Tankless Water Heater in Damascus, MD

Signs a tankless heater is worth a look

• Your tank is approaching the end of its life or showing rust at the base
• The family runs out of hot water when several people shower in a row
• You'd like to reclaim floor space in the basement or utility room
• An existing tankless unit shows a falling flow rate or scale warnings
• You heat with propane and would rather not keep a full tank hot day and night

Local conditions in Damascus

Damascus's median home was built around 1984. About 35% of homes predate 1980, and another 37% went up in the 1980s, making the housing stock older than much of upcounty Montgomery. That generally means original gas piping sized for a tank and a furnace, and a flue that may be shared. In the Damascus core, WSSC Water provides water and sewer and runs the small Damascus Water Resource Recovery Facility. Montgomery County assigns each property a water and sewer category, and some outside the core are designated for wells and private onsite wastewater systems, so check your setup by address.

Natural gas comes from Washington Gas where mains reach. Rural properties may use propane, and WSSC Water permits and inspects LP gas installations the same as natural gas, so a propane tankless unit still needs a WSSC permit and a gasfitter holding a WSSC license.

What affects the cost

• Natural gas or propane, and the size of the line to the heater
• Vent route through a basement wall or up through the house
• Well water treatment, such as a sediment filter ahead of the unit
• Electrical outlet or circuit for the unit's controls
• WSSC permit and inspection

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers Damascus. Mention whether the home uses natural gas, propane or electricity, and whether you're on public water or a well. The plumber will want to see the existing heater, the gas supply and the likely vent path before quoting. If you smell gas at any point, leave the house and call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside; on propane, call 911 and your propane supplier.