Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WINNETKA
Winnetka Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WINNETKA AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Winnetka.
Yes, Winnetka requires a permit to replace a water heater. Plumbing permits start at $90 for up to five fixtures. The village runs its own electric company and its own Lake Michigan water plant. Gas comes from North Shore Gas or Nicor Gas. Village electric customers can get a $500 rebate on an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater bought in 2026.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Village of Winnetka Community Development Department
- Permit fee
- Plumbing permit: $90 for up to 5 fixtures, plus $13 for each extra fixture
- Who gets the permit
- Plumbing contractors must have a current State of Illinois license on file, or hand it in before the permit is issued.
- Electric utility
- Winnetka Water & Electric (municipal utility)
- Gas utility
- North Shore Gas and Nicor Gas
- Water
- Winnetka Water & Electric Department (village water plant on Lake Michigan)
- Rebate worth checking
- Winnetka electric utility appliance rebate: heat pump water heaters (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1942 (median) · 92% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 6 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 Winnetka averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Winnetka
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feePlumbing permit: $90 for up to 5 fixtures, plus $13 for each extra fixture. Village of Winnetka Community Development Department fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Winnetka 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 Winnetka average is shown.
What can change the price in Winnetka?
New circuits and electrical panels also need permits. Furnace and AC permits are $100 plus $120 per unit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Winnetka?
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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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.
Perfect Home Services
Lists Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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 WINNETKA
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN WINNETKA
What Winnetka homes are like.
1942Median year built
79%Built before 1980
92%Owner-occupied
87%Heat with utility gas
90%Single-family homes
About 79% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
87% 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 Winnetka.
The village makes its own power
Winnetka has made and delivered its own electricity since 1900. ComEd programs don't apply to Winnetka electric customers. The village runs its own rebates instead.
Village of Winnetka: Water & Electric ↗ · Village of Winnetka: Rebate Program ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Winnetka homes.
Energy
- Electric: Winnetka Water & Electric (municipal utility) (Village-owned electric company; power is bought under contracts with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency)
- Gas: North Shore Gas (Winnetka is on both North Shore Gas's and Nicor Gas's lists of towns served; check your bill)
- Gas: Nicor Gas
Village of Winnetka: Water & Electric ↗ · North Shore Gas tariff: municipalities served ↗ · Nicor Gas tariff: municipalities served ↗
Water
Winnetka Water & Electric Department (village water plant on Lake Michigan)
Village of Winnetka 2025 Consumer Confidence Water Report ↗ · Village of Winnetka: Water & Electric ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Winnetka homes.
For Winnetka Water & Electric (municipal utility), North Shore Gas and Nicor Gas customers in Winnetka. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Winnetka electric utility appliance rebate: heat pump water heaters ↗Active$500 back on an ENERGY STAR electric heat pump water heater bought Jan.
- 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 Winnetka.
Permits and who issues them
Winnetka requires a permit to install or replace equipment such as water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners. A plumbing permit covers small jobs and replacement appliances. If you don't need large plans, you can email the application as a PDF.
Winnetka doesn't license contractors itself. It accepts State of Illinois licenses for plumbers (and tested municipal licenses for electricians), and they must be on file before the permit is issued.
Village of Winnetka Community Development Department ↗ · Village of Winnetka: Building Permits & Construction ↗ · Village of Winnetka: Inspections & Permit Fees ↗ · Village of Winnetka: Contractor Licensing & Bonding 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 Winnetka.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmette | 2 mi | Not required (conditions apply) | — | ComEd |
| Glenview | 5 mi | Not required (conditions apply) | — | ComEd |
| Evanston | 5 mi | Required | $30 | ComEd |
| Skokie | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Northbrook | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Morton Grove | 5 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Winnetka water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Winnetka?
Yes. Installing or replacing equipment such as a water heater needs a permit.
Is there a rebate for a heat pump water heater?
Yes. Winnetka electric customers can get $500 for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater bought in 2026. Apply within 60 days of buying it.
Village of Winnetka: 2026 Appliance Rebate Terms & Conditions ↗
Does my plumber need a Winnetka license?
No. Winnetka doesn't have its own license. It accepts the plumber's State of Illinois license, which must be on file before the permit is issued.
Village of Winnetka: Contractor Licensing & Bonding Requirements ↗
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides