Water Heater Replacement in Greenbelt, MD

What happens when you call

The number here connects you with an independent plumber who works in Greenbelt. Be ready to say whether the heater is leaking right now, whether it's gas or electric, and roughly how big it is. If water is on the floor, close the cold supply valve above the tank and shut off the gas or the breaker.

At the house, the plumber checks the tank, the venting, the shutoff valve and the gas or electrical connection, then gives you a price for a matching heater and, if you want, an upgrade. Ask how the WSSC permit and any city step will be handled.

Cost factors

• Fuel, tank size and efficiency rating
• A move to tankless, which often means new venting and gas piping
• Where the heater sits: a utility closet in a townhouse, a basement or a garage
• Code items such as an expansion tank or drain pan
• Permits through WSSC and, where needed, the City of Greenbelt
• Removing the old unit

Local conditions in Greenbelt

Greenbelt began as a New Deal planned community, and its median home dates to about 1976. Many units in the older sections have tight utility closets, so the size of a new heater matters as much as its capacity. WSSC Water supplies the city. Its tap water testing puts average hardness at about 140 mg/L for Potomac plant water and about 64 mg/L for Patuxent plant water, and which plant serves an address varies. Higher numbers mean more scale in a tank, so yearly flushing is worth doing. Homes in the newer sections such as Greenbelt East tend to have more room around the heater than the original 1930s units.

Washington Gas serves Greenbelt. If you smell gas, leave the house, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1. City residents report water and sewer emergencies to WSSC at 301-206-4002.

Before the plumber arrives

• Clear a path to the heater and a couple of feet around it
• Photograph the label with size, fuel and model
• Locate the main water shutoff
• Note any water stains or past leaks nearby
• If you're in a cooperative or condo, check whether management needs notice