Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WILMETTE
Wilmette Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WILMETTE AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Wilmette.
You don't need a village permit just to replace a water heater in Wilmette. Changing pipes, moving the heater or adding electrical work does need one. Your electric bill comes from ComEd and your gas bill from Nicor Gas. The village treats its own Lake Michigan water, rated at 139 mg/L (8.1 grains per gallon) in 2025.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- No, for a qualifying same-type replacement
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Gas utility
- Nicor Gas
- Water
- Village of Wilmette Water Plant (treats its own Lake Michigan water) · 139 mg/L as CaCO3 (8.13 gpg), Water Quality Report 2025
- Rebate worth checking
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1957 (median) · 88% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 5 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 Wilmette averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Wilmette
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Wilmette 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 Wilmette average is shown.
What can change the price in Wilmette?
Indoor pipe changes, moving fixtures, boilers and heating units, gas piping and new electrical work (outlets, panel or service changes) all need permits.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Wilmette?
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 Wilmette 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.
Perfect Home Services
Lists Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 WILMETTE
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN WILMETTE
What Wilmette homes are like.
1957Median year built
81%Built before 1980
88%Owner-occupied
85%Heat with utility gas
82%Single-family homes
About 81% 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 Wilmette.
Wilmette makes its own lake water
Wilmette pulls and treats Lake Michigan water at its own plant and sells most of Glenview's water too. Its 2025 report shows hardness of 139 mg/L (8.13 gpg).
Village of Wilmette Water Quality Report 2025 ↗ · Village of Glenview: Water & Sewer ↗
Lead service lines
The 2025 report says 60 homes with confirmed lead lines were tested twice that year. If your home is older, it may be worth checking what your service line is made of while you replace the water heater.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Wilmette homes.
Energy
- Electric: ComEd
- Gas: Nicor Gas
ComEd: Company Information (electric service across northern Illinois) ↗ · Nicor Gas tariff: municipalities to which the schedule applies ↗
Water
Village of Wilmette Water Plant (treats its own Lake Michigan water): 139 mg/L as CaCO3 (8.13 gpg), Water Quality Report 2025
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Wilmette homes.
For ComEd and Nicor Gas customers in Wilmette. 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 Wilmette.
Permits and who issues them
Wilmette's permit list (updated 6/18/2024) puts 'Water heater (replacement only)' under work with no permit needed. Boilers and heating units, indoor pipe changes, moved fixtures and electrical work do need permits. The village can still require a permit for work not on the list (847-853-7550).
Every contractor on a building permit needs a yearly Wilmette contractor's license ($80). Plumbing contractors don't pay the fee, but they file their state or Chicago plumber's license and Illinois certificate of registration.
Village of Wilmette Community Development Department ↗ · Village of Wilmette: Building Permits For Your Protection list (updated 6/18/2024) ↗ · Village of Wilmette: Contractor Licensing & Requirements ↗ · Village of Wilmette: Permit Fees & Extensions ↗
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 Wilmette.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnetka | 2 mi | Required | $90 | Winnetka Water & Electric (municipal utility) |
| Evanston | 3 mi | Required | $30 | ComEd |
| Skokie | 3 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Morton Grove | 4 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Lincolnwood | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Glenview | 5 mi | Not required (conditions apply) | — | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Wilmette water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Wilmette?
Not for a replacement only. The village's list names 'Water heater (replacement only)' as work with no permit. Changing pipes, moving fixtures or adding electrical work does need a permit.
Does my plumber need a Wilmette license?
For work that needs a permit, yes. Every contractor on a permit needs a Wilmette contractor's license. Plumbers pay no fee but file their state license and certificate of registration.
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides