Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WEST LEALMAN
West Lealman Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WEST LEALMAN AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in West Lealman.
West Lealman is unincorporated, so Pinellas County issues water heater permits, usually as a quick Express permit. Between Pinellas Park, Kenneth City and St. Petersburg, along Long Bayou and Cross Bayou, it has some of the oldest and most varied housing in mid-Pinellas: about 31% of homes are mobile homes, and about 75% were built before 1980. About 16% heat with gas, the highest share of the Tampa Bay communities we looked at.
West 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, unincorporated Pinellas County
- Who gets the permit
- Online filing is for licensed contractors. Owner-builders apply in person for Express permits at 440 Court Street, Clearwater, following Florida's owner-builder disclosure rules (F.S. 489.103(7)).
- Electric utility
- Duke Energy Florida
- Water
- St. Petersburg Water Resources (the county plan says St. Petersburg retails water to Lealman)
- Rebate worth checking
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1973 (median) · 76% 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 West 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 West 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 West Lealman average is shown.
What can change the price in West Lealman?
Moving a water heater ('Water Relocate/Tank or Tankless or New Tank'), switching from electric to gas, and replacing a natural gas water heater each have a separate Express permit type in Pinellas.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in West 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 West 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 West 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 West 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 WEST LEALMAN
What West Lealman homes are like.
1973Median year built
75%Built before 1980
76%Owner-occupied
16%Heat with utility gas
35%Single-family homes
About 75% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
80% 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 West Lealman.
Peoples Gas rebates
About 16% of West Lealman households heat with utility gas (Census estimates), and Peoples Gas lists St. Petersburg, Kenneth City, Pinellas Park and unincorporated Pinellas as areas it serves. Its rebates are $550 for a gas tank replacing an electric heater or $350 replacing gas, $650/$400 for an ENERGY STAR tank, and $700/$550 for tankless. Peoples Gas also advertises payment plans for heaters through its St. Petersburg contractor network.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗ · Peoples Gas tariff Sheet 6.101, communities served (effective Jan. 1, 2026) ↗ · Peoples Gas – Water heating rebates ↗ · Peoples Gas – St. Petersburg sales and service providers (water heater payment plans) ↗
Mobile homes follow HUD rules
About 31% of West Lealman's roughly 8,900 homes are mobile homes. HUD code says a tank heater in a manufactured home must sit in a drain pan that drains outside or to a drain, and gas-burning heaters must keep combustion fully sealed off from the living space.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗ · 24 CFR 3280.707 – Manufactured home heat-producing appliances (drain pan rule, par. h) ↗ · 24 CFR 3280.709 – Manufactured home appliance installation (combustion separation, par. d) ↗
Harder St. Petersburg water in 2026
The county plan shows St. Petersburg selling water to Lealman. In September 2026, the city warned of more hardness buildup and some discolored water, because of drought and softening equipment being offline at its Cosme plant. That's a reason to flush a new tank more often for now.
Plan Pinellas – Potable Water Supply element (PDF) ↗ · City of St. Petersburg – A Change in Your Water Treatment (Sept. 4, 2026) ↗
Bayou-front flood zones
West Lealman's western edge is on Long Bayou and Cross Bayou. Florida's 2026 small-project permit exemption doesn't apply in flood hazard areas, and plumbing always needs a permit, so a heater swap there is a Pinellas County express permit either way.
Wikipedia – West Lealman, Florida ↗ · Pinellas County – Express Permits ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies West Lealman homes.
Energy
- Electric: Duke Energy Florida (serves Pinellas County; check by address)
Water
St. Petersburg Water Resources (the county plan says St. Petersburg retails water to Lealman)
Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan – Potable Water Supply element (PDF, 2012 data) ↗ · City of St. Petersburg – A Change in Your Water Treatment (Sept. 4, 2026) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for West Lealman homes.
For Duke Energy Florida customers in West 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.
- 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 West Lealman.
Permits and who issues them
There's no city government in West Lealman, so Pinellas County handles permits. File a 'Water Heater Equal Change Out, Tank or Tankless' Express permit on the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela); these often come through quickly.
Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services, unincorporated Pinellas County ↗ · Pinellas County – Express Permits ↗ · 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 West Lealman.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bardmoor | 3 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| Seminole | 3 mi | Check with city | By job value (from $50) | Duke Energy Florida |
| Pinellas Park | 3 mi | Required | $75 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Lealman | 3 mi | Required (county) | — | Duke Energy Florida |
| Gulfport | 5 mi | Check with city | $109 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Largo | 7 mi | Required | $50 | Duke Energy Florida |
COMMON QUESTIONS
West Lealman water heater questions.
Is there a rebate for a gas water heater in West Lealman?
Yes, if Peoples Gas serves your home: $350 to $700, depending on tank or tankless and whether you're replacing electric or gas.
Why is my new water heater scaling up fast?
St. Petersburg, which supplies Lealman's water, reported harder water in 2026 while softening equipment at its Cosme plant was offline.
City of St. Petersburg – A Change in Your Water Treatment (Sept. 4, 2026) ↗
More guides: Florida water heater replacement · All local guides