Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN READING
Reading, MA Water Heater
Replacement
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READING AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Reading.
Reading charges a flat $50 for a home water heater permit, and for a gas unit that one fee covers both the gas and plumbing permits (August 2024 schedule). Licensed trades file online. Electricity comes from the Reading Municipal Light Department, gas from National Grid, and water from the MWRA.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Town of Reading Building Division (Plumbing & Gas Inspector)
- Permit fee
- Homes: $50 for an electric hot water heater (plumbing); $50 for a new or replacement gas hot water heater, covering both gas and plumbing permits; and $50 to replace an oil or tankless heater (plumbing only). Effective August 2024.
- Who gets the permit
- Reading issues plumbing permits to licensed plumbers and gas permits to licensed gas fitters, never apprentices, as state rules require. We didn't find a homeowner option.
- Electric utility
- Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD)
- Gas utility
- National Grid
- Water
- Town of Reading, supplied by MWRA · Soft: MWRA water is about 16 mg/L (about 1 grain per gallon).
- Rebate worth checking
- RMLD electric panel upgrade rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1960 (median) · 82% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 9 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 Reading averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Reading
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeHomes: $50 for an electric hot water heater (plumbing); $50 for a new or replacement gas hot water heater, covering both gas and plumbing permits; and $50 to replace an oil or tankless heater (plumbing only). Effective August 2024.. Town of Reading Building Division (Plumbing & Gas Inspector) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Reading post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cranney Home Services. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Reading average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Reading?
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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading 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 READING
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN READING
What Reading homes are like.
1960Median year built
75%Built before 1980
82%Owner-occupied
44%Heat with utility gas
74%Single-family homes
About 75% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
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 Reading.
One $50 fee for a gas water heater
Reading's August 2024 schedule charges one $50 fee for a new or replacement gas hot water heater, covering both the gas and plumbing permits.
Town-owned electric (RMLD)
RMLD serves Reading, North Reading, Wilmington and Lynnfield Center. Mass Save electric rebates don't apply to Reading electric accounts; RMLD runs its own programs.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Reading homes.
Energy
- Electric: Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD)
- Gas: National Grid
MassDOT Utility Contacts by Municipality: Reading ↗ · RMLD Residential Rebates ↗
Water
Town of Reading, 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 Reading homes.
For Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) and National Grid customers in Reading. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- RMLD electric panel upgrade rebate ↗Active$500 for homes that need a bigger electrical panel to add load like a heat pump or other electric equipment.
- 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 Reading.
Permits and who issues them
File Reading permits in the town's OpenGov online system. The plumbing and gas inspector's office hours are Monday-Thursday 7-8 a.m. (781-942-6615). Town Hall is closed Fridays.
Reading has no separate contractor license that we found; the trades need state licenses.
Town of Reading Building Division (Plumbing & Gas Inspector) ↗ · Town of Reading Permitting & Application Information ↗ · Reading Plumbing/Gas Permit Fees (effective August 2024) ↗ · 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 Reading.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | 3 mi | Required | $25 | Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) |
| Lynnfield | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD), Peabody Municipal Light Plant |
| Wilmington | 4 mi | Required | $50 | Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) |
| Woburn | 4 mi | Required | — | Eversource |
| Stoneham | 4 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Burlington | 5 mi | Required | $45 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Reading water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Reading?
$50 for an electric unit (plumbing), or $50 for a gas unit covering both the gas and plumbing permits (effective August 2024).
When can I reach the plumbing inspector?
Monday-Thursday 7-8 a.m. at 781-942-6615. Town Hall is closed Fridays.
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides