says a permit is required for water heater replacement and for new, repaired or relocated plumbing or gas fixtures, and the application goes through the PLUS online system (703-222-0801 for help). A plumber familiar with the County will file it and arrange the inspection, and will pull any added gas piping into the same paperwork.

How hard is the water, and what does that mean for upkeep?

Fairfax Water supplies Burke from its Potomac and Occoquan plants, and some customers get Washington Aqueduct water. Tests from the Potomac plant range from about 70 to 185 mg/L of hardness, averaging around 128 mg/L, or roughly 7.5 grains per gallon. That is moderately hard. Scale will collect in a tankless heat exchanger, so insist on isolation valves at install and plan a flush about once a year. Homes with very high use, such as a large family or a home business, may benefit from a scale-control cartridge on the inlet.

Local note

Washington Gas serves most of Fairfax County, although it notes that Columbia Gas serves some county areas; your bill confirms which applies. If you ever smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside. Burke Lake Park and the VRE line are local landmarks; the gas meter's location on your lot matters more to the plumber's quote than anything else nearby. A meter on the same side of the house as the utility room keeps the new gas run short.