One board for plumbers and gas fitters
Alabama's Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board certifies plumbers and gas fitters across the state, from Florence to Dothan. Connecting a gas water heater calls for a gas fitter certification, and many contractors carry both credentials. Cities and counties issue the permits themselves, so a heater swap in Huntsville goes through the city's Inspection Department while a rural Madison County job follows county rules.
From the Tennessee River to the Gulf
North Alabama towns such as Huntsville, Decatur and Florence lean on the Tennessee River and limestone wells, which leave moderately hard water and a steady build-up of tank sediment. Birmingham's reservoirs and the coastal aquifers around Mobile bring their own mix of minerals, and storms along the Gulf Coast add flood and salt-air damage. Heaters tucked into attics in two-story homes deserve a working pan drain wherever they are. Anyone pricing a Birmingham or Mobile job can read up on tank swaps before calling.