Water Heater Repair in Mount Rainier, MD

Local conditions in Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is an early-1900s streetcar suburb on the District line, with many Sears kit houses and Craftsman homes, and much of the city is a National Register historic district. Its median home was built in 1952, the oldest housing in this part of Prince George's County. Galvanized supply pipe, cast-iron drains and old shutoff valves are likely in many houses, and a heater replacement or repair can disturb fittings that have not moved in decades. A careful plumber plans for that.

WSSC Water supplies water and sewer, not DC Water, even though the city borders the District. Its tap analysis shows Potomac plant water averaging about 140 mg/L hardness and Patuxent plant water about 65 mg/L, so some sediment in a tank is normal. WSSC issues permits for and inspects plumbing and all gas installations in the county, and replacing a gas water heater requires a WSSC permit and a gasfitter holding the required license. The city's Code Compliance Department issues city building permits for projects that need them. Washington Gas serves the area; if you smell gas, leave right away and call 911 or Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), select option 1.

Repair or replace?

Signs to watch for

• Short or lukewarm hot water
• Rust-colored hot water
• Damp floor or drips at the top connections
• Rumbling while the heater runs

Timing notes

Cold winter water makes a weak heater fail faster, and old basements can be chilly, so January is a common time for breakdowns. If you are planning other work on an older house, such as replacing galvanized lines, tell the plumber, since it can make sense to coordinate the heater work with it. WSSC's service line material map, searchable by address, shows what your service pipe is made of, which is useful background when deciding how much of the old plumbing to update along with the heater.