Tankless Water Heater in Lilburn, GA

Signs it is time to look at tankless

• The tank is old enough that you are planning around a failure
• Hot water runs short on busy mornings
• You want to free up floor space in a closet or garage
• A tankless unit you own throws codes or cycles on and off
• Water heater fittings show green or white crust

Lilburn conditions

Lilburn began as a railroad town in 1890, and today its housing is a mix of older homes near Old Town and 1980s and 1990s subdivisions. The median build year is 1988, and about a quarter of homes predate 1980. In the older houses a heater in an interior closet may need a new vent route, while most subdivision homes have a garage or basement with an outside wall nearby.

Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources operates the water and sewer system serving Lilburn. Water comes from Lake Lanier through the Shoal Creek and Lanier plants and is disinfected with chlorine. Gwinnett lists hardness of about 1.05 to 1.87 grains per gallon, which is soft, so scale builds slowly inside a heat exchanger.

Gas comes through Atlanta Gas Light's pipes. The city's Natural Gas page names Gas South as a partner marketer, and Gas South notes that AGL delivers the gas, maintains the pipes and handles leaks. If your bill comes from the City of Lawrenceville instead, that utility handles your meter.

What affects the cost

• Gas line size from the meter, since a tankless burner needs much more gas at full fire
• Vent path to an outside wall or roof
• Condensate drain for a condensing unit
• Electrical outlet near the unit
• Unit size for the household, plus any recirculation
• The city building permit, which lists plumbing among its M.E.P. trades

When you call

An independent plumber who covers south Gwinnett will ask about your current heater, fuel type and where it sits. The City of Lilburn Planning and Business Services office handles permits at (770) 921-2210, and its application includes a utility gas connection option. If you smell gas at any point, leave the house, then call 911 and Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321 from outside. If your gas bill is from the City of Lawrenceville, call 770-963-3332 instead.