Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN LEALMAN
Lealman Water Heater
Replacement
Take a photo of your old water heater to start a replacement quote.
Get a water heater quotePhotos optional. No payment or booking.
See what replacement costs ↓LEALMAN AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Lealman.
Lealman is unincorporated, so a water heater swap needs a Pinellas County Express Permit, filed online by a licensed contractor or in person by an owner-builder. Duke Energy supplies power. Depending on the street, water comes from St. Petersburg (158 mg/L hardness) or Pinellas County Utilities (about 217 ppm).
Lealman is an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services
- Who gets the permit
- Online, only licensed contractors can file express permits, after linking an active license to their Access Portal account. Owner-builders file in person at 440 Court Street, Clearwater, and must show a state ID to verify their affidavit.
- Electric utility
- Duke Energy Florida
- Gas utility
- Peoples Gas
- Water
- Split: the county plan lists Lealman as served by both Pinellas County Utilities and the St. Petersburg Water System · St. Petersburg water 158 mg/L (2025 report); Pinellas County Utilities 217 ppm average (2025 report)
- Rebate worth checking
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1968 (median) · 63% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 2 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 Lealman averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Lealman
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local company’s advertised priceNone of the local company websites we checked list a full installed price.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Lealman average is shown.
What can change the price in Lealman?
Pinellas lists 'Water Heater Equal Change Out, Tank or Tankless' separately from 'Water Relocate/Tank or Tankless or New Tank', and has gas types for 'Convert Electric to Gas Water Heater' and 'Replace Natural Gas Water Heater'. An express permit covers one job only and can't be folded into a bigger project.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Lealman?
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 →
IERNA'S Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
Lists Lealman 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.
Performance Air Conditioning, Electric & Plumbing
Lists Lealman 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.
Order: companies based in Lealman 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 LEALMAN
What Lealman homes are like.
1968Median year built
73%Built before 1980
63%Owner-occupied
4%Heat with utility gas
49%Single-family homes
About 73% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
92% 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 Lealman.
2026 permit exemption does not cover plumbing
Starting July 1, 2026, Florida's HB 803 lets single-family homeowners skip permits for some non-structural work under $7,500. It doesn't apply to plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas work, or to homes in flood hazard areas, so a water heater swap still needs a permit. Pinellas County says it will post new exemption rules and a new fee schedule under the law.
Pinellas County – Express Permits (list of express permit types) ↗ · Florida HB 803 (2026) bill page ↗
Water supplier depends on the street
Pinellas County's comprehensive plan lists Lealman as served by both Pinellas County Utilities and St. Petersburg's water system, so hardness depends on your address.
Plan Pinellas – Potable Water Supply element (county comprehensive plan, 2012 data) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Lealman homes.
Energy
- Electric: Duke Energy Florida (The county's economic development office names Duke Energy as Pinellas's main electric company; Tampa Electric serves Oldsmar)
- Gas: Peoples Gas (Peoples Gas lists a St. Petersburg service area; gas is available on some streets, not all)
Pinellas County Economic Development – Utilities ↗ · Peoples Gas – St. Petersburg service area page ↗
Water
Split: the county plan lists Lealman as served by both Pinellas County Utilities and the St. Petersburg Water System: St. Petersburg water 158 mg/L (2025 report); Pinellas County Utilities 217 ppm average (2025 report)
Plan Pinellas – Potable Water Supply element (county comprehensive plan, 2012 data) ↗ · Pinellas County Utilities 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF) ↗ · St. Petersburg 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report (PDF) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Lealman homes.
For Duke Energy Florida and Peoples Gas customers in Lealman. 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 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Florida rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Lealman.
Permits and who issues them
Installing a new water heater is on Pinellas County's list of projects that need a permit. A 'Water Heater Equal Change Out, Tank or Tankless' is an Express Permit, filed on the Pinellas County Access Portal, and the county says these are often issued as soon as you pay. Request an inspection by 3:30 p.m. to get one the next day.
Contractors need an Access Portal account with an active license. Those registered with PCCLB are checked against the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board database. Contractors outside PCCLB's oversight register by emailing their state license, insurance certificates and ID to Building@pinellas.gov.
Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services ↗ · Pinellas County – Apply for a Building Permit ↗ · Pinellas County – Express Permits (list of express permit types) ↗ · Pinellas County – Permitting Guide ↗ · Pinellas County – Building, Transportation and Zoning Fees ↗
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 Lealman.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas Park | 3 mi | Required | $75 | Duke Energy Florida |
| West Lealman | 3 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| St. Petersburg | 5 mi | Required | $65 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Bardmoor | 5 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| Gulfport | 5 mi | Check with city | $109 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Seminole | 6 mi | Check with city | By job value (from $50) | Duke Energy Florida |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Lealman water heater questions.
Who issues water heater permits in Lealman?
Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services. It lists 'Water Heater Equal Change Out, Tank or Tankless' as an Express Permit.
Pinellas County – Express Permits (list of express permit types) ↗
Who supplies Lealman's water?
Either Pinellas County Utilities or the St. Petersburg Water System; the county's comprehensive plan lists both as serving Lealman. Check your bill.
Plan Pinellas – Potable Water Supply element (county comprehensive plan, 2012 data) ↗
More guides: Florida water heater replacement · All local guides