Tankless Water Heater in Kennesaw, GA

Kennesaw at a glance

Kennesaw sits next to Kennesaw Mountain and is home to Kennesaw State University. Its median home was built in 1998, and only about 11% predate 1980. Cobb County Water System serves the city with water from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Allatoona, treated by the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority and disinfected with free chlorine. Kennesaw Building Services handles permits through its iWorQ portal.

What to do now

1. Gas odor: leave first. Get outside, then call 911 and your gas utility. Atlanta Gas Light's leak line is 877.427.4321; AGL is the likely pipe utility for Kennesaw, but check your gas bill to confirm.
2. Write down the code. On a tankless unit, note the error number before cycling power.
3. Clear the vent cap. Check the outside termination for leaves, nests or snow.
4. Check the inlet screen. If the unit has a cold-water inlet filter and you are comfortable, rinse it; a clog cuts flow.
5. Gather details for a replacement. Tank age from the label, number of baths and where the heater sits in the house.

What the symptom usually means

What sets the cost

• Gas line sizing. Builder-installed pipe is often too small for a tankless burner at full fire.
• Venting. Short sidewall runs from a garage are the simplest; long runs through finished space cost more.
• Condensate. Condensing units need a drain and sometimes a neutralizer.
• Unit size and recirculation. Larger homes may need both.
• Permit. Kennesaw requires all permits to be filed online; the Building Official is at 3080 Moon Station Road.

Moving the heater from a closet to the garage adds water and gas piping but often makes venting easier. Cobb's reports do not list hardness, so a water test before the install helps decide whether extra treatment is worth paying for and how often the unit should be flushed.