Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN EVANSTON
Evanston Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓EVANSTON AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Evanston.
Yes, Evanston requires a plumbing permit. It's $30 for each water heater, filed through the city's Citizen Portal with a plumbing worksheet the contractor signs. Every contractor working in the city must be registered with Evanston. If you own and live in the home, you can do the plumbing yourself after signing an affidavit. ComEd delivers power and Nicor Gas supplies gas. The city treats its own Lake Michigan water, which runs about 7.8 grains per gallon.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Evanston Building & Development Services
- Permit fee
- $30 for each water heater (plumbing permit, 2026 fee schedule). The schedule also charges at least $70 for any required trade inspection or reinspection.
- Who gets the permit
- A contractor registered with the city who shows proof of a license and comes to inspections. If you own and live in a single-unit home, you can do the plumbing yourself. Sign a plumbing owner affidavit and turn in the worksheet before the permit is issued.
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Gas utility
- Nicor Gas
- Water
- City of Evanston Water (treated Lake Michigan water) · about 134 mg/L (7.8 gpg) average, range 128–143 mg/L (2025 water quality report)
- Rebate worth checking
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1953 (median) · 56% 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 Evanston averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Evanston
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$30 for each water heater (plumbing permit, 2026 fee schedule). The schedule also charges at least $70 for any required trade inspection or reinspection.. City of Evanston Building & Development Services fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Evanston 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 Evanston average is shown.
What can change the price in Evanston?
Electrical work has its own Electrical Worksheet and permit; the 2026 schedule charges $40 for the first circuit. Gas piping and appliances go on the Mechanical Worksheet.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Evanston?
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 Evanston 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 Evanston 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.
J. Blanton Plumbing
Lists Evanston among the areas it serves. Based in 1945 Techny Road, #11, Northbrook, IL 60062.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised competitive, honest quotes, clear explanations and prompt, efficient water heater work.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints could be verified in the sources that were accessible.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Lifeline Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Evanston 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.
Pasquesi Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Sewer
Lists Evanston among the areas it serves. Based in 3218 Skokie Valley Rd., Highland Park, IL 60035.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised clear repair-or-replace options, on-time and careful installers, a hot water fix another company had missed, and phone help relighting a pilot.
Worth knowing One Yelp reviewer (2024) said they were charged almost $250 for a 5-10 minute diagnosis of a hot water problem caused by another contractor, with no work performed; no company response was captured.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Perfect Home Services
Lists Evanston 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 Evanston 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 Evanston 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 Evanston 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.
Order: companies based in Evanston 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 EVANSTON
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN EVANSTON
What Evanston homes are like.
1953Median year built
76%Built before 1980
56%Owner-occupied
75%Heat with utility gas
37%Single-family homes
About 76% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
75% 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 Evanston.
Every contractor registers with the city
Evanston makes all contractors register, not only general contractors. A contractor you hire must be at the inspections. Make sure your plumber is registered before the permit application goes in.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Evanston homes.
Energy
- Electric: ComEd (delivers electricity to all homes; Evanston also has a city program that buys electricity supply for residents as a group)
- Gas: Nicor Gas
Water
City of Evanston Water (treated Lake Michigan water): about 134 mg/L (7.8 gpg) average, range 128–143 mg/L (2025 water quality report)
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Evanston homes.
For ComEd and Nicor Gas customers in Evanston. 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 Evanston.
Permits and who issues them
Evanston's fee schedule lists a plumbing permit for a new or replacement water heater. Apply through the city's Citizen Portal. Plumbing work also needs a city plumbing worksheet signed by the contractor.
Every contractor working in Evanston must register with the city through the Citizen Portal and show proof of insurance. It costs $125 a year for trade contractors and $150 for general contractors. Trades licensed by the state turn in their state license.
City of Evanston Building & Development Services ↗ · Evanston – Residential Permits ↗ · Evanston – Contractor Registration ↗ · Evanston Permit Fee Schedule 2026 (PDF) ↗ · Evanston Plumbing Worksheet (PDF) ↗
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 Evanston.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skokie | 2 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Wilmette | 3 mi | Not required (conditions apply) | — | ComEd |
| Lincolnwood | 3 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Winnetka | 5 mi | Required | $90 | Winnetka Water & Electric (municipal utility) |
| Morton Grove | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Niles | 6 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Evanston water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Evanston?
$30 for each new or replacement water heater, according to the 2026 fee schedule. Required trade inspections and reinspections cost at least $70.
Can I replace my own water heater in Evanston?
Yes, if you own and live in a single-unit home. Turn in a plumbing owner affidavit and the plumbing worksheet before the permit is issued.
Do I need a water softener in Evanston?
Evanston's 2025 report shows average hardness of about 134 mg/L (7.8 grains per gallon). That's moderately hard. Softening is your choice.
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides