Tankless Water Heater in Hyattsville, MD

Signs it's time to look at tankless

• A basement tank is rusting at the base or leaving water on the floor
• You're finishing the basement and want the heater off the floor and out of the way
• Showers run cool when the dishwasher or washer is going
• Your current tankless unit is slow to fire or shows a recurring code
• Hot water at the far end of the house takes a long time to arrive

Hyattsville houses and what they need

Hyattsville's historic district holds Victorians from the late 1880s alongside interwar Sears kit houses and Arts and Crafts bungalows, and about half the city's homes are older than 1963. In houses like these the heater often shares a chimney with the furnace, and the gas pipe in the basement may be original. A gas tankless unit needs its own sealed vent to the outside and a gas supply large enough for a burner that fires much harder than a tank. Older shutoff valves, connectors and galvanized sections near the heater are worth replacing during the same visit.

Water comes from WSSC Water, which treats Potomac and Patuxent river water, disinfects with free chlorine rather than chloramine and adds UV treatment at its plants. Its report doesn't give a hardness figure for Hyattsville, so have the plumber test before deciding on a softener.

What affects the cost

• Old gas pipe. Upsizing or replacing original pipe from the meter is common.
• Vent route. Brick foundations and tight side yards can lengthen the job.
• Electrical. An outlet near the unit, or a larger service for electric models.
• Permit. Prince George's County requires a permit for water heater replacement, issued by WSSC.
• Related repairs. Valves, connectors or short runs of old supply pipe.

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Hyattsville. Tell them the age of the house, where the heater sits and whether the basement is finished. If you notice a gas smell, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), option 1, from a safe place outside.