Tankless Water Heater in Kensington, MD

Do I need anything from the Town of Kensington?

For the plumbing and gas side, WSSC Water Permit Services issues the permits, and the work has to be done by a plumber or gasfitter holding a WSSC license. The Town of Kensington also keeps its own forms for home construction projects, so if the heater swap is part of a remodel or involves exterior changes, call Town Hall at 301-949-2424 to ask whether anything applies. Note that the 20895 mailing area, often called Greater Kensington, is much larger than the town itself; addresses outside the town limits deal with Montgomery County rather than Town Hall.

What does an older Kensington house need for tankless?

Kensington grew from a summer retreat into a commuter suburb, and its southern core keeps a Victorian-era planned layout. Homes from that period and from the 1950s often share one masonry chimney between the furnace and the water heater, and their gas piping was sized long before high-input appliances. A tankless install typically adds a sealed vent through a side or rear wall, a larger gas line from the meter, and an outlet near the unit. The furnace left in the chimney may need a liner. In the historic district, routing the vent away from the street-facing side keeps things simpler.

Will hard water shorten the unit's life?

Not if it's maintained. Kensington is on WSSC Water, which disinfects with free chlorine. WSSC water is moderately hard depending on which treatment plant serves the address, and its annual water quality report covers the current details. Scale is the main maintenance issue for any tankless heater, so ask for isolation valves at install and flush the unit about once a year. While the plumber is there, it's also a chance to check your service line material: WSSC publishes an address-searchable map and offers a Service Line Replacement Program with financial assistance.

One local note

If you smell gas near the heater, leave the building first. Then call 911 and the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), option 1, from outside. Do not flip switches or start a car near the house on the way out. When the plumber comes for the install, ask them to show you the gas shutoff on the heater's supply line.