Platteville's water is soft, which is easy on a tankless heat exchanger, so the main questions are the gas line and the vent route. Gas here comes from Atmos Energy rather than Xcel. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Platteville.
Platteville is a small Weld County farm town founded in 1871 after the Denver Pacific Railroad arrived. The Town bills customers for water it buys wholesale from Central Weld County Water District, surface water from Carter Lake and Dry Creek Reservoir treated at the Carter Lake Filter Plant. Here's how to approach a tankless install or a unit that's acting up.
What to do now
- Take advantage of soft water. Central Weld County Water District reports average total hardness of 33 mg/L, under the 60 mg/L generally considered soft. Scale builds slowly, so a standard yearly flush is usually enough.
- Check the gas line. Atmos Energy supplies gas in Platteville. A tankless burner at full fire can need a larger pipe from the meter than a tank.
- Plan the vent. A gas tankless unit needs its own sealed vent; older homes near the town center may vent the current heater through a shared chimney.
- Confirm the permit. Applications go to Town Hall (970-785-2245), and SAFEbuilt conducts building inspections for the Town; the plumber confirms what a tankless swap needs.
- Save the gas emergency number. Atmos Energy's emergency line is 866.322.8667. The Town also lists a general Atmos number, 888-286-6700, but that isn't for leaks.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Hot water turns lukewarm with two taps open | Unit undersized for winter water temperatures |
| Ignition faults when the furnace runs | Gas line too small for combined demand |
| Slow loss of hot water flow | Debris in the inlet screen |
| Water dripping under the unit | Condensate drain clog or loose fitting |
| Unit cuts out at low flow | Flow below the activation threshold |
Cost factors
Gas line upsizing, vent route, condensate drainage on condensing units and unit size drive most of the price. Moving the heater out of a cramped closet or adding a recirculation loop for a far bathroom adds labor, and a home whose old tank vented through a shared chimney may need the furnace venting checked once the heater comes off it. Scale treatment is rarely needed with Platteville's soft water, which saves on equipment many harder-water towns add. Platteville's water is disinfected with chlorine. If you smell gas, leave the house, then call 911 and Atmos Energy at 866.322.8667 from outside.
Tankless Water Heaters questions in Platteville
Is a water softener worth adding ahead of a tankless unit?
Who do I call if I smell gas near the water heater?
Will my existing gas line be big enough for a tankless unit?
Why does my tankless heater put out less hot water in winter?
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