Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN SYCAMORE
Sycamore Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓SYCAMORE AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Sycamore.
Sycamore exempts same-spot fixture swaps from permits, but its fee schedule counts water heaters as $5 fixtures ($30 minimum), so ask the city first. ComEd and Nicor Gas serve homes. City well water is 289–314 ppm hard, among the hardest in the metro.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Check with the city · City of Sycamore Community Development, Building Division
- Permit fee
- Plumbing inspection fees are $5 for each fixture (water heaters are on the list), with a $30 minimum per permit (Consolidated Fee, Bond & Penalty Schedule, 2026-06-15).
- Who gets the permit
- For any job, plumbing contractors must turn in a copy of their Illinois license and a letter of intent.
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Gas utility
- Nicor Gas
- Water
- City of Sycamore (groundwater wells) · 289–314 ppm (about 17–18 gpg), 'hard to very hard', per the city's 2024 Water Master Plan.
- Rebate worth checking
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1993 (median) · 72% 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 Sycamore averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Sycamore
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feePlumbing inspection fees are $5 for each fixture (water heaters are on the list), with a $30 minimum per permit (Consolidated Fee, Bond & Penalty Schedule, 2026-06-15).. City of Sycamore Community Development, Building Division fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Sycamore 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 Sycamore average is shown.
What can change the price in Sycamore?
A remodel that changes plumbing or wiring needs a permit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Sycamore?
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 →
Lifeline Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Sycamore 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 Sycamore 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.
Summers Plumbing Heating & Cooling
Lists Sycamore among the areas it serves. Based in Multi-state company (no HQ stated); Chicago-area offices at 506 E Summit St, Crown Point, IN 46307; 1260 Transport Dr, Valparaiso, IN 46383; 1935 Brandon Ct., Suite A-1, Glendale Heights, IL 60139; 724 E Veterans Pkwy Suite A, Yorkville, IL 60560.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback One reviewer praised a tankless water heater installed with new HVAC and dehumidification equipment and said the company stands behind what it sells.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers said a son's heater was replaced with a 50-gallon power-vent tank for $4,200 without the cost being discussed (2026), a technician recommended replacement without inspecting a tank that later worked after a flush (2026), and a heater Summers installed was called for replacement just out of warranty and a $59 fee was charged despite a service plan (2025); no company responses were captured.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Order: companies based in Sycamore 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 ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN SYCAMORE
What Sycamore homes are like.
1993Median year built
40%Built before 1980
72%Owner-occupied
81%Heat with utility gas
76%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1993. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
81% 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 Sycamore.
Very hard well water
At 289–314 ppm, Sycamore's well water is far harder than water in the Lake Michigan suburbs. Scale builds up faster in tank heaters and in tankless heat exchangers, so flushing or softening matters more here.
Seven days to file after an emergency
You can make emergency repairs before getting a permit. You must apply for it within 7 days.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Sycamore homes.
Water
City of Sycamore (groundwater wells): 289–314 ppm (about 17–18 gpg), 'hard to very hard', per the city's 2024 Water Master Plan.
Sycamore 2024 Water Master Plan ↗ · Sycamore Water Division ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Sycamore homes.
For ComEd and Nicor Gas customers in Sycamore. 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 Sycamore.
Permits and who issues them
Sycamore says you don't need a permit to replace plumbing fixtures in the same spot. But its fee schedule counts a water heater as a plumbing fixture, so ask the Building Division whether your swap needs one. Plumbing changes and repairs are a listed permit type; apply on the city's web portal. In an emergency you can do the repair first, as long as you apply for the permit within 7 days.
Plumbers show their state license when they get the permit. Electrical contractors register with the city.
City of Sycamore Community Development, Building Division ↗ · Sycamore Building Permit Information ↗ · Sycamore Consolidated Fee Schedule (2026-06-15) ↗ · Sycamore State Licensed Contractor 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 Sycamore.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb | 6 mi | Required | $60 | ComEd |
| Campton Hills | 14 mi | Required | $100 | ComEd |
| Pingree Grove | 14 mi | Required | $75 | ComEd |
| Huntley | 17 mi | Required | $57 | ComEd |
| Elgin | 18 mi | Required | $85 | ComEd |
| South Elgin | 19 mi | Required | $50, | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Sycamore water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Sycamore?
It's unclear. Replacing a fixture in the same spot is exempt, but the city's plumbing fees list water heaters as fixtures. Ask the Building Division.
How hard is Sycamore water?
289–314 ppm. The city's 2024 Water Master Plan calls that hard to very hard.
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides