Tankless Water Heater in Marietta, GA

Marietta conditions for a tankless install

Marietta is the Cobb County seat, built around Marietta Square, and its housing spans eras. The median home was built in 1987 and about 33% predate 1980. Older houses near the Square often keep the heater in a basement or a closet with a vertical flue; newer subdivisions usually have a garage wall. A tankless unit needs a sealed vent to the outdoors and enough gas pipe to supply a large burner, so the plumber checks both.

Water depends on the address. Marietta Water, part of Marietta Power and Water, buys treated water from the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority (Chattahoochee River and Lake Allatoona) and distributes it inside the city. It uses chlorine and adds fluoride. Homes with a Marietta mailing address outside city limits may be on Cobb County Water System. Neither report lists hardness, so a test is the way to set a descaling schedule.

Inside the city, Building Inspections issues plumbing permits along with building, heating and electrical permits. Outside city limits, Cobb County is the permit office.

Comparing choices

Signs

• A tank with rust, seepage or a pilot that keeps going out
• Not enough hot water for a full house
• Error codes on an installed tankless unit
• A long wait for hot water at a far bath
• Weak hot water flow that has crept down over time

Timing and seasonal notes

Size the unit for winter, when incoming water is coldest. Planning the switch before a tank fails leaves time for the permit and any gas work, and for a water test that tells you how often the unit will need flushing. Atlanta Gas Light is the expected gas pipe utility in Marietta; if you smell gas, leave the house, then call 911 and AGL at 877.427.4321 from outside. For water emergencies, Marietta Water's 24-hour dispatch is (770) 794-5230.