Water Heater Repair in Takoma Park, MD

Why do older Takoma Park houses complicate heater repairs?

Takoma Park is one of the oldest close-in suburbs, with a median home built around 1954 according to census-based figures, and part of the city is a designated historic district. The heater itself is rarely original, but the gas piping, flue connection, shutoff valves and fittings around it can be. A plumber replacing a thermocouple or relief valve may find a corroded union or a shutoff that no longer closes, and it is usually worth fixing those while the heater is drained. Basement heaters in older houses also tend to sit close to the floor drain, so check that the drain is clear before a leak tests it.

How does the local water affect a tank?

Takoma Park is on WSSC Water, which disinfects with chlorine rather than the chloramine used just across the line in the District. WSSC's tap water analysis lists average hardness of about 140 mg/L for Potomac plant water and about 64 mg/L for Patuxent plant water, and the plant serving an address varies. Either way, minerals settle at the bottom of a tank over the years. That sediment is what causes rumbling, cuts into capacity and shortens the life of electric elements, so a periodic flush is worthwhile here.

Who issues the permit if the heater has to be replaced?

The City of Takoma Park is incorporated, but plumbing and gasfitting permits in Montgomery County come from WSSC Water Permit Services, not the city. Gas water heater replacements must be done by a plumber or gasfitter registered with WSSC under a WSSC permit. A straightforward repair, such as a new element or thermostat, normally doesn't touch the permit process. WSSC's What's Your Pipe Type? program can also help owners of older homes identify and replace a lead service line, on the utility side or the customer side, which is worth knowing if plumbing work is opening up the basement anyway.

One local note

Gas service in Takoma Park comes from Washington Gas. If you notice a gas smell near the heater, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, once you are outside. Leave the pilot and the light switches alone until the utility has checked the house.