Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge Water Heater
Replacement
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Replacing a water heater in Cambridge.
In Cambridge, a Massachusetts-licensed plumber or gas fitter gets the permit from Inspectional Services: $50 for a plumbing permit on a standard tank ($100 for tankless), plus a $50 gas permit for a gas unit. Cambridge has its own water supply at about 3-4 grains per gallon, harder than the MWRA water in most cities around it.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department (ISD)
- Permit fee
- Plumbing permit: $50 for an electric, gas or indirect water heater; $100 for a tankless water heater. Gas permit: $50 for a water heater (plus $50 for a chimney liner, or $75 for a vent damper, if added). Work started without a permit costs triple. The schedule page has no date.
- Who gets the permit
- Cambridge issues plumbing permits to licensed plumbers and gas permits to licensed gas fitters, as state rules require, and never to apprentices. We found no homeowner option.
- Electric utility
- Eversource
- Gas utility
- Eversource
- Water
- Cambridge Water Department (own reservoir supply, not MWRA) · About 50-70 mg/L (3-4 grains per gallon), 'slightly hard', per the Water Department; the 2025 report lists calcium at 18.2 ppm and sodium 93.5 ppm.
- Rebate worth checking
- Electrify Cambridge (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1950 (median) · 34% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 10 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 Cambridge averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Cambridge
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feePlumbing permit: $50 for an electric, gas or indirect water heater; $100 for a tankless water heater. Gas permit: $50 for a water heater (plus $50 for a chimney liner, or $75 for a vent damper, if added). Work started without a permit costs triple. The schedule page has no date.. City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department (ISD) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price2 of the companies listed for Cambridge post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cranney Home Services, Vaughan Plumbing & Heating. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Cambridge average is shown.
What can change the price in Cambridge?
Cambridge's gas fee table has separate items for a chimney liner ($50), new gas piping ($50 for each floor) and a vent damper ($75), charged if a replacement adds them.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Cambridge?
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 →
Minuteman Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Cambridge.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Angi reviewers praised same-day response, replacements finished within a few hours, fair pricing (including for a weekend emergency) and tidy, well-explained work.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked; one Angi reviewer (Aug 2025) noted a technician arrived later than expected due to an earlier emergency.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Wakefield.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback The reviewer praised a prompt next-day estimate and a technician who explained options, pricing and scheduling.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Ace Hardware Home Services (Boston office)
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Billerica.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised a same-day emergency tankless installation and punctual, well-explained maintenance that included a hot water heater.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Belanger & Sons LLC
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Wilmington.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised owner Steve's fast response, next-day or same-day replacements of leaking or failing heaters, and follow-up after installation.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Cranney Home Services
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Danvers.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Offer: $100 Off water heater install (see offer details on site). No installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback One Yelp reviewer (2024) praised a technician arriving within 30 minutes and courteous staff who explained everything up front on a water heater repair.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers alleged high quotes for water heater replacement (e.g.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Damaso Plumbing & Heating Inc
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Burlington.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick response in emergencies (including a blizzard), next-day tank replacement, fair pricing and follow-up to confirm the heater was working.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Rich Mathews & Son Plumbing (Boston Water Heaters)
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Lynnfield.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick response, reasonable pricing, permits filed, venting brought to code and tidy installations.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Sila Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical (Greater Boston)
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Stoneham.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised a free control adjustment and flat-rate flush (2026), a clear diagnosis of a leaking Bosch tankless unit (2026), and professional water heater and boiler replacements.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers alleged replacement quotes ($5,400 in 2019; at least $12,000 in 2024) for problems others fixed for $350 and $750, and one (Jan 2026) said National Grid found a significant gas leak at a newly installed water heater's joint the day after installation; no company responses were visible on these.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Vaughan Plumbing & Heating
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Boston (Hyde Park, 02136).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: $125 OFF water heater installation; also $45 off Navien heat & hot water full service with organic flush. No installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised fast response, reasonable prices (one said nearly $5,000 below another quote), help with a manufacturer warranty replacement, and a no-charge return visit to check a new unit.
Worth knowing A Yelp reviewer (Dec 2016) said a hot water heater had the same issue the day after service and the company declined to return; the owner replied that the technician had given an estimate for further repairs that the customer declined.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Dry Air Systems
Lists Cambridge among the areas it serves. Based in Newburyport.
- 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 Cambridge 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. Massachusetts eLIPSE license lookup ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING CAMBRIDGE
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN CAMBRIDGE
What Cambridge homes are like.
1950Median year built
68%Built before 1980
34%Owner-occupied
64%Heat with utility gas
16%Single-family homes
About 68% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
64% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
Only 34% of homes are owner-occupied. Renters should ask the landlord or property manager; replacing the heater is usually the owner’s decision.
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 Cambridge.
Harder water than MWRA towns
Cambridge runs its own water supply, which the city calls slightly hard at about 50-70 mg/L. MWRA water is about 15-20 ppm. Scale builds up in tank water heaters more here than in nearby MWRA towns.
Cambridge Water Dept: Commercial water hardness information ↗
A chimney liner is a separate gas item
If replacing a gas water heater means a new chimney liner, Cambridge's gas fee schedule charges $50 for the liner on its own line.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Cambridge homes.
Water
Cambridge Water Department (own reservoir supply, not MWRA): About 50-70 mg/L (3-4 grains per gallon), 'slightly hard', per the Water Department; the 2025 report lists calcium at 18.2 ppm and sodium 93.5 ppm.
Cambridge Water Dept: Commercial water hardness information ↗ · Cambridge Water Dept: 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Cambridge homes.
For Eversource customers in Cambridge. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Electrify Cambridge ↗ActiveFree city-funded consultations for Cambridge homes about heat pump water heaters and other electric upgrades.
- Mass Save heat pump water heater rebate ↗Active$750 for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater (UEF 3.30, or 2.20 for 120-volt plug-in units), or $1,500 for a split-system model, when replacing an existing electric, propane, natural gas or oil water heater.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Massachusetts rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Cambridge.
Permits and who issues them
Replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit, and a gas water heater also needs a gas fitting permit. File with ISD using the MA Uniform Application (plumbing / gas fitting) or the city's Online Permitting System. ISD schedules the inspections. If you don't call for a final inspection within 5 days of finishing, there's a $50 fee.
We found no Cambridge contractor license. The state licenses plumbers and gas fitters.
City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department (ISD) ↗ · Cambridge ISD: Plumbing Fees ↗ · Cambridge ISD: Gas Fees ↗ · Cambridge ISD: Electric, Plumbing & Gas Permits ↗ · 248 CMR 3.05 Permits and Inspections (LII) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Massachusetts eLIPSE license lookup ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Massachusetts licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Cambridge.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerville | 1 mi | Required | $60 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Watertown | 3 mi | Required | $30 | Eversource |
| Medford | 3 mi | Required | $25 | Eversource, National Grid |
| Belmont | 3 mi | Required | $30 | Belmont Light (Belmont Municipal Light Department) |
| Arlington | 4 mi | Required | $30 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Brookline | 4 mi | Required | $20 | Eversource |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Cambridge water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Cambridge?
ISD charges $50 for a plumbing permit for an electric, gas or indirect water heater, and $100 for a tankless unit. A gas water heater also needs a $50 gas permit.
Can I pull the permit myself as a homeowner?
We didn't find a homeowner option. Massachusetts issues plumbing and gas permits only to properly licensed people.
Is Cambridge water hard?
Slightly hard: about 50-70 mg/L (3-4 gpg), according to the Cambridge Water Department.
Cambridge Water Dept: Commercial water hardness information ↗
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides