Montgomery County Water Heater Installation & Repair | Durance Plumbing

WSSC-Licensed Master Plumber serving Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Takoma Park, Rockville, Bethesda and the rest of Montgomery County — tank, tankless, gas and electric.

WSSC Master Plumber License #71643 · City of Rockville Certified · Serving the DMV since 2008 · 100% Workmanship Guarantee

Call (301) 270-6663 Request Service Online

Montgomery County is where Durance Plumbing has done most of its work for the past 17 years. Headquartered in Takoma Park, we know this county block by block — which neighborhoods are on WSSC, which fall under the City of Rockville’s separate inspection authority, where the gas lines are undersized in older homes, and which subdivisions still have the original 1980s water heaters quietly counting down to a leak.

If you need a water heater replaced, repaired, or upgraded anywhere in Montgomery County, you want a plumber who treats the permit as part of the job — not as an inconvenience to skip. Every installation we perform is WSSC-permitted (or City of Rockville–permitted, depending on your address), code-compliant for 2026 requirements, and documented for your records.

Water Heater Services We Provide in Montgomery County

Tank Water Heater Installation & Replacement

The standard 40-, 50-, or 75-gallon tank water heater is still the right answer for most Montgomery County homes. They’re reliable, repairable, and significantly cheaper up front than tankless. We install Bradford White and Rheem — professional-grade brands selected specifically for the mineral content of WSSC water. Both brands hold up better against Montgomery County’s hard water than the budget tanks sold at big-box stores.

Every replacement we do includes a properly sized thermal expansion tank, a vacuum relief valve where 2026 code requires one, new shutoff valves, and disposal of the old unit. If your venting, gas connector, or shutoff needs an update to pass WSSC inspection, we handle it in the same visit — not as a surprise add-on at the end.

Tankless Water Heater Installation

Tankless makes a lot of sense in Montgomery County. Newer developments in Gaithersburg, Germantown, and North Bethesda were often built with tankless-ready gas service. Older homes in Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and Kensington can sometimes be converted, but the gas line often needs upsizing and the venting requirements are different from a tank unit. We’ll evaluate your specific home and tell you straight whether tankless is the right call or whether a high-efficiency tank will serve you better.

Tankless units deliver endless hot water, free up floor space, and typically last 18–20 years compared to 8–12 for a tank. Many also qualify for Maryland energy efficiency incentives. See current tankless and tank models at WaterHeatersNearMe.pro, our dedicated water heater division.

Emergency Repair & Diagnostics

No hot water? Leaking tank? Pilot light won’t stay lit? Lukewarm showers that used to be hot? Most water heater problems in Montgomery County fall into a handful of common failure modes, and most can be diagnosed over the phone with a few photos of your unit’s data plate. Call (301) 270-6663 with your make, model, and a quick description of what’s happening, and we’ll tell you what we think it is and how fast we can be there.

Why Montgomery County Homeowners Choose Durance

We understand the WSSC / City of Rockville jurisdiction split. Most of Montgomery County falls under WSSC, but the City of Rockville runs its own plumbing inspection department with an Express Permit system. We know which side of that line your address is on, and we pull the right permit automatically.

We’ve worked these neighborhoods for years. Older homes in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Bethesda, and Kensington have quirks — undersized gas lines, original copper, awkward water heater closets. Newer construction in Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Clarksburg has its own patterns. We’ve seen all of it and we plan the job accordingly.

No-pressure recommendations. If your existing unit can be repaired, we’ll tell you. If a 50-gallon tank is the right size for your home, we won’t push you into a 75 or a tankless conversion you don’t need. Our recommendations are based on what makes sense for your house.

Signs Your Water Heater Needs Attention

It’s 10+ years old. Most tank water heaters in Montgomery County last 8–12 years. Proactive replacement is almost always cheaper than emergency replacement after a flood in a finished basement.
Popping or rumbling sounds. Sediment is hardening at the bottom of the tank. Once it overheats, it cracks the tank wall.
Visible rust at the top or bottom. Once corrosion breaches the tank, you have hours, not days.
Hot water runs out fast. Often a failed dip tube or heating element — sometimes repairable, often a sign the unit is on its way out.
Discolored or smelly hot water. Usually an anode rod issue, sometimes a sign of internal corrosion.

Cities We Serve in Montgomery County

We provide water heater installation, replacement, and repair throughout the county. See our dedicated city pages for local details and neighborhoods we know well:

Silver Spring Water Heater Service — Downtown, Forest Glen, Four Corners, Wheaton-Glenmont border
Takoma Park Water Heater Service — Old Takoma, Long Branch, Hillwood
Gaithersburg Water Heater Service — Olde Towne, Kentlands, Quince Orchard

We also serve Rockville, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Wheaton, Kensington, Olney, Germantown, Clarksburg, Damascus, Burtonsville, Aspen Hill, Potomac, North Bethesda, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, and Cabin John. If you’re in Montgomery County, we can almost certainly get to you.

Common Questions

Do I need a permit to replace my water heater in Montgomery County?

Yes. Most of Montgomery County requires a WSSC permit and inspection for water heater installations. The City of Rockville runs its own permit process. Durance Plumbing pulls the correct permit based on your address, performs the installation to current 2026 code, and coordinates the inspection.

Is my address under WSSC or the City of Rockville?

Most Rockville addresses fall under WSSC, but certain neighborhoods — West End, Hungerford, New Mark Commons among them — are under City of Rockville jurisdiction. We identify the correct authority from your address and pull the appropriate permit automatically.

What brands do you install?

Bradford White and Rheem, both professional-grade brands not sold at big-box stores. We stock the most common residential sizes on our trucks for same-day and next-day installs.

Tank vs. tankless — which should I pick?

It depends on your gas service, your peak hot water demand, your floor space, and your budget. Tankless costs more up front but lasts longer and delivers endless hot water. Tank costs less and is simpler to service. We’ll give you a straight recommendation based on your specific home.

What’s covered under warranty?

Every installation includes a one-year labor warranty from Durance, plus the manufacturer’s warranty on the unit itself (typically 6–12 years depending on model and tier). Documentation is provided at the end of the job.

“Our hot water went out on a Sunday night. Durance was at the house by Tuesday morning, had the new Bradford White installed and the WSSC inspection scheduled by the afternoon. The bill matched the phone estimate. That’s all I want from a plumber.”
— Silver Spring homeowner

Ready to Schedule? Call Durance Plumbing.

Call (301) 270-6663 for a same-day estimate, or request service online. We’ll pull the right permit, complete the install to current 2026 code, and schedule the inspection — so you don’t have to.