Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN FOUNTAIN
Fountain Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓FOUNTAIN AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Fountain.
A water heater replacement in Fountain needs a PPRBD permit: $40, or $75 with a new vent. Fountain Utilities, the city's own utility since 1919, supplies electricity (to about 48,000 people) and water; Black Hills Energy supplies gas. Tap water is about 70% surface water from the Fountain Valley Authority and the Southern Delivery System, stored in Pueblo Reservoir, and 30% groundwater from city wells treated for PFAS since 2018.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD)
- Permit fee
- $40 for a home water heater replacement, or $75 when the vent is replaced as well (PPRBD's current fee schedule; the page shows ICC valuation data effective June 30, 2025)
- Who gets the permit
- Contractors must be licensed and registered with PPRBD; a mechanical contractor license is what covers gas piping and gas appliances. You can pull the permit as a homeowner only for work you do yourself on the main home you own and live in. Pulling a permit for a contractor you hired is illegal.
- Electric utility
- Fountain Utilities, Colorado Springs Utilities and Mountain View Electric Association
- Gas utility
- Black Hills Energy and Colorado Springs Utilities
- Water
- Fountain Utilities (City of Fountain)
- Rebate worth checking
- Residential Water Heater Rebate – Heat Pump Water Heater (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 2000 (median) · 73% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 6 that advertise water heater work
01 / TYPICAL PRICES
What a new water heater costs.
Know before you call.
Heat-pump tank
$2,500–$5,000Typical cost, including installation
Tankless
$2,400–$5,400Typical cost, including installation
AI equipment illustrations; models vary and images are not to scale. Typical national prices from Home Depot ↗, checked September 28, 2026. The source doesn’t say how many jobs the ranges are based on. These are not Fountain averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Fountain
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$40 for a home water heater replacement, or $75 when the vent is replaced as well (PPRBD's current fee schedule; the page shows ICC valuation data effective June 30, 2025). Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price5 of the companies listed for Fountain post water heater prices or specials on their websites: B&L Plumbing and Heating, BullsEye Plumbing Heating & Air, Home Heating Service, Inc., Ellis Wyatt MEP, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Fountain average is shown.
What can change the price in Fountain?
Replacing the vent along with the heater raises the fee to $75 from $40. PPRBD's handout says old cellular-core plastic vent pipe has to come out and be replaced, and new plastic exhaust pipe must hold a 5 psi air test. Plumbing, electrical, gas and heating work that isn't part of a building permit is priced by job value (Table C, from $50 for $100–$500).
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Fountain?
Companies that advertise water heater replacement here, with what their water heater customers say.
Companies we found in our research. They are not Ember & Tank providers or partners. We show selected reviews, not a rating or every review. How we choose reviews →
B&L Plumbing and Heating
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves. Based in 6160 Lake Shore Ct, Colorado Springs, CO 80915.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Tankless page: 'Tankless water heater installation typically costs $1,500 to $3,500 including the unit and labor' with flat-rate quotes. Coupons: $50 off any water heater; $100 off tankless water heater installation or replacement (must mention online ad; not valid on trip charge or diagnostic fee) — ;
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised quick scheduling, including a Sunday visit that restored hot water, and knowledgeable technicians for water heater repair.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant disputed a $4,170 water heater replacement bill that was not itemized; B&L said it uses flat task pricing covering a power-vent unit, venting upgrade and expansion tank required by code.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
BullsEye Plumbing Heating & Air
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves. Based in Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (street address not captured from site; third-party listing gives 3320 N Hancock Ave).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Financing only: 'Water heaters as low as $42/month with approved credit'; site advertises 'Lowest Prices Guaranteed*' —
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised same-day service and a technician who tested an 11-year-old water heater and advised draining it instead of replacing it.
Worth knowing A BBB/Yelp reviewer said the water heater caught fire at the control valve after a thermocouple replacement and the company asked them to pay for a new unit; other reviewers and BBB complainants disputed charges for water heater leak repairs and a tankless diagnosis that did not fix the problem.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Home Heating Service, Inc.
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves. Based in 1565 Tuskegee Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80915.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Special: water heater flush starting from $110 —
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised polite, thorough installers who explained their work, a timely install, a tankless water heater check, and quick scheduling after a leak.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Ellis Wyatt MEP
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves. Based in 3246 Centennial Blvd Suite 287, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: $999 flat labor for a standard tank water heater installation, parts billed separately at cost (typically $400–$800 for a 40/50-gal gas tank); says total installs usually land between $1,400 and $1,800 —
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
Published price: Special offers (expire 09/30/2026): $200 off water heater special; $500 off tankless water heater installation; $75 off any plumbing service of $250 or more —
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Wild Water Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Fountain among the areas it serves. Based in 4320 Barnes Road, Suite 120, Colorado Springs, CO 80917.
- Tank
- Tankless
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Fountain first, then companies whose water heater reviews we’ve read. Each group is alphabetical. These businesses are not our employees or vetted partners and do not receive requests from Ember & Tank. We haven’t checked their license, insurance or quality of work. Colorado DORA license lookup ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING FOUNTAIN
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN FOUNTAIN
What Fountain homes are like.
2000Median year built
27%Built before 1980
73%Owner-occupied
71%Heat with utility gas
84%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 2000. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
71% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2024 5-year ↗ (2020-2024). Heating fuel is what homes use to heat the house. It often, but not always, matches the water heater’s fuel.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
What’s different in Fountain.
More than one electric and gas company
Fountain Utilities supplies electricity and water inside city limits. Colorado Springs Utilities has electric and gas franchises for parts of Fountain. The city lists Black Hills Energy for gas in Fountain/Widefield. Before you pick a gas or heat pump water heater, check which utility bills your address, because rebates come from your utility.
City of Fountain – Fountain Utilities (service areas and other utility providers) ↗ · Colorado Springs Utilities – Official Statement (Aug 7, 2024) ↗
Water from four sources
The city's Water Department says Fountain's water comes from four places: the Fountain Valley Authority and the Southern Delivery System (surface water, about 70%) and the Venetucci Project and local wells (groundwater, about 30%). Most of it is stored in Pueblo Reservoir. Since the mix of surface and well water can change, your tap water isn't always the same. The city's page gives no hardness number.
Well water treated for PFAS
Fountain shut its wells in October 2015 after PFAS were found and used only Pueblo Reservoir water for a while. In June 2018 it began treating groundwater with carbon filters supplied by the Air Force. The city says it aims for levels too low to detect (under 2 parts per trillion) in water entering the system. CBS Colorado reported that a newer Air Force-funded ion-exchange plant began serving residents in late 2022.
City of Fountain – Water Department (PFAS in Fountain) ↗ · CBS Colorado – Air Force pays $9 million for water treatment in Fountain (May 29, 2023) ↗
Going electric may mean a service upgrade
Fountain Utilities says an electric service upgrade starts with a PPRBD permit. Then you call the utility (719-322-2092) to schedule a shutoff, usually only on weekdays during its business hours. The owner is responsible for running the new service line, and costs vary by job. The utility notes that in some parts of Fountain the meter may be in a neighbor's yard. Plan for this before replacing a gas tank with an electric or heat pump unit that needs a new 240-volt circuit.
City of Fountain – Electric (archived January 2026) ↗ · City of Fountain – Fountain Utilities (archived April 2026) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Fountain homes.
Energy
- Electric: Fountain Utilities (Owned by the city; inside Fountain city limits)
- Electric: Colorado Springs Utilities (Has an electric franchise for parts of the City of Fountain)
- Electric: Mountain View Electric Association (Rural El Paso County around Fountain)
- Gas: Black Hills Energy (Fountain/Widefield, according to the city)
- Gas: Colorado Springs Utilities (Has a natural gas franchise for parts of the City of Fountain)
City of Fountain – Fountain Utilities (service areas and other utility providers) ↗ · Colorado Springs Utilities – Official Statement (Aug 7, 2024): electric and gas franchises in portions of Fountain ↗
Water
Fountain Utilities (City of Fountain)
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Fountain homes.
For Fountain Utilities, Colorado Springs Utilities, Mountain View Electric Association and Black Hills Energy customers in Fountain. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Residential Water Heater Rebate – Heat Pump Water Heater ↗ActiveUp to $750 for a qualifying ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater.
- Residential Water Heater Rebate – Natural Gas Water Heater ↗Active$300 for a qualifying ENERGY STAR natural gas water heater; qualifying boilers get $1,200.
- Colorado heat pump tax credit ↗Active for 2026 installs$250 credit for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater installed in 2026, claimed by a state-registered contractor, who must pass at least $83 to you as an invoice discount.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Colorado rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Fountain.
Permits and who issues them
PPRBD's list of work that needs a permit includes water heaters, and its handout says gas and electric water heater installs both need a permit and inspections. The City of Fountain is one of the towns PPRBD serves, so you apply to PPRBD, not the city. A replacement gets a final plumbing inspection, plus heating and electrical inspections if needed.
Yes. PPRBD requires any contractor you hire to be licensed and registered with it. A contractor can't get a permit unless the license is in good standing.
Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) ↗ · PPRBD – About Us ↗ · PPRBD – Homeowner permits ↗ · PPRBD handout – Water Heater Replacements and Installation (dated 03/04/24) ↗ · PPRBD – Current building permit fee schedule (Appendix B, 2023 Pikes Peak Regional Building Code; ICC valuation data effective June 30, 2025) ↗ · PPRBD – Required inspections by project type ↗ · PPRBD – License types ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Colorado DORA license lookup ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Colorado licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Fountain.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security-Widefield | 5 mi | Required (county) | $40 | Fountain Utilities, Mountain View Electric Association |
| Cimarron Hills | 12 mi | Required (county) | $40 | Colorado Springs Utilities, Mountain View Electric Association |
| Colorado Springs | 13 mi | Required | $40 | Colorado Springs Utilities |
| Black Forest | 26 mi | Required (county) | $40 | Mountain View Electric Association |
| Monument | 28 mi | Required | $40 | Mountain View Electric Association, CORE Electric Cooperative (listed by the town as IREA) |
| Castle Rock | 48 mi | Required | $75 | CORE Electric Cooperative |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Fountain water heater questions.
Where does Fountain's water come from?
The city's Water Department says about 70% is surface water (Fountain Valley Authority and the Southern Delivery System, stored in Pueblo Reservoir) and about 30% is groundwater from the Venetucci Project and city wells.
Is the PFAS issue still affecting tap water?
The city says its well water is treated so that water entering the system has no detectable PFAS (under 2 ppt). Treatment has run since 2018.
I want to switch to an electric water heater. Who do I call about my service?
Get the PPRBD permit first. Then call Fountain Utilities Electric at 719-322-2092 to schedule any shutoff for a service upgrade.
More guides: Colorado water heater replacement · All local guides