Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN MELROSE
Melrose Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓MELROSE AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Melrose.
In Melrose, licensed trades file everything online through SimpliCity. A home water heater is $40 on each of the plumbing, gas and electrical schedules, plus $15 for each application. National Grid supplies electricity and gas, and the city is on soft MWRA water.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Melrose Inspection Services
- Permit fee
- Home water heater: $40 on the plumbing permit, $40 on the gas permit for a gas unit, or $40 on the electrical permit for an electric unit, each plus a $15 administrative fee for each application (effective July 1, 2023). Work started without a permit costs triple.
- Who gets the permit
- Melrose follows state rules: plumbing permits go to licensed plumbers, gas permits to licensed gas fitters, and never to apprentices. We found no homeowner option.
- Electric utility
- National Grid
- Gas utility
- National Grid
- Water
- City of Melrose, supplied by MWRA · Soft: MWRA water is about 16 mg/L (about 1 grain per gallon).
- Rebate worth checking
- Mass Save heat pump water heater rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1938 (median) · 67% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 8 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 Melrose averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Melrose
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeHome water heater: $40 on the plumbing permit, $40 on the gas permit for a gas unit, or $40 on the electrical permit for an electric unit, each plus a $15 administrative fee for each application (effective July 1, 2023). Work started without a permit costs triple.. City of Melrose Inspection Services fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised priceNone of the local company websites we checked list a full installed price.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Melrose average is shown.
What can change the price in Melrose?
Re-inspections are $50. After-hours inspections are $400 for the first two hours.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Melrose?
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 →
128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric
Lists Melrose 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 Melrose 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 Melrose 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.
Damaso Plumbing & Heating Inc
Lists Melrose 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 Melrose 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 Melrose 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.
Spencer Home Services
Lists Melrose among the areas it serves. Based in Peabody.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback The reviewer praised professional, responsive management and hard-working crews across projects including a hot water heater installation.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Dry Air Systems
Lists Melrose 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 Melrose 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 MELROSE
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN MELROSE
What Melrose homes are like.
1938Median year built
84%Built before 1980
67%Owner-occupied
63%Heat with utility gas
57%Single-family homes
About 84% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
63% 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 Melrose.
Two permits either way
In Melrose, a gas water heater needs plumbing ($40) and gas ($40) permits. An electric one needs an electrical permit ($40) plus a plumbing permit. Each application adds a $15 administrative fee.
Melrose Inspectional Services Permit Fees (effective July 1, 2023) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Melrose homes.
Water
City of Melrose, supplied by MWRA: Soft: MWRA water is about 16 mg/L (about 1 grain per gallon).
MWRA 2025 Annual Water Quality Test Results - Full Service communities ↗ · MWRA: FAQ about MWRA tap water (hardness ~16 mg/L, ~1 gpg) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Melrose homes.
For National Grid customers in Melrose. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- 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 Melrose.
Permits and who issues them
Melrose requires all building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas applications to be filed online through SimpliCity. Its fee schedule lists a water heater on the plumbing, gas and electrical schedules. A gas unit needs a plumbing and a gas permit. The electrical schedule's water heater line says a plumbing permit is also required.
We found no Melrose contractor license. Plumbers, gas fitters and electricians need state licenses.
City of Melrose Inspection Services ↗ · City of Melrose Inspection Services ↗ · Melrose Inspectional Services Permit Fees (effective July 1, 2023) ↗ · Melrose Online Permits (SimpliCity) ↗ · 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 Melrose.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malden | 2 mi | Required | $50 | National Grid |
| Stoneham | 2 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Saugus | 2 mi | Required | $40 | National Grid (Massachusetts Electric) |
| Wakefield | 3 mi | Required | $25 | Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) |
| Medford | 3 mi | Required | $25 | Eversource, National Grid |
| Everett | 3 mi | Required | — | National Grid |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Melrose water heater questions.
What does a gas water heater permit cost in Melrose?
$40 for plumbing plus $40 for gas, and a $15 administrative fee on each application (effective July 1, 2023).
Melrose Inspectional Services Permit Fees (effective July 1, 2023) ↗
Does an electric water heater need an electrical permit?
Yes. Melrose's electrical fee schedule lists a $40 home water heater fee and says a plumbing permit is also required.
Melrose Inspectional Services Permit Fees (effective July 1, 2023) ↗
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides