Tankless Water Heater in Springfield, VA

What happens when you call

You are connected with an independent plumber who works in Springfield. Tell them the age and size of your current heater, whether it shares a chimney with the furnace, and how many bathrooms you have. In older Springfield houses the plumber will also want to see the supply piping near the heater, since tying modern fittings into original pipe sometimes means replacing a short section.

Price factors

• New gas pipe from the meter, which Fairfax County treats as new gas piping needing a Residential Plumbing permit
• A new sealed vent, since a tankless unit cannot share the old chimney
• Chimney or liner work for a furnace left alone in the flue
• Replacing old supply pipe at the heater connections
• Service valves and, where wanted, scale control

Springfield conditions

Springfield grew from about 1,000 residents in 1950 to more than 25,000 by 1970, and the median home in the community dates to 1974. In neighborhoods around Old Keene Mill Road, Backlick Road and North Springfield, many houses still have a gas tank and furnace venting into a shared masonry chimney. Taking the water heater off that chimney is part of a tankless job, and the furnace venting should be checked once it is alone in the flue.

Fairfax Water serves most of Springfield from the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir, with some customers on Washington Aqueduct water; confirm your provider on your bill. Fairfax Water's Potomac plant results range from about 70 to 185 mg/L of hardness, averaging near 7.5 grains per gallon, so plan on a flush about once a year. Fairfax County's permit page lists water heaters among the fixtures that need a permit, with an exemption for some direct replacements; a tankless conversion with new gas pipe is not one of those. Gas is Washington Gas. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside.

Checklist before the plumber arrives

• Note whether the heater and furnace share a chimney
• Clear access to the heater, gas meter and an outside wall
• Find the main water shutoff
• Have a recent gas and water bill handy