Water Heater Replacement in Douglasville, GA

Do I need a permit for a Douglasville water heater?

Yes. The City of Douglasville Community Development Building Division takes plumbing permit applications through its BS&A Online Portal, and water heater replacements are listed among the permits homeowners can apply for themselves. The Building Division is at City Hall, 6758 Spring Street, 678-449-3230. If you hire a plumber, ask whether the permit and inspection are included so nothing is missed. Addresses outside city limits fall to Douglas County instead.

How do I know which gas company to call?

Look at your gas bill. The Austell Gas System, a municipal system owned by the City of Austell, serves at least part of Douglasville. Other addresses may be on Atlanta Gas Light. If you smell gas, leave the house first and call 911. Then, from outside, call Austell Gas at 770-948-1841, option 1, or Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321, whichever is named on your bill. This matters during a gas water heater swap too, since the installer will shut off and reconnect the supply and check for leaks afterward.

Are Douglasville homes due for new heaters?

Many are. The city's median home was built in 2001, and the 1990s and 2000s growth along I-20 left a lot of heaters that are now twenty years old or close to it. About 21.3% of homes predate 1980, mostly around the historic downtown, where a replacement may also involve new valves or vent parts. Typical signs are a leak from the tank body, rusty hot water and rumbling from built-up sediment.

Water and sewer come from the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA), not the city. WSA draws from the Dog River Reservoir, treats the water at its Bear Creek plant with free chlorine, and does not state a hardness figure. WSA owns the meter and street-side lines; the customer owns the water line from the meter to the house.

A Douglasville note

If the plumber finds a leak on the line between the WSA meter and the house while working on the heater, that repair is yours to arrange, not WSA's. Mention any unexplained jumps in your water bill when you call, so the plumber can check for it during the visit. Have the heater's size, fuel and age ready, too.