Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN STONEHAM
Stoneham Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓STONEHAM AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Stoneham.
In Stoneham, a gas water heater costs one $50 combined fee under the town's March 2022 schedules. A licensed plumber or gas fitter applies online through OpenGov with the Building Department, on the garden level of Town Hall at 35 Central Street, but inspections are booked by phone. Frank Walsh is listed as the plumbing and gas inspector.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Town of Stoneham Building Department (35 Central Street)
- Permit fee
- Home gas hot water heater: $50 combined fee. Electric water heater: $50. Re-inspection: $50 (fee schedules effective March 1, 2022; fees aren't refundable).
- Who gets the permit
- Stoneham permits go to licensed Massachusetts plumbers and gas fitters; homeowners can't get plumbing or gas permits (248 CMR 3.05).
- Electric utility
- Eversource (NSTAR Electric)
- Gas utility
- National Grid (Boston Gas)
- Water
- Town of Stoneham DPW (MWRA water) · soft: MWRA water is about 15-20 mg/L (ppm) hardness, roughly 1 gpg (Cambridge Water Dept. description of MWRA water); MWRA adds sodium carbonate and CO2 for corrosion control (2025 report)
- Typical home
- Built 1964 (median) · 71% 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 Stoneham averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Stoneham
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeHome gas hot water heater: $50 combined fee. Electric water heater: $50. Re-inspection: $50 (fee schedules effective March 1, 2022; fees aren't refundable).. Town of Stoneham Building Department (35 Central Street) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Stoneham 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 Stoneham average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Stoneham?
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 →
Sila Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical (Greater Boston)
Lists Stoneham 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.
128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric
Lists Stoneham 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.
Belanger & Sons LLC
Lists Stoneham 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 Stoneham 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 Stoneham 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 Stoneham 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.
Spencer Home Services
Lists Stoneham 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 Stoneham 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 Stoneham 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 STONEHAM
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN STONEHAM
What Stoneham homes are like.
1964Median year built
70%Built before 1980
71%Owner-occupied
44%Heat with utility gas
58%Single-family homes
About 70% 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 Stoneham.
Old iron pipes and brown water
Stoneham's water newsletter says the Water Department maintains nearly 80 miles of mains, and in one year replaced more than 21,000 feet of pipe, mostly from the 1930s and 1940s with heavy iron and mineral buildup. The town also cleans and lines older mains and flushes the whole system every year. Iron-heavy water after flushing or a main break can settle in a tank, so run the cold taps until clear before filling a new heater.
Lead service lines
Stoneham tests tap water in 20 homes a year. Its reported 90th-percentile lead level was 8.69 ppb, and one home that tested at 23.4 ppb had its lead service line removed. You can ask the Stoneham DPW (16 Pine Street, water 781-438-2583) whether your service line is lead and how to replace it.
Apply online, book inspections by phone
The Building Department takes applications online through OpenGov but asks contractors to call the office (781-279-2670) for every inspection. It's open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8-4, and Tuesday until 7 p.m.
Stoneham Building Department ↗ · Stoneham OpenGov permit portal ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Stoneham homes.
Energy
- Electric: Eversource (NSTAR Electric)
- Gas: National Grid (Boston Gas)
Water
Town of Stoneham DPW (MWRA water): soft: MWRA water is about 15-20 mg/L (ppm) hardness, roughly 1 gpg (Cambridge Water Dept. description of MWRA water); MWRA adds sodium carbonate and CO2 for corrosion control (2025 report)
Cambridge Water Dept: water hardness (MWRA water about 15-20 ppm) ↗ · MWRA 2025 water quality report, Stoneham edition ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Stoneham homes.
For Eversource (NSTAR Electric) and National Grid (Boston Gas) customers in Stoneham. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- 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 Stoneham.
Permits and who issues them
Stoneham's Building Department issues plumbing and gas permits and enforces the state plumbing and gas codes. Its fee schedule has a combined fee for a gas hot water heater and a separate fee for an electric one.
Town of Stoneham Building Department (35 Central Street) ↗ · Stoneham Permit Fee Schedules, effective 3/1/2022 ↗ · Stoneham: Permit Applications & Other Forms ↗
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 Stoneham.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melrose | 2 mi | Required | $40 | National Grid |
| Wakefield | 3 mi | Required | $25 | Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) |
| Winchester | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource |
| Woburn | 3 mi | Required | — | Eversource |
| Medford | 4 mi | Required | $25 | Eversource, National Grid |
| Malden | 4 mi | Required | $50 | National Grid |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Stoneham water heater questions.
How do I schedule a water heater inspection in Stoneham?
Call the Building Department at 781-279-2670. The town says to call the office for all inspections, even though the permit is filed online through OpenGov.
Why is my Stoneham water sometimes brown?
The town's water newsletter blames old 1930s-1940s mains with iron and mineral buildup, which it's replacing and lining. The MWRA water itself is soft.
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides