Tankless Water Heater in Lithia Springs, GA

How Lithia Springs is set up

Lithia Springs was a city until residents dissolved its charter in 2000, so today Douglas County Building Permits and Inspections handles permits. The county requires plumbing permits for new and renovation work; its office is at 4655 Timber Ridge Drive in Douglasville.

Gas comes through the Austell Gas System, a city-owned utility run by the City of Austell that lists Lithia Springs among the eastern Douglas County areas it serves. If a tankless burner needs a larger meter, that request goes to Austell Gas. Leak calls go there too: leave the house first, then call 911 or Austell Gas at 770-948-1841, option 1, from outside.

Water and sewer come from the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority. WSA draws from the Dog River Reservoir, treats it at the Bear Creek plant with free chlorine and reports no lead service lines in its system. It does not state hardness. Homeowners own the lines from the WSA meter to the house.

The median home here was built in 1987, and about a third predate 1980. Older houses often keep the heater in an interior closet, which complicates venting; newer ones usually have a garage wall to work with.

Options side by side

Signs to act on

• Rust, moisture or a musty smell around the tank
• Showers that turn lukewarm as the day goes on
• A tankless display showing a code
• Steadily weaker hot water flow
• A long wait for hot water at a far bathroom

Timing notes

Winter brings the coldest incoming water, which is when an undersized tankless unit falls behind, so size for that season. A water test before the install helps set a flushing schedule, since WSA does not publish a hardness figure. Booking the change before a tank fails leaves time for the county permit, and inspection requests go to the county at 770-920-7333.