Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN NORTH DECATUR
North Decatur Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓NORTH DECATUR AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in North Decatur.
North Decatur is unincorporated, so DeKalb County, not Decatur or Atlanta, issues the plumbing permit. It sits between the City of Decatur and LaVista Road, mostly 1950s and 1960s ranch homes around Medlock and Mason Mill parks, with newer condos near Toco Hills and Clairmont Road. If you keep a gas water heater, you buy the gas from a marketer you choose under Georgia's deregulated system.
North Decatur is an unincorporated community in DeKalb County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability – Permits, Plan Review & Inspections
- Permit fee
- $100 minimum plumbing fee plus a $20 technology fee. One water heater comes to $120 (its own line is $10). Fee schedule last updated 6/8/2026.
- Who gets the permit
- DeKalb says a licensed plumbing contractor must apply. There is a Homeowner's Affidavit for owners working on their own main home, but the county doesn't say it covers a plumbing-only permit.
- Electric utility
- Georgia Power
- Gas utility
- Atlanta Gas Light delivery; customers choose a marketer
- Water
- DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
- Rebate worth checking
- Home Energy Improvement Program – Heat Pump Water Heater (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1977 (median) · 55% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 3 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 North Decatur averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in North Decatur
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$100 minimum plumbing fee plus a $20 technology fee. One water heater comes to $120 (its own line is $10). Fee schedule last updated 6/8/2026.. DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability – Permits, Plan Review & Inspections fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for North Decatur post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Allgood Home Services (ARS/Rescue Rooter). Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no North Decatur average is shown.
What can change the price in North Decatur?
On the plumbing permit, every gas line adds $25. Wiring for an electric water heater needs a separate electrical permit ($100 minimum plus $20 technology fee; water heater line $8). Only the licensed contractor can request a gas pressure test.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in North Decatur?
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 →
Mr. Plumber (Atlanta)
Lists North Decatur among the areas it serves. Based in Marietta.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised same-day replacement of leaking heaters and technicians who explained the replacement process.
Worth knowing Complainants reported a sulfur smell after a March 2025 install (Mr.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Allgood Home Services (ARS/Rescue Rooter)
Lists North Decatur among the areas it serves. Based in Norcross.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
Published price: Coupon: 'Save Up to $300 on a New Water Heater' (purchase and installation of qualifying water heater required; residential only; expires 09/30/2026).
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup (Atlanta)
Lists North Decatur among the areas it serves. Based in Atlanta.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in North Decatur 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 NORTH DECATUR
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN NORTH DECATUR
What North Decatur homes are like.
1977Median year built
53%Built before 1980
55%Owner-occupied
62%Heat with utility gas
54%Single-family homes
About 53% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
62% 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 North Decatur.
Mid-century ranch homes and newer condos
Most homes are 1950s and 1960s ranches, with more condos going up around Clairmont and North Decatur roads and Toco Hills. Older houses weren't built for today's bigger, better-insulated tanks, so going larger or tankless can mean new venting or gas lines. In a condo, expect to work with the association for access.
Wikipedia - North Decatur, Georgia (housing and boundaries) ↗ · DeKalb County - Permits, Plan Review & Inspections ↗
Atlanta Gas Light delivers, a marketer sells
Since Georgia deregulated gas in 1998, Atlanta Gas Light only owns the pipes and meter. You buy the gas from one of the PSC's certified marketers at market prices. When you compare gas against electric or heat pump here, the fuel price depends on your marketer's plan, and AGL's regulated delivery charge applies either way.
Georgia Power pays up to $800 for a heat pump water heater
Under its 2026 Home Energy Improvement Program, Georgia Power pays back 50% of the cost, up to $800, for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater. A licensed plumber, a program installer or the homeowner can install it, unless you already got a discount at the store. For North Decatur homes on Georgia Power, a heat pump is a real option.
Georgia Power - HEIP rebate preconditions and requirements 2026 (PDF) ↗ · Georgia Power - Home Energy Improvement Program ↗
Three permit offices within a mile
North Decatur borders the City of Decatur. Just west, 744 acres around Emory University joined Atlanta on January 1, 2018, and Atlanta now issues permits there. DeKalb says addresses inside a city get permits from that city, so check your property before the plumber files with the county.
Emory News - Atlanta City Council approves Emory annexation (Dec. 2017) ↗ · DeKalb County - Permits, Plan Review & Inspections ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies North Decatur homes.
Energy
- Electric: Georgia Power (DeKalb County names Georgia Power, Snapping Shoals EMC and Walton EMC. The EMCs cover eastern and southern DeKalb, so North Decatur is most likely Georgia Power)
- Gas: Atlanta Gas Light delivery; customers choose a marketer (AGL's ZIP search shows 30033; AGL notes service can differ within one ZIP)
DeKalb County Traffic Services: street light outages, contact your power company (Georgia Power, Snapping Shoals EMC, Walton EMC) ↗ · Georgia PSC Electric (Georgia Power serves 155 of 159 counties; EMCs and municipal systems) ↗ · City of Decatur New Residents Guide 2025 (Georgia Power, neighboring city) ↗
Water
DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for North Decatur homes.
For Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light delivery; customers choose a marketer customers in North Decatur. 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 North Decatur.
Permits and who issues them
For homes outside any city in DeKalb, the county issues the plumbing permit. Its plumbing form charges per water heater and has a 'Replacement' job type. You apply and pay online on DeKalb ePermits, and a county inspector checks the work.
Georgia-licensed contractors apply on the county website. We couldn't confirm any extra county registration rule on the current page.
DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability – Permits, Plan Review & Inspections ↗ · DeKalb County – Permits, Plan Review & Inspections ↗ · DeKalb Development Services Fee Schedule (last update 6/8/2026) ↗ · DeKalb County Plumbing Permit Application (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 North Decatur.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottdale | 2 mi | Required (county) | $100 | Georgia Power, Snapping Shoals EMC or Walton EMC |
| Decatur | 3 mi | Required | $60 | Georgia Power |
| Clarkston | 3 mi | Required | — | Georgia Power |
| Belvedere Park | 4 mi | Required (county) | $120 | Georgia Power, Snapping Shoals EMC or Walton EMC |
| Brookhaven | 5 mi | Required | $75 | Georgia Power |
| Chamblee | 5 mi | Required | $80 | Georgia Power |
This guide also covers North Druid Hills, which share North Decatur’s permit office, utilities, water provider and companies.
COMMON QUESTIONS
North Decatur water heater questions.
Who do I pay for gas in North Decatur if I keep a gas water heater?
Atlanta Gas Light delivers it, but you buy it from a PSC-certified marketer you pick. The marketer sets prices by the market; AGL's delivery rate is regulated.
Do Decatur or Atlanta issue permits for North Decatur?
No. North Decatur isn't part of a city, so a licensed plumbing contractor files with DeKalb County. Only addresses inside Decatur, or in the Emory area that joined Atlanta in 2018, go to those cities.
DeKalb County - Permits, Plan Review & Inspections ↗ · Emory News - Atlanta City Council approves Emory annexation (Dec. 2017) ↗
Can I get a rebate on a heat pump water heater in North Decatur?
If Georgia Power is your electric company, you can get 50% of the cost back, up to $800, for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater through its 2026 Home Energy Improvement Program.
Georgia Power - HEIP rebate preconditions and requirements 2026 (PDF) ↗
More guides: Georgia water heater replacement · All local guides