Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN FOREST CITY
Forest City Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓FOREST CITY AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Forest City.
Forest City is an unincorporated part of southwest Seminole County, between Altamonte Springs, Apopka and Longwood, so Seminole County issues water heater permits: $45 plus $6 per $1,000 of job value. Homes have Altamonte Springs (32714) or Apopka (32703) mailing addresses, but neither city's building department covers them. Power comes from Duke Energy or FPL.
Forest City is an unincorporated community in Seminole County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Seminole County Building Division
- Permit fee
- $45 base plumbing permit fee plus $6 per $1,000 of job value, for anything other than a new home (Administrative Code 20.10, as amended through Resolution 2021-R-149 of Oct. 26, 2021). Fees can rise with inflation by up to 3% each Oct. 1.
- Who gets the permit
- Licensed contractors with a current license in the county's contractor database can apply online. Owner-builders can act as their own contractor on their own home (not a rental), but first must visit the Building Division at 1101 E. First St., Sanford, with a government ID.
- Electric utility
- Duke Energy Florida or Florida Power & Light
- Gas utility
- Peoples Gas (TECO) and Florida Public Utilities (FPU)
- Water
- Seminole County Utilities (11 service areas) or another utility, depending on address
- Rebate worth checking
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1984 (median) · 62% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 1 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 Forest City averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Forest City
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$45 base plumbing permit fee plus $6 per $1,000 of job value, for anything other than a new home (Administrative Code 20.10, as amended through Resolution 2021-R-149 of Oct. 26, 2021). Fees can rise with inflation by up to 3% each Oct. 1.. Seminole County Building Division fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised priceNone of the local company websites we checked list a full installed price.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Forest City average is shown.
What can change the price in Forest City?
Under the same fee code, gas installs have a $110 base gas permit fee plus $20 per outlet, and electrical work needs a separate electrical permit ($45 base plus $6 per $1,000). Work done without a required permit costs double the permit fee.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Forest City?
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 →
Frank Gay Services
Lists Forest City among the areas it serves. Based in Orlando.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised water heater replacements finished within hours of the call, clean-up, and technicians who explained the equipment.
Worth knowing Two BBB complainants (2025, 2026) said Frank Gay had not obtained or closed out the county permit for a water heater install months later; the company said it was working on one and that the other customer declined access.
6 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Order: companies based in Forest City 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) ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN FOREST CITY
What Forest City homes are like.
1984Median year built
36%Built before 1980
62%Owner-occupied
2%Heat with utility gas
72%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1984. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
97% 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 Forest City.
Mailing address doesn't set the permit office
Forest City's ZIP codes are 32714 (Altamonte Springs) and 32703 (Apopka), and both cities have their own building departments. Unless your parcel is inside city limits, though, the permit comes from the Seminole County Building Division in Sanford.
Wikipedia – Forest City, Florida (ZIP codes) ↗ · Seminole County – Building Division ↗
1980s housing with many renters
Census estimates show about 33% of Forest City homes were built in the 1980s and 36% before 1980. About 38% of households rent. Almost all homes heat with electricity; under 2% use utility gas.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗
Several small water systems
Seminole County Utilities reports on 11 separate service areas, and some buy water from other utilities. For example, the Meredith Manor area gets water from the private Sanlando Utilities (Utilities, Inc.). The county aerates its groundwater to remove hydrogen sulfide and adds orthophosphate to protect pipes. Find your area on the report's map before assuming who supplies your water.
Seminole County 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (corrected Aug. 2026, PDF) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Forest City homes.
Energy
- Electric: Duke Energy Florida or Florida Power & Light (Seminole County's GIS map shows the county split between FPL and Duke; check your address)
- Gas: Peoples Gas (TECO) (Unincorporated Seminole County is listed)
- Gas: Florida Public Utilities (FPU) (Unincorporated Seminole County is listed)
Seminole County GIS – Power company boundary metadata (PDF) ↗ · Peoples Gas tariff Sheet 6.101, communities served (effective Jan. 1, 2026) ↗ · Florida Public Utilities natural gas tariff, communities served ↗
Water
Seminole County Utilities (11 service areas) or another utility, depending on address
Seminole County 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (corrected Aug. 2026, PDF) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Forest City homes.
For Duke Energy Florida or Florida Power & Light, Peoples Gas (TECO) and Florida Public Utilities (FPU) customers in Forest City. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- 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.
- Peoples Gas residential water heating rebates ↗ActiveNatural gas tank water heater: $350 gas-to-gas or $550 electric-to-gas ($400 / $650 for ENERGY STAR tanks).
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Florida rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Forest City.
Permits and who issues them
Seminole County's 'Who Needs A Permit' guide says a hot-water heater replacement done for pay needs a licensed contractor. The county issues plumbing permits for unincorporated areas. Contractors apply online through the county permit system and ePlan, and inspections are booked online.
To apply online, a contractor needs a current license on file in Seminole County's contractor database.
Seminole County Building Division ↗ · Seminole County – Who Needs A Permit (PDF) ↗ · Seminole County Administrative Code 20.10 fee resolution (PDF) ↗ · Seminole County – Building permitting ↗
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 Forest City.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockhart | 2 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) |
| Wekiwa Springs | 3 mi | Required (county) | $45 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Altamonte Springs | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Maitland | 5 mi | Required | $75 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Fairview Shores | 5 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida, OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) |
| Pine Hills | 6 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida, OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Forest City water heater questions.
My address says Altamonte Springs. Do I get the permit from the city?
Only if your parcel is inside Altamonte Springs city limits. Forest City is unincorporated, so most homes there get permits from Seminole County.
Wikipedia – Forest City, Florida (ZIP codes) ↗ · Seminole County – Building Division ↗
Who supplies water in Forest City?
It depends. Seminole County Utilities runs several service areas, and other utilities serve some neighborhoods. Check your bill or the service-area map in the county's report.
Seminole County 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (corrected Aug. 2026, PDF) ↗
More guides: Florida water heater replacement · All local guides