Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN DES PLAINES
Des Plaines 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 ↓DES PLAINES AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Des Plaines.
Yes, Des Plaines requires a permit to replace a water heater. It's a flat $50, you apply online, and two inspections are included. State-licensed plumbers register with the city for free. ComEd provides electricity and Nicor Gas provides gas. Lake Michigan water comes from both Chicago and Evanston.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Des Plaines Community and Economic Development – Building and Permits
- Permit fee
- $50 to replace a hot water heater in a one- or two-family home. The fee covers two inspections per trade (City Code 10-13-1, last amended by Ord. M-29-25, Dec. 15, 2025).
- Who gets the permit
- Plumbers need a State of Illinois license and must register with the city (free for plumbers). A homeowner acting as their own contractor needs no city license but may need letters of responsibility.
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Gas utility
- Nicor Gas
- Water
- City of Des Plaines (Lake Michigan water bought from two sources, the City of Chicago and, through the Northwest Water Commission, the City of Evanston)
- Rebate worth checking
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1966 (median) · 78% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 9 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 Des Plaines averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Des Plaines
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$50 to replace a hot water heater in a one- or two-family home. The fee covers two inspections per trade (City Code 10-13-1, last amended by Ord. M-29-25, Dec. 15, 2025).. City of Des Plaines Community and Economic Development – Building and Permits fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Des Plaines post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Perfect Home Services. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Des Plaines average is shown.
What can change the price in Des Plaines?
Other single permits have their own fees: general plumbing ($100), electrical ($100 plus $0.10 per opening), and HVAC/mechanical remove-and-replace ($75). The city adopted the 2021 International Codes (I-Codes), including the Mechanical and Fuel Gas codes, starting January 1, 2026.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Des Plaines?
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 →
Abt Electronics & Appliances – Plumbing Services
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 1200 N. Milwaukee, Glenview, IL 60025.
- Tank
- Tankless
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised Abt staff for following up until a multi-system project that included a tankless water heater was finished, and for handling an emergency water heater replacement.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Sewer & Electric
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 5701 W. 73 St., Chicago, IL 60638.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised fast, same-day water heater replacements and friendly, knowledgeable installers.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
IBBOTSON Heating & Air Conditioning
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 514 S Arthur Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.
- Tank
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised knowledgeable, professional technicians and transparent, competitive quotes, including for a water heater installation.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Lifeline Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 296 Williams Pl, East Dundee, IL 60118.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A customer praised friendly technicians who explained a water heater replacement in plain terms, finished quickly and charged a reasonable price.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Perfect Home Services
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 78 Eisenhower Lane N, Lombard, IL 60148.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: $49 Water Heater Flush and Safety Inspection coupon (listed as expiring Oct 31, 2026); no installed water heater prices published
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised quick same-day response, clear options and clean installs, including a replacement finished within five hours of the call.
Worth knowing On Yelp, one reviewer (2025) called a $4,000 bill for a standard tank replacement for their elderly mother predatory pricing, and another (2025) said a $60 diagnosis became $629 for a tankless unit and a $3,000 repair quote came with a week's wait; a 2018 reviewer said the installer left old vent work for them until the company returned, and the company apologized.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
VanDerBosch Plumbing Inc.
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 6928 N Greenview, Chicago, IL 60626 (second location in Roselle).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised tidy tankless installs, phone troubleshooting that fixed a tankless unit, an 80-gallon upsize planned and installed at a fair price, and a fair price on replacing a 1991 heater.
Worth knowing One Yelp reviewer (2012) said other plumbers later found the gas line and a mixed-metal water connection on their tankless install were done incorrectly, that the unit did not qualify for a federal credit they were told it would, and that calls went unanswered; no company response was captured.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
ARS / Rescue Rooter (Illinois – Chicago area)
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in 731 District Drive, Itasca, IL 60143 (local branch of national ARS network).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Lifetime Plumbing
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves. Based in Skokie, Illinois (no street address published).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Cook County
Lists Des Plaines among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- 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 Des Plaines 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. IDPH plumber license verification ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING DES PLAINES
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN DES PLAINES
What Des Plaines homes are like.
1966Median year built
71%Built before 1980
78%Owner-occupied
85%Heat with utility gas
67%Single-family homes
About 71% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
85% 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 Des Plaines.
Two inspections included
The Des Plaines fee covers two inspections per trade. You pay re-inspection fees only after two failed inspections.
Two water sources
Des Plaines blends Lake Michigan water from Chicago and from Evanston (through the Northwest Water Commission). Its water quality report covers both suppliers.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Des Plaines homes.
Water
City of Des Plaines (Lake Michigan water bought from two sources, the City of Chicago and, through the Northwest Water Commission, the City of Evanston)
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Des Plaines homes.
For ComEd and Nicor Gas customers in Des Plaines. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates ↗Active$150 for an ENERGY STAR gas tankless water heater (UEF 0.95 or higher, 75 MBTUH or less), or $150 for an ENERGY STAR power-vented or condensing storage water heater (UEF 0.86 or higher).
- Illinois IRA Home Energy Rebates (HEAR and HOMES) ↗Not launchedIllinois EPA says its HEAR application has not yet been processed by U.S.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Illinois rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Des Plaines.
Permits and who issues them
The fee schedule in the city code lists 'Hot Water Heater Replacement' as its own single permit for one- and two-family homes. Apply online through the Customer Self Service (EnerGov) portal. Send questions to permits@desplainesil.gov or call 847-391-5380.
All contractors register through the portal, and registrations expire December 31. Plumbers register free with a state license. General and 'other' contractors (including HVAC) pay a fee.
City of Des Plaines Community and Economic Development – Building and Permits ↗ · Des Plaines – Building and Permits ↗ · Des Plaines City Code 10-13-1, Permit Fee Schedule (American Legal) ↗ · Des Plaines – Contractor License & Bond Requirements ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the IDPH plumber license verification ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Illinois licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Des Plaines.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Prospect | 3 mi | Required | $75 | ComEd |
| Park Ridge | 3 mi | Check with city | — | ComEd |
| Niles | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Prospect Heights | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Elk Grove Village | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Glenview | 5 mi | Not required (conditions apply) | — | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Des Plaines water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Des Plaines?
$50 to replace a hot water heater at a one- or two-family home, according to the city code's fee schedule (amended December 2025).
Does my plumber need a Des Plaines license?
Plumbers register with the city through the online portal at no charge. They need a State of Illinois license.
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides