Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WAKEFIELD
Wakefield Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WAKEFIELD AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Wakefield.
In Wakefield, a licensed plumber or gas fitter pays $25 for the plumbing permit and $25 for the gas permit to replace a home water heater (2016 fee schedule). The town-owned Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department supplies both electricity and gas and has its own appliance and heat pump rebates. Water is mostly MWRA water.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Town of Wakefield Inspectional Services & Zoning (Building Department), 1 Lafayette Street
- Permit fee
- Home water heater replacement: $25 plumbing permit and $25 gas permit. Re-inspection: $50. Late filing: double fee (fee schedule effective July 1, 2016).
- Who gets the permit
- Wakefield issues these permits to state-licensed plumbers and gas fitters. Homeowners can't get plumbing or gas permits in Massachusetts (248 CMR 3.05).
- Electric utility
- Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD)
- Gas utility
- Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD)
- Water
- Town of Wakefield DPW Water Division (mostly MWRA water, supplemented by the town's Broadway treatment facility) · 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); the town's Broadway wells are used to supplement supply
- Rebate worth checking
- WMGLD residential appliance and heat pump rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1956 (median) · 71% 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 Wakefield averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Wakefield
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeHome water heater replacement: $25 plumbing permit and $25 gas permit. Re-inspection: $50. Late filing: double fee (fee schedule effective July 1, 2016).. Town of Wakefield Inspectional Services & Zoning (Building Department), 1 Lafayette Street fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Wakefield 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 Wakefield average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Wakefield?
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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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.
East Coast HVAC
Lists Wakefield among the areas it serves. Based in Dover, NH.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A Yelp reviewer (2020) praised the team's communication, scheduling flexibility and respect for the home during a propane on-demand water heater installation.
Worth knowing A Yelp reviewer (Dec 2024) said a $4,100 water heater quote had no itemized costs, and another (2018) said they were told the company was not taking new customers; no company responses were visible.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Rich Mathews & Son Plumbing (Boston Water Heaters)
Lists Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield 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 WAKEFIELD
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN WAKEFIELD
What Wakefield homes are like.
1956Median year built
71%Built before 1980
71%Owner-occupied
49%Heat with utility gas
59%Single-family homes
About 71% 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 Wakefield.
Town-owned gas and electric
Wakefield has its own town gas and light department, which runs its own rebate programs.
Mass. DPU: Find My Electric, Gas, and Water Company (electric.csv and gas-2023.csv tables; read via Wayback copy, Sept 2026) ↗ · WMGLD Residential Rebates ↗
An old fee schedule
The posted plumbing and gas fee schedule took effect July 1, 2016.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Wakefield homes.
Energy
- Electric: Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) (Town-owned utility)
- Gas: Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) (The DPU also lists National Grid (Boston Gas) for Wakefield)
Water
Town of Wakefield DPW Water Division (mostly MWRA water, supplemented by the town's Broadway treatment facility): 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); the town's Broadway wells are used to supplement supply
Cambridge Water Dept: water hardness (MWRA water about 15-20 ppm) ↗ · MWRA 2025 partial-service communities report (Wakefield section) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Wakefield homes.
For Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) customers in Wakefield. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- WMGLD residential appliance and heat pump rebates ↗ActiveWMGLD pays $25-$500 for each ENERGY STAR appliance and $500-$7,500 for heat pumps.
- 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 Wakefield.
Permits and who issues them
Wakefield's Building Department fee schedule has a Residential Water Heater Replacement line in both its plumbing and gas permit schedules, so a gas unit needs both permits. The town posts the Plumbing/Gas Inspector's office hours (781-246-6388).
Town of Wakefield Inspectional Services & Zoning (Building Department), 1 Lafayette Street ↗ · Wakefield Building Department Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2016) ↗ · Wakefield: Step 4 Permits & Inspections ↗
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 Wakefield.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynnfield | 2 mi | Required | $50 | Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD), Peabody Municipal Light Plant |
| Stoneham | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Reading | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) |
| Melrose | 3 mi | Required | $40 | National Grid |
| Saugus | 4 mi | Required | $40 | National Grid (Massachusetts Electric) |
| Woburn | 5 mi | Required | — | Eversource |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Wakefield water heater questions.
What does a water heater permit cost in Wakefield?
$25 for the plumbing permit and $25 for the gas permit for a home replacement, under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2016.
Who supplies gas and electricity in Wakefield?
The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department, which the town owns. It has its own rebate programs.
Mass. DPU: Find My Electric, Gas, and Water Company (electric.csv and gas-2023.csv tables; read via Wayback copy, Sept 2026) ↗ · WMGLD Residential Rebates ↗
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides