Gas Water Heater Repair & Installation in Alpharetta, GA

Every gas water heater burns fuel, and the exhaust from that flame has to leave the house through a vent. When Alpha Plumbing and Sewer handles gas water heater repair in Alpharetta, the vent gets as much attention as the burner, because a heater that warms water perfectly well can still be spilling exhaust into a garage, basement or closet.

Three ways a gas tank heater vents

• Atmospheric, or natural draft: hot exhaust rises through a draft hood on top of the tank and up a metal vent pipe to a chimney or roof cap. No electricity is involved.
• Power vent: a blower on top of the heater pushes exhaust through plastic or metal pipe, often out a side wall. It needs a working outlet and stops when the power goes out.
• Direct vent: a sealed system draws combustion air from outdoors and sends exhaust back out through a wall terminal, so it does not rely on room air.

Knowing which one you have matters, because each fails in its own way.

Signs the exhaust is not going where it should

• Scorch marks, melted plastic or discolored paint around the draft hood.
• Rust or white crust on top of the heater or on the vent connector.
• Moisture dripping from vent joints or down onto the burner.
• A sharp, stale exhaust odor near the heater after a long run.
• A pilot or burner that keeps going out for no clear reason.

A carbon monoxide alarm sounding near any fuel-burning appliance is not something to troubleshoot. Get everyone into fresh air and call 911 or the gas utility from outside.

Common causes we find

Atmospheric vents fail in ordinary ways: a connector that has slipped apart at a joint, a run that slopes downhill toward the chimney instead of rising, a rusted-through elbow, or a chimney flue left too large for the water heater after the furnace that once shared it was replaced with a high-efficiency model venting on its own. On power-vent units, the blower motor, a cracked vent pipe or a pressure switch that never proves airflow can each shut the burner down. Sometimes the vent is fine and the room is the issue: a heater shut into a tight closet with no air openings, or a dryer and exhaust fans pulling air out of the house faster than it returns, which can drag exhaust back down the vent.

How a draft check is done

With the heater firing for a few minutes and the doors, fans and dryer set the way the household normally runs them, we confirm at the draft hood that exhaust is being pulled up the vent rather than rolling out around it. We inspect each joint, the slope and support of the connector, clearances to anything combustible, and the termination outdoors. On power-vent heaters we also test the blower, the pressure switch tubing and the outlet the unit plugs into.

Venting when the heater is replaced

A new gas tank cannot always reuse the old vent. A taller heater may need a different connector, a change in burner input can affect vent sizing, and a switch from atmospheric to power vent means a new vent route plus an outlet. We match the vent to the manufacturer's installation instructions for the model you choose. If the route in your house is awkward, compare a tankless water heater, which has venting needs of its own, with an electric water heater, which needs no vent at all. Our statewide water heater comparison puts all three side by side.

Alpharetta permits and inspections

Plumbing permits in Alpharetta come from the Construction and Inspections staff of Community Development, and the city's Construction and Inspections page explains how applications and inspection requests are handled. A replacement that changes the vent or the gas piping is the kind of job that office can confirm in advance; when a permit is needed, we take care of the application and the inspection.

Venting questions Alpharetta homeowners ask

Is a little condensation on a new heater normal?

Often, yes. When a gas heater fills with cold water, moisture in the exhaust can condense on the cool tank and drip onto the burner with a sizzling sound. It should fade as the water warms. Water that keeps dripping once the tank is hot, or that shows up at the vent joints, is a different matter and points to a leak or a venting fault worth checking.

Can my water heater share a chimney with the furnace?

Many older homes vent both appliances into one chimney or common vent, and that can work when it is sized for both. Trouble often begins after the furnace is replaced with a high-efficiency model that vents separately, leaving the water heater alone in a flue that is now too big to draft well. A draft check and a vent sizing review settle the question for your house.

Why does a power-vent heater stop when the power goes out?

The blower on top has to run to push exhaust out, and a pressure switch keeps the burner off until it senses the blower moving air. With no electricity the heater will not fire, although the tank stays warm for a while. If the heater stays off after the power returns, the blower, the pressure switch or its tubing may need attention.

Have the vent looked at

If you have noticed scorch marks or rust on top of your heater in Alpharetta, Alpha Plumbing and Sewer will look at the vent as closely as the burner; the number is (404) 409-4448.