Tankless Water Heater in Cartersville, GA

Signs a tankless heater makes sense, or needs service

• Your tank is old enough that you are planning around its failure
• Showers turn tepid when the dishwasher or washer runs
• You want the floor space a 50-gallon tank takes up
• An existing tankless unit shows error codes or shuts down mid-shower
• Flow at the taps has slowly weakened, a common sign of scale

Cartersville conditions

Cartersville is one of 85 Georgia cities that own a natural gas system. The City of Cartersville Gas System serves the city along with Cassville, Kingston, White and part of Floyd County. Outlying Bartow addresses may be on Atlanta Gas Light instead, so the gas bill is the place to check. For a tankless install that matters because a larger gas demand may mean a meter change, and that request goes to whoever owns the meter.

Water comes from Lake Allatoona, drawn from one of three levels on the face of Allatoona Dam and treated by the city, which uses chlorine. The report does not state hardness. Housing is older than in the I-575 suburbs: the median home was built in 1990 and about a third predate 1980, so some heaters sit in basements or closets with older flues that a sealed tankless vent cannot reuse.

What affects the cost

• Gas pipe size and length from the meter to the new unit
• A meter upgrade, if the city gas system requires one for the larger load
• Vent route through a sidewall or roof
• Condensate drainage for high-efficiency models
• Electrical outlet near the unit for the controls
• Permit and inspection through the City of Cartersville Building Department

When you call

You will be connected with an independent plumber who works in the Cartersville area. Have the heater's age, your fuel type and the number of bathrooms ready, along with a recent gas bill so the plumber knows whether the city or Atlanta Gas Light owns the meter. Permits are submitted through the city's CityView portal and inspection requests go to the Building Department. If anyone smells gas, leave the house and call the City of Cartersville Gas System at 770-387-5642, or 911, from a neighboring home or business before doing anything else.