Tankless Water Heater in Jonesboro, GA

Signs a tankless upgrade, or a repair, is due

• The tank is old and shows rust or moisture at the base
• Hot water does not last through the evening dishes and showers
• Rumbling from a tank full of sediment
• Your tankless unit flashes a code or shuts down
• A long wait for hot water at a distant bathroom

Jonesboro conditions

Jonesboro is the Clayton County seat, with a railroad-era downtown and a historic district. The median home was built in 1972. Water heaters in older homes tend to be in closets, utility rooms or basements with a metal flue. A tankless unit needs a sealed vent through an outside wall or the roof, and a gas line big enough for a burner that can draw several times what a tank uses.

Clayton County Water Authority provides water and sewer across the county and its cities. Its supply comes from the Little Cotton Indian Creek, Shoal Creek and Pates Creek watersheds, with the Flint River as a supplement. The fact sheet has no hardness figure, so a water test helps set the flush schedule. The city refers water and sewer problems to CCWA customer service at (770) 960-5200. CCWA also runs a public service line inventory portal.

The City of Jonesboro has a Building Permits page with building permit and plan review applications, handled through City Hall (770-478-3800). It does not specifically mention plumbing permits, so the plumber should confirm what a heater conversion requires. Planning ahead also helps in older homes, where opening a wall for a new vent can turn up old piping that needs attention.

What affects the cost

• Gas pipe size and length from the meter
• A new sealed vent route
• Moving the heater to an exterior wall
• Condensate drain for condensing units
• Unit size and recirculation
• Permit and inspection

When you call

An independent plumber who serves Clayton County will ask about the heater's age, fuel and location, and whether you own or rent. In a rental, the property owner arranges heater replacement. Atlanta Gas Light owns the gas pipes; marketers on your bill do not handle leaks. If you smell gas, leave the house, then call 911 and AGL at 877.427.4321 from outside.