Water Heater Repair in Dunwoody, GA

Dunwoody combines the Perimeter Center business district with established neighborhoods around Dunwoody Village. About 44% of its homes were built before 1980, with the 1970s alone accounting for roughly 28%; census estimates put the median build year at 1984. Many of those houses have heaters in basements or garages, with valves and venting from decades ago. DeKalb County's Department of Watershed Management supplies water and sewer; DeKalb owns the line through the meter, the homeowner from the meter in. The city lists Atlanta Gas Light as its gas utility. Dunwoody's single-trade component permits cover stand-alone water heater replacements, and work may not begin until the permit is issued.

What to do now

1. Gas smell first. If you smell gas, leave the house without touching switches, then call 911 and Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321 from outside.
2. Stop the water. Close the valve on the cold line feeding the top of the tank. For a large leak, shut the main at the meter.
3. Cut the energy. Switch off the heater's breaker, or turn a gas control to off or pilot.
4. Find the source. Note whether water comes from the relief pipe, the drain valve, a top fitting or the tank bottom.
5. Read the label. Model, serial number and fuel help the plumber bring the right parts.

Symptoms and likely causes

What affects the cost

• The part. Element and thermocouple swaps are routine; gas controls cost more.
• 1970s installs. Old shutoffs, nipples and venting may need attention.
• Basement or garage access. Hauling and draining take time.
• Permit timing. For a replacement, the single-trade permit must be issued before work starts.

First-time contractors in Dunwoody must provide a contractor's license, business license and photo ID with the permit, so expect the plumber to handle that paperwork. Homes with a separate irrigation tap also need an annually tested backflow assembly under DeKalb rules.