Water Heater Repair in Marietta, GA

Marietta's water and homes

Marietta is the Cobb County seat, built around its historic square. Census estimates put the median build year at 1987, with about a third of homes built before 1980. Heaters in older houses near the square are often in basements and closets; those in 1980s and 1990s subdivisions are usually in garages or attics.

Inside city limits, Marietta Water (part of Marietta Power & Water) supplies water and sewer. It buys treated water from the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, sourced from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Allatoona, disinfected with chlorine. Marietta-addressed homes outside city limits may be on Cobb County Water System instead, so check your bill. Marietta Water's 24-hour dispatch is (770) 794-5230.

The City of Marietta's Building Inspections office issues plumbing permits for work inside the city; heating and plumbing permits are among its most requested. Marietta Power & Water supplies electricity and water but not gas; residents buy gas from certificated marketers, with Atlanta Gas Light as the pipe utility.

One more Marietta detail: Marietta Water rates services by hazard level and requires annual testing of testable backflow devices. If your home has one on the line, it also stops heated water expanding back toward the main, so a thermal expansion tank becomes more important.

Repair or replace

Signs to watch for

• Shorter hot showers than before
• Popping or banging from the tank
• Brown water at the hot taps
• Water in the pan or on the floor
• Gas smell: leave first, then call 911 and Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321 from outside

Timing

Heaters fail most in the coldest weeks. If yours is slow to recover in fall, get it checked then. Basement units in older Marietta homes are especially prone to struggling in a hard freeze. Garage installs in 1990s subdivisions feel the cold too, since the garage air around the tank is often near outdoor temperature. Insulating exposed pipes near the heater is a small step that helps.