Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN CLEARWATER
Clearwater Water Heater
Replacement
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Replacing a water heater in Clearwater.
Yes, Clearwater requires a permit, and a licensed contractor must file it online. Fees start at $33 plus $7.25 per $1,000 of job value. The city owns its own gas utility, CGS Energy, which gives $350–$675 allowances on gas water heaters bought through it. Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Clearwater Planning & Development (Permitting)
- Permit fee
- Based on job value: $33 plus $7.25 per $1,000 for work up to $100,000. Plan review for one- and two-family homes is $16 plus $1 per $1,000 (schedule updated June 26, 2026).
- Who gets the permit
- Licensed contractors registered as a 'Licensed Professional' in the portal. Owner-builders can apply under the contractor exemption for single-family homes and duplexes they live in.
- Electric utility
- Duke Energy Florida
- Gas utility
- CGS Energy (Clearwater Gas System)
- Water
- City of Clearwater Public Utilities
- Rebate worth checking
- CGS Energy water heater allowances (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1978 (median) · 59% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 8 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 Clearwater averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Clearwater
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeBased on job value: $33 plus $7.25 per $1,000 for work up to $100,000. Plan review for one- and two-family homes is $16 plus $1 per $1,000 (schedule updated June 26, 2026).. City of Clearwater Planning & Development (Permitting) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price3 of the companies listed for Clearwater post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Apex Plumbing, EVERYDAYPLUMBER.com, The Clean Plumbers. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Clearwater average is shown.
What can change the price in Clearwater?
A combination permit covering more than one trade adds $30 for each trade or permit type.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Clearwater?
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 →
Apex Plumbing
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Clearwater.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Tankless Water Heater Special: "Endless Hot Water As Low As $33/Month" (financing-style offer, terms apply, expires September 30, 2026). No installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick response (one crew arrived within an hour), fair quotes compared with other companies, same-day replacement and clean, efficient work.
Worth knowing One Yelp reviewer (Jun 2022) said a 40-gallon water heater install quoted at $1700 became $2100; the owner replied he could not find the customer's name in his records and invited contact, and another reviewer (2025) said there were issues with an install that a manager then made right.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Performance Air Conditioning, Electric & Plumbing
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Clearwater.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater-specific praise was found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A BBB reviewer (May 2025) said that after a late arrival and a $240 diagnostic deposit on an $870 quote to install a customer-supplied hot water heater, the company did not return calls to schedule the job; the company apologized and said it had escalated the matter.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Cool Today - Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical (Tampa)
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Tampa.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised quick response to a water heater problem, polite technicians and fast, clean water heater installation.
Worth knowing A Pinellas County customer complained to BBB (2024) that a 2023 water heater install lacked the required permit; after the complaint the company pulled the permit and the customer reported a passed final inspection.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
DAM Plumbing and Drain
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Oldsmar.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised same-day response restoring hot water from a tankless heater, clean on-time installation and follow-up after a tankless replacement.
Worth knowing A Yelp reviewer (Sep 2026) said a tankless water heater installed by the company did not hold a consistent temperature, the plumber argued with them, and their working old unit was thrown away; the owner replied that the new heater was customer-supplied, that old equipment is disposed of unless customers ask otherwise, and that he had tried daily to reach the customer.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
EVERYDAYPLUMBER.com
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Tampa.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: $100 OFF Water Heater (residential service; cannot be combined; limited-time). No installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick arrival (one within 45 minutes), accommodating evening appointments, tidy technicians and no-pressure water heater replacements.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers alleged a 2015 technician pushed a $1400 water heater replacement then charged $150 for a temporary pipe boot, a 2019 visit charged about $160 without fixing a no-hot-water issue and a manager didn't call back, and a 2026 reviewer said pricing was only given once the tech was in the home; no company replies to these were visible.
6 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
IERNA'S Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Lutz.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater-specific praise was found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A Yelp reviewer (Aug 2025) alleged a water heater installed for a family member had an undrained, improperly routed pressure relief line and that a promised manager callback did not come; an earlier manager reply on the same review promised outreach.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
McGill Plumbing & Water Treatment, Inc.
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Largo.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Angi reviewers praised same-day or next-day water heater replacements, fair prices compared with other quotes, tidy crews and a plumber who found a leaking pipe rather than replacing the tank.
Worth knowing An Angi reviewer (Dec 2022) said a five-year-old water heater McGill installed had to be replaced and they were charged $145 an hour to install the warranty unit; another (Aug 2017) said a gas on-demand heater needed several return visits.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
The Clean Plumbers
Lists Clearwater among the areas it serves. Based in Tampa.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Promotions: 5% off any water heater (tank, tankless, hybrid and lifetime); $250 off a water quality (filtration or softener) and water heater combo; waived service call fee for water heater estimates. Restrictions apply.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised a leaking water heater fixed within hours of an after-hours call and a technician who tested every faucet after installing a new heater.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant (Nov 2024) said a water heater the company installed failed after about three years and the company pushed a costly replacement; the company said its labor warranty is one year and the manufacturer's six years, and the customer disputed its details.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Order: companies based in Clearwater 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. DBPR license search (MyFloridaLicense) ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING CLEARWATER
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN CLEARWATER
What Clearwater homes are like.
1978Median year built
56%Built before 1980
59%Owner-occupied
4%Heat with utility gas
45%Single-family homes
About 56% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
93% of homes heat with electricity, which usually means an electric water heater. It’s worth getting a price on a heat pump model too.
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 Clearwater.
Reverse osmosis takes out some hardness
Clearwater's 2025 water quality report says its two reverse osmosis plants remove the salts that cause hardness from groundwater before it reaches homes. The report gives no hardness number.
Late or missed inspections
Under the city fee schedule, not requesting your inspections costs 50% of the permit fee, at least $37.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Clearwater homes.
Energy
- Electric: Duke Energy Florida (Pinellas County's economic development office lists Duke Energy as the main electric company; Tampa Electric serves Oldsmar)
- Gas: CGS Energy (Clearwater Gas System) (owned by the City of Clearwater)
Pinellas County Economic Development – Utilities ↗ · CGS Energy (Clearwater Gas) – Natural Gas Incentives ↗
Water
City of Clearwater Public Utilities
Clearwater – The Quality of Your Water ↗ · Clearwater 2025 annual water quality report (PDF) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Clearwater homes.
For Duke Energy Florida and CGS Energy (Clearwater Gas System) customers in Clearwater. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- CGS Energy water heater allowances ↗ActiveTank water heater: $525 when switching to gas or $350 when replacing a gas unit.
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) ↗Active$500 for a 50-gallon or $800 for an 80-gallon ENERGY STAR heat pump (hybrid) water heater with a UEF of at least 3.3.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Florida rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Clearwater.
Permits and who issues them
In Clearwater, licensed contractors submit water heater permits online on the city's Accela portal. Fees depend on job value, and the city has an online fee estimator.
Contractors register in the online permit system with current state certification. Since June 24, 2024, they must email certificates of insurance naming the City of Clearwater as holder to epermit@myclearwater.com.
City of Clearwater Planning & Development (Permitting) ↗ · Clearwater – Building Permits ↗ · Clearwater Schedule of Fees, Rates and Charges – Building Regulations (PDF) ↗ · Clearwater – Building Permit Fee Schedule ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the DBPR license search (MyFloridaLicense) ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Florida licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Clearwater.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunedin | 4 mi | Required | $75 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Safety Harbor | 5 mi | Required | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| Largo | 5 mi | Required | $50 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Palm Harbor | 7 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| Oldsmar | 8 mi | Required | — | Tampa Electric (TECO) |
| Bardmoor | 9 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Clearwater water heater questions.
How is the Clearwater water heater permit fee calculated?
By job value: $33 plus $7.25 per $1,000 for work up to $100,000, under the schedule updated June 26, 2026. The city's online fee estimator gives a figure for your project.
Are there gas water heater incentives in Clearwater?
Yes, if you buy the heater from CGS Energy with approval first. It lists $525 (tank) or $675 (tankless) for switching to gas, and $350 or $550 for replacing a gas unit.
More guides: Florida water heater replacement · All local guides