Tankless Water Heater in Bahama, NC

What to expect after you call

The call connects you with an independent plumber who serves northern Durham County. The first questions are usually about fuel and water: is the house on propane, electric or natural gas, and is it on a private well? From there, the plumber asks how many people and bathrooms the heater has to serve and where the current heater sits. If you're dealing with a broken tankless unit, the error code on its display is the most useful thing you can share.

For a new install, expect a visit to look at the propane tank or electrical panel, the water treatment equipment if any, and the wall where a vent could exit.

Cost factors

• Fuel. Propane units need enough tank and regulator capacity; electric units can require a panel upgrade and heavy circuits.
• Venting. A propane unit needs a sealed vent, often through a sidewall.
• Water treatment. A sediment or iron filter ahead of the heater may be recommended on well water.
• Recirculation. Farmhouses and long ranch layouts sometimes add a recirculation setup to shorten the wait at distant taps.
• Permit. The plumbing permit and inspection come through Durham City-County Building & Safety.

Bahama's conditions

Bahama is an unincorporated crossroads village near Lake Michie. The City of Durham generally provides water and sewer only after annexation or a utility extension agreement, so most rural Bahama properties use private wells permitted and tested by Durham County Environmental Health. Durham County well testing has found manganese over the EPA advisory in 38% of tested wells and iron over its advisory in about 23%. Both can build up inside a tankless heat exchanger.

Fuel is the other big variable. ACS-derived figures for ZIP 27503 show only 0.7% of homes heating with utility gas, compared with 35.4% on propane and 61.9% on electricity. Enbridge Gas North Carolina is the county's gas utility, but most Bahama water heaters are likely propane or electric. Older farmhouses in and around the Bahama Village Historic District may also need extra thought about where a vent can go.

Before the plumber arrives

• Check your propane tank level and note your supplier
• Find the label on the current heater for its age and capacity
• Know whether a filter or softener is already installed on the well line
• Clear access to the heater, electrical panel and well equipment
• If you smell gas or propane, leave and call 911 or your supplier from outside