Water Heater Repair in Damascus, MD

Signs your heater needs service

• Lukewarm water, or hot water that runs out partway through a shower
• Popping, banging or rumbling while the heater runs
• A pilot light that won't stay lit or a burner that cycles on and off
• Rusty or cloudy hot water
• Dampness around the base, or a drip from the relief valve pipe
• An electric breaker that keeps tripping

Damascus conditions that matter

Damascus has an older housing stock than most of upcounty Montgomery: about 35% of homes were built before 1980 and another 37% in the 1980s, with a median year built around 1984. Most of those houses are on a replacement heater by now, and some have had several. The town core gets water and sewer from WSSC Water, which runs a small local treatment plant, the Damascus Water Resource Recovery Facility. Montgomery County assigns every property a water and sewer category, though, and outside the core some are set up for individual wells and onsite wastewater systems. Well water brings its own minerals and sediment into a tank, so homes on wells may need more frequent flushing.

Washington Gas serves much of Montgomery County. WSSC Water issues permits for and inspects both natural gas and LP gas installations, so a gas or propane water heater replacement here needs a plumber or gasfitter registered with WSSC and a WSSC permit. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1. If your heater runs on propane from a tank, call 911 and your propane supplier instead.

What affects the price

• The part that failed and whether it is stocked or ordered
• Whether the unit burns natural gas, propane or electricity
• How much sediment has to be cleared, which can be more on well water
• Seized valves or corroded fittings around an older heater
• Travel to farm and rural properties outside the town core

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers the Damascus area. Describe the fuel type, the heater's age and what you're noticing, and mention if the home is on a private well. The plumber can say whether a repair sounds likely and set up a visit.