Tankless Water Heater in Riverdale, MD

Signs it's worth a look

• An aging tank in the basement with rust at the fittings or the base
• Hot water that gives out before the last shower of the morning
• A desire to free the basement floor for storage or a finished room
• Repeated codes or uneven temperatures from an existing tankless unit
• Slowly falling hot water flow, a common sign of scale or a clogged screen

Riverdale conditions that shape the job

Riverdale grew as a streetcar suburb along US 1 just south of College Park, and much of the housing is mid-century or older. In those houses, the heater usually vents into a chimney shared with the furnace, and the gas pipe was sized for a tank. A gas tankless unit needs its own sealed vent and often a bigger gas line from the meter. Older valves and connectors around the heater are worth replacing at the same time.

WSSC Water serves the area. Its tap water analysis shows water from the Potomac plant averaging about 140 mg/L of hardness and water from the Patuxent plant about 64 mg/L, and the plant serving an address can vary. On the harder supply, scale collects in a tankless heat exchanger faster, so flushing on schedule matters more. WSSC disinfects with chlorine rather than chloramine. The Town of Riverdale Park lists Washington Gas as its gas utility.

What affects the cost

• Gas pipe. Upsizing original pipe for a whole-house burner.
• Vent route. Through a brick or block foundation wall on many older homes.
• Old supply pipe. Replacing corroded sections near the heater.
• Permit. WSSC Water handles plumbing and gasfitting permits through its ePermitting system; building permits are a county matter.
• Scale control. A softener or cartridge if a test shows harder water.

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in the Riverdale area. Tell them whether you're inside the Town of Riverdale Park or in Riverdale Heights or another unincorporated section, plus the age of the house and where the heater sits. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), option 1, from a safe spot outside.