Manassas is one of the easier places in the region to own a tankless water heater: City water is relatively soft, reported at 47 ppm of hardness, so scale builds slowly. Gas here is Columbia Gas of Virginia, and inside city limits the permit comes from City Development Services. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Manassas.
What happens when you call
You are connected with an independent plumber who works in Manassas. Be ready with the age and fuel of your current heater, the number of bathrooms and where the heater and gas meter are. The plumber will look at gas pipe size, vent options and the electrical outlet near the heater before pricing a tankless unit or a new tank.
Inside the City, building permits for equipment covered by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code go through City of Manassas Development Services at City Hall, 9027 Center Street (703-257-8200), with a self-service portal online. Manassas mailing addresses outside city limits are in Prince William County, which uses its own permits.
Cost factors
- Gas line. Whether the pipe from the Columbia Gas meter can carry a whole-house burner.
- Venting. Sidewall versus roof, and the distance from the heater to an outside wall.
- Unit choice. Condensing models need a condensate drain; non-condensing models need heavier venting.
- Location change. Moving the heater adds water, gas and possibly electrical work.
- Permit. City permit inside the limits, County permit outside.
Manassas water, gas and housing
The City of Manassas runs its own water, sewer and electric utilities. Its water comes mainly from Lake Manassas on Broad Run, treated at the City plant, with supplemental Potomac River water from Prince William Water at peak times. The City's report lists total hardness of 47 ppm, well below the moderately hard water most neighbors receive. Softer water means less scale in a heat exchanger, so many households can stretch the gap between descaling flushes, though the maker's schedule still governs the warranty.
The median home in the City was built in 1985, and Old Town holds much older buildings. Gas is Columbia Gas of Virginia, not Washington Gas. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and Columbia Gas of Virginia at 1-800-544-5606 from outside. The City's after-hours utility line covers electric, water and sewer, not gas.
Quick checklist before the visit
- Photo of the heater's rating label
- Location of the gas meter and the main water shutoff
- A recent gas bill to confirm the utility
- A note on which fixtures run together at peak times
- Whether the home is inside city limits or in Prince William County
Tankless Water Heaters questions in Manassas
How hard is the water here, and how often should the unit be flushed?
What should I do if I smell gas near the water heater?
Is a permit required to put in a tankless water heater here?
Will a gas tankless heater keep working in a power outage?
More plumbing services in Manassas
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