Water Heater Replacement in Loudoun County, VA
Loudoun's homes are newer than the rest of Northern Virginia (median year built 2002), gas comes from Washington Gas or Columbia Gas depending on the street, and in the western county many homes run on propane. The county's plumbing and gas permits are $70 each and include two inspections. We install across Ashburn, Sterling and Leesburg.
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- The water heaterBrand, model, fuel and size, so you can compare quotes like for like
- Drain, disconnect and remove the old unitLabor for the swap
- Haul-awayThe old heater leaves with us
- Thermal expansion tankWhere your water system needs one
- Relief valve discharge pipeRun down to just above the floor
- Drain panWhere a leak would damage the room
- Gas shutoff and sediment trapGas units only
- Vent connectorChecked and replaced if it is undersized or corroded
- Water connectionsShutoff valve and connectors
- Permit and inspectionWhere the job requires one
Lines your house does not need are left off, and each line that stays has its price beside it.
Loudoun at a glance: what affects your water heater
Newer houses, two gas utilities and a lot of propane in the west, county plumbing and gas permits at $70 each, and several water systems depending on where you live.
- Permit
- Loudoun County Building and Development, through LandMARC: plumbing permit, plus a gas permit for gas units, $70 each including two inspections. See permits.Source: Loudoun County residential construction permits; Loudoun County fee schedule
- Water
- Loudoun Water's Central System (Potomac water treated at Trap Rock and bought from Fairfax Water) serves most homes outside the towns; Leesburg and Purcellville run their own utilities, and much of western Loudoun is on private wells. A single published hardness figure for the Central System was not found, so ask your utility or test a well before choosing a tankless unit.Source: Loudoun Water 2025 Central System report; Loudoun County utilities
- Gas and power
- Washington Gas and Columbia Gas of Virginia each serve parts of the county; elsewhere homes use propane. Dominion Energy Virginia or NOVEC, depending on the address.Source: Loudoun County utilities
- Housing
- Median home built in 2002; only 13% built before 1980; 51% single-family detached and 31% townhouses; 78% owner-occupied. 59% heat with utility gas and 8% with propane, rising to 32% propane in Purcellville.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year (tables B25034, B25035, B25003, B25024, B25040)
- Historic districts
- In Leesburg's Old and Historic District, the town's Board of Architectural Review requires a certificate of appropriateness for exterior alterations. Seven county historic districts, including Waterford, go to the county's Historic District Review Committee before alterations.Source: Town of Leesburg, Old and Historic District; Loudoun County historic districts
Ashburn, Sterling and Leesburg
| Median year built | Built before 1980 | Heat with utility gas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburn | 2000 | 3% | 70% |
| Leesburg (town) | 1993 | 24% | 58% |
| Sterling | 1982 | 43% | 41% |
| Purcellville (town) | 2000 | 18% | 6% (32% propane) |
What that means for a replacement in Loudoun
Most Ashburn and Leesburg houses were built in the 1990s and 2000s, so many water heaters there are reaching or past the 10 to 15 years the Department of Energy gives a tank. Newer houses usually have the expansion tank, relief piping and pan already in place, which keeps a like-for-like replacement simple.
Newer Loudoun homes often have a power-vent or direct-vent water heater rather than a chimney. A power vent needs an outlet and a clear vent run; switching to tankless means checking the gas supply and a new vent location.
On propane, the water heater runs on propane too. Tank and tankless units are made for propane, and the gas line and regulator are sized for the unit like any other.
What a replacement includes
The heater, removal and haul-away of the old one, and whatever the house needs to run the new one safely and to code. Each numbered part is a numbered line on the estimate.
Where in Loudoun
Ashburn, Sterling, Leesburg and the surrounding eastern county, plus Purcellville and western Loudoun on request. The middle of the county is about 39 miles and an hour from our Arlington office without traffic, so tell us your timing when you call and we will plan the visit around it.
Other areas we install in
Water heater questions from Loudoun homeowners
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Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church and Loudoun