Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN DULUTH
Duluth Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓DULUTH AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Duluth.
Duluth takes plumbing permits on its GovWell portal, and contractors must sign up there first with their state and business licenses. The city lists both Georgia Power and Jackson EMC for electricity. Gwinnett County supplies very soft water, averaging 1.34 grains per gallon in 2025.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Check with the city · City of Duluth Community Development & Engineering
- Who gets the permit
- Contractors must register in GovWell before applying and upload their state contractor's license and, if they have one, their business license. The city's 2020 home building guidelines let homeowners be their own general contractor with a Homeowner Declaration Form. We didn't find homeowner rules for trade permits.
- Electric utility
- Georgia Power and Jackson EMC
- Gas utility
- Atlanta Gas Light (delivery), gas bought from a certified marketer
- Water
- Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources · Soft: about 1.34 grains per gallon average (roughly 23 mg/L), range 1.05–1.87 gpg, 2025 data
- Rebate worth checking
- Home Energy Improvement Program – Heat Pump Water Heater (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1994 (median) · 57% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 12 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 Duluth averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Duluth
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local company’s advertised price6 of the companies listed for Duluth post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Estes Services, R.S. Andrews, Reliable Heating & Air, Plumbing & Electrical, Superior Plumbing, Allgood Home Services (ARS/Rescue Rooter), RooterPLUS!. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Duluth average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Duluth?
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 →
Ace Hardware Home Services Atlanta (North Georgia)
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Marietta.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a tankless job, a quick replacement of a leaking heater, and a technician who explained gas and electric options.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
AZERPLUMB - Plumbing & Drain
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Cumming.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a tankless installation explained step by step and a careful Navien tankless service visit.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Casteel Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback The reviewer reported that a county inspector said the new water heater installation was done well.
Worth knowing The same reviewer was concerned by the inspector's implication about earlier installs; Casteel replied that a manager would review the installation history with the customer.
1 water heater review read, checked September 29, 2026.
Estes Services
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Atlanta.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
Published price: Coupons: '$250 OFF Tankless Water Heater Installation. Same-Day Installation' and 'Free Water Heater Estimates'
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A company-hosted testimonial mentions satisfaction with Estes replacing a water heater as part of years of service.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 29, 2026.
Garner Plumbing Services
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Winder.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A Yelp reviewer praised professional advice, no upselling and reasonable quotes on a new water heater installation.
Worth knowing A 2019 Yelp reviewer said a water heater install booked two weeks ahead fell through on the day.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a clean, well-explained water heater replacement and satisfactory tankless installations.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a spigot was disconnected during a water heater job and the company declined to fix it for free (unanswered).
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A reviewer praised informative service while without a functioning water heater.
Worth knowing A reviewer disputed paying $207 for a tankless visit, saying the technician then said the unit could not be repaired because parts were unavailable, despite a 'free quote' claim on the website.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
R.S. Andrews
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Peachtree Corners.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$100 Off Water Heater Installation' (cannot be combined; valid normal business hours M-F; expires Oct 31, 2026).
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a tankless installation that stayed on the promised timeline and technicians who reviewed the contract and water heater care.
Worth knowing BBB complainants disputed a repair that preceded a full replacement (RS Andrews refunded $453 but not a separate $600 charge; answered), a flush visit the customer said left a valve open (answered; company said it reached an agreement), and a $7,135 two-heater price (resolved with a $951 refund).
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Reliable Heating & Air, Plumbing & Electrical
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Kennesaw.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
Published price: Water heater replacement 'Starting at $2,349 or as low as $29.99/month'; Atlanta installation cost ranges shown as Low $2,199 / Average $2,500 / High $3,999+ Specials page: Rheem Standard Electric Water Heater $2,399.00 installed; tankless 'Starting At... $4,999.00 Installed' or $49.99/mo; 40-gallon for $29.99/mo installed via Comfort as a Service $89.95 diagnostic fee waived with approved repair.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater praise found in the BBB entries checked.
Worth knowing Complainants reported install delays, a 37-gallon heater swapped for a 50-gallon, disputed anode/maintenance coverage, and lease terms they said were not explained; Reliable asked for documentation in one case, and a lease complaint and a payoff complaint were later resolved or credited.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Superior Plumbing
Lists Duluth among the areas it serves. Based in Kennesaw.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$25 OFF — Save $25 on Water Heaters'.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater praise found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A reviewer disputed $89.50 dispatch and $478.68 labor charges for a valve replacement on a 2018 Superior-installed heater; Superior replied that its own parts-and-labor warranty is one year and the manufacturer's 10-year warranty is parts only.
1 water heater review read, checked September 29, 2026.
Also listing Duluth: Allgood Home Services (ARS/Rescue Rooter), RooterPLUS!.
Order: companies based in Duluth 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. Georgia plumbing license lookup (GOALS licensee search) ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING DULUTH
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN DULUTH
What Duluth homes are like.
1994Median year built
12%Built before 1980
57%Owner-occupied
64%Heat with utility gas
64%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1994. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
64% 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 Duluth.
Jackson EMC lists no water heater rebate of its own
Jackson EMC's current rebate page covers heat pump HVAC, EV chargers, smart thermostats and home energy evaluations (up to $1,400), but not water heaters by themselves. If you're on Georgia Power, check its statewide offers.
Very soft water
Gwinnett County water averaged 1.34 grains per gallon of hardness in 2025. Scale buildup in tank water heaters is less of a worry here than in places with hard water.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Duluth homes.
Energy
- Electric: Georgia Power (The city lists it)
- Electric: Jackson EMC (The city lists it; it serves part of the area)
- Gas: Atlanta Gas Light (delivery), gas bought from a certified marketer (The city's page links to the Georgia PSC list of gas marketers)
Water
Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources: Soft: about 1.34 grains per gallon average (roughly 23 mg/L), range 1.05–1.87 gpg, 2025 data
Gwinnett County – Drinking water quality data ↗ · Duluth – Utilities ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Duluth homes.
For Georgia Power, Jackson EMC and Atlanta Gas Light (delivery), gas bought from a certified marketer customers in Duluth. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Home Energy Improvement Program – Heat Pump Water Heater ↗ActiveUp to $800 back on a heat pump water heater; up to $500 for a combination heat pump water/space heating system and up to $250 for a solar water heater.
- Residential Water Heater Energy Efficiency Rebate ↗Active2026 program: $200 for a gas storage tank water heater at 0.82 UEF or higher, $200 for a condensing tank at 0.90 TE or higher, or $300 for a gas tankless at 0.87 UEF or higher, replacing an existing gas water heater below 0.82 UEF.
- Conversion Rebate – Water Heater ↗Active$400 for converting an electric or propane water heater to a natural gas tank water heater, or $500 for converting to a natural gas tankless water heater.
- Georgia Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) ↗ClosedGeorgia's IRA-funded HEAR point-of-sale rebates for heat pump water heaters and other electric appliances are not accepting new applications; project submissions are paused until further notice.
- Georgia Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) ↗ActiveWhole-home efficiency rebates sized by household income (AMI) and modeled energy savings; the site says households can get up to $16,000 combined across Georgia's home energy rebate programs.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Georgia rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Duluth.
Permits and who issues them
Duluth takes all new building and trade permits on its GovWell online portal, which has its own Plumbing permit type. Permits issued earlier in the old iWorQ portal still book inspections there. None of the city pages we read say outright whether swapping a water heater for the same type needs a permit.
Yes. Contractors sign up on the GovWell portal with a state license and business license before they submit permits.
City of Duluth Community Development & Engineering ↗ · Duluth – Permits & Applications (GovWell) ↗ · Duluth GovWell portal – permit types ↗ · Duluth Residential Building Permit Guidelines (2020, PDF) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Georgia plumbing license lookup (GOALS licensee search) ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Georgia licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Duluth.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Creek | 4 mi | Required | By job value (from $6.50) | Georgia Power, Sawnee EMC |
| Peachtree Corners | 5 mi | Required | $250 | Georgia Power, Jackson EMC, Sawnee EMC or Walton EMC |
| Norcross | 5 mi | Check with city | $30 | Norcross Power |
| Suwanee | 6 mi | Required | $6 | Georgia Power, Jackson EMC |
| Lilburn | 8 mi | Required | $7 | Georgia Power, Jackson EMC, Walton EMC |
| Alpharetta | 8 mi | Required | $25 | Sawnee EMC |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Duluth water heater questions.
Where do I apply for a plumbing permit in Duluth?
On the city's GovWell portal at app.govwell.com/duluth, under the Plumbing permit type. Contractors have to register there first.
Is Duluth's water hard?
No, it's soft. Gwinnett County reported an average of 1.34 grains per gallon for 2025.
More guides: Georgia water heater replacement · All local guides