Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WATERTOWN
Watertown Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WATERTOWN AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Watertown.
In Watertown, every water heater permit goes to a Massachusetts-licensed plumber or gas fitter, at $30 for the first fixture. It's a city of pre-war two- and three-family houses along the Charles River: Census estimates say nearly half its homes were built before 1940, and more than four in ten units are in two-to-four-family buildings. Water heaters often sit in shared basements, and some still run off oil boilers.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Watertown Department of Community Development and Planning, Inspectional Services
- Permit fee
- Home plumbing permit: $30 for the first fixture plus $7 for each additional one. Home gas permit: $30 for the first fixture plus $7 for each additional one. Re-inspection: $30 (schedule effective 9/30/2013, revised 12/30/2020).
- Who gets the permit
- Watertown's fee schedule says permits are issued only to plumbers and gas fitters licensed in Massachusetts.
- Electric utility
- Eversource
- Gas utility
- National Grid
- Water
- City of Watertown, 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 1947 (median) · 48% 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 Watertown averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Watertown
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeHome plumbing permit: $30 for the first fixture plus $7 for each additional one. Home gas permit: $30 for the first fixture plus $7 for each additional one. Re-inspection: $30 (schedule effective 9/30/2013, revised 12/30/2020).. City of Watertown Department of Community Development and Planning, Inspectional Services fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price3 of the companies listed for Watertown post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cranney Home Services, Landry Mechanical, Vaughan Plumbing & Heating. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Watertown average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Watertown?
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 Watertown 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.
Accurate Baker Elman
Lists Watertown among the areas it serves. Based in Franklin (second office in Newton).
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick same-day or next-day replacement of failed tanks, tidy installers and a tankless installation they said came in below competitors' quotes.
Worth knowing One Yelp reviewer (John H., 2019) complained about long booking waits and 'graduated scale' warranty pricing on a water heater replacement; no company response was visible.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Ace Hardware Home Services (Boston office)
Lists Watertown 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.
Cranney Home Services
Lists Watertown 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 Watertown 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.
Landry Mechanical
Lists Watertown among the areas it serves. Based in Millbury (Framingham location at 763 Waverly St unit 32).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: $75 off tank-type water heater installs or $125 off tankless water heater installs (present at time of sale; not combinable).
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised fast response (including weekend and next-day replacements), manufacturer-warranty coordination on tankless and hybrid units, and technicians who explained options.
Worth knowing A BBB reviewer (DR.
6 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Minuteman Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Lists Watertown 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.
Sila Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical (Greater Boston)
Lists Watertown 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 Watertown 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 Watertown 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 Watertown 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 WATERTOWN
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN WATERTOWN
What Watertown homes are like.
1947Median year built
78%Built before 1980
48%Owner-occupied
67%Heat with utility gas
28%Single-family homes
About 78% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
67% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
Only 48% 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 Watertown.
Two-families with a heater for each unit
About 43% of Watertown's housing units are in two-to-four-unit buildings, and about 44% of homes were built before 1940, according to Census estimates. In a typical two-family, each apartment has its own heater, often side by side in the basement, and they may share an old brick chimney. If one unit's boiler was switched to a model vented out the side wall, the gas water heater may be the only appliance left using that chimney, and it may need a liner to vent safely.
Ask: Is my heater the only thing venting into the chimney, and does the chimney need a liner?
Census Reporter – Watertown units-in-structure, year-built and heating-fuel tables (ACS 2020–2024) ↗
Oil boilers that also make hot water
About 13% of Watertown households still heat with oil. In many oil-heated homes, hot water comes from a coil inside the boiler or from a tank piped to it, so replacing it is really boiler work. Switching to a separate gas or heat pump water heater can let the boiler shut off in summer.
Ask: Does my boiler make my hot water, and what would a separate water heater cost instead?
Census Reporter – Watertown units-in-structure, year-built and heating-fuel tables (ACS 2020–2024) ↗
Lead pipe pieces still being removed
Watertown buys MWRA water and delivers it through its own 82 miles of main and about 9,000 service lines. In 2023, about 600 of those service lines still had lead goosenecks (short lead connectors), and the DPW removed more than 120 that year. The city's 90th-percentile lead result was 2.86 ppb. With a plumber already in the basement near the meter, it's a good time to check what your incoming line is made of.
MWRA – Watertown 2023 community letter (goosenecks, 9,000 services, lead results) ↗
Soft MWRA water with a high pH
Watertown's water comes from the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs. It's treated with ozone and UV at the Carroll plant in Marlborough, disinfected with chloramine, and adjusted to a pH of about 9.0 to 9.5 to keep metal from leaching out of pipes. At about 1 grain per gallon of hardness, it doesn't need a softener, so flushing out sediment matters less here than checking the anode rod.
MWRA – frequently asked questions about tap water (sources, treatment, pH, hardness) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Watertown homes.
Energy
- Electric: Eversource
- Gas: National Grid
MassDOT Utility Contacts by Municipality: Watertown ↗ · Eversource: Communities we serve ↗
Water
City of Watertown, 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 Watertown homes.
For Eversource and National Grid customers in Watertown. 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 Watertown.
Permits and who issues them
Watertown's Inspectional Services issues separate plumbing and gas permits, charged by the fixture, and you can apply online. The city's plumbing and gas inspector does the inspections.
We found no Watertown contractor license; plumbers and gas fitters need their state licenses.
City of Watertown Department of Community Development and Planning, Inspectional Services ↗ · City of Watertown Inspectional Services ↗ · Watertown Permit Fees (effective 9/30/2013, revised 12/30/2020) ↗ · Watertown Online Permitting ↗ · 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 Watertown.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont | 2 mi | Required | $30 | Belmont Light (Belmont Municipal Light Department) |
| Newton | 3 mi | Required | $20 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Cambridge | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource |
| Arlington | 3 mi | Required | $30 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Waltham | 4 mi | Required | $25 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Brookline | 4 mi | Required | $20 | Eversource |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Watertown water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Watertown?
$30 for the first fixture on a home plumbing permit, and for a gas heater another $30 on the gas permit. Extra fixtures are $7 each (schedule revised Dec. 30, 2020).
Watertown Permit Fees (effective 9/30/2013, revised 12/30/2020) ↗
Can I pull the permit for my own two-family?
No. Watertown gives plumbing and gas permits only to plumbers and gas fitters licensed in Massachusetts, even if you live in the house.
Watertown Permit Fees (effective 9/30/2013, revised 12/30/2020) ↗
Does Watertown have lead pipes?
Some service lines still had lead goosenecks in 2023 (about 600 of 9,000), and the DPW has been taking them out. For questions, call (617) 972-6420.
MWRA – Watertown 2023 community letter (goosenecks, 9,000 services, lead results) ↗
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides