Tankless Water Heater in Morrow, GA

Morrow at a glance

Morrow is a small, diverse city along I-75, anchored by Southlake Mall and Clayton State University. About 62% of its homes predate 1980. Clayton County Water Authority, headquartered in Morrow on Battle Creek Road, supplies water and sewer. Atlanta Gas Light owns the gas pipes, and you buy gas from a marketer.

What to do now

1. If you smell gas, leave. From outside, call 911 and Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321. Marketers do not handle leaks.
2. Note what you have. Fuel type, age from the label, and any tankless error code.
3. Check the vent outside. A blocked termination can stop a tankless unit from firing.
4. Think about location. A 1970s heater often sits in an interior closet. A tankless unit may work better on an exterior wall.
5. Allow for the permit. Morrow takes applications through Community Core or on paper at City Hall.
6. Renters, call the owner. Many Morrow households rent, and the property owner arranges heater replacement.

Signs and causes

Cost factors

In Morrow's 1970s homes, two items drive most of the price: gas pipe sized long ago for a tank and furnace, which often needs a larger run for a tankless burner, and a new sealed vent through an outside wall to replace the old flue. Moving the heater adds water and gas piping. Condensing units need a drain. The city plumbing permit and inspection come with the job, and the Planning and Economic Development Department can be reached at 770-961-4002. CCWA installs backflow devices at customer connections and tests them with its own certified staff, so that is one less thing for a homeowner to arrange. The fact sheet has no hardness figure for CCWA water, so test before buying treatment.