Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN WOBURN
Woburn Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓WOBURN AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Woburn.
In Woburn, a water heater replacement needs permits from the city's Inspectional Services plumbing and gas inspector, pulled by a licensed plumber or gas fitter. Eversource supplies electricity and National Grid supplies gas. The water is a mix of the city's Horn Pond wells, which measured 62 ppm hardness in 2025, and soft MWRA water.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Woburn Inspectional Services
- Who gets the permit
- Woburn's plumbing permit goes to a licensed plumber and the gas permit to a licensed gas fitter. Massachusetts never issues them to apprentices, and we found no homeowner option.
- Electric utility
- Eversource
- Gas utility
- National Grid
- Water
- Woburn Department of Public Works (Horn Pond well field, supplemented by MWRA) · Horn Pond treatment plant water averaged 62 ppm hardness in 2025 (about 3.6 gpg); the MWRA share is about 16 mg/L.
- Rebate worth checking
- Mass Save heat pump water heater rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1968 (median) · 56% 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 Woburn averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Woburn
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local company’s advertised price2 of the companies listed for Woburn post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cranney Home Services, Vaughan Plumbing & Heating. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Woburn average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Woburn?
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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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.
Vaughan Plumbing & Heating
Lists Woburn 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 Woburn 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 Woburn 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 WOBURN
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN WOBURN
What Woburn homes are like.
1968Median year built
63%Built before 1980
56%Owner-occupied
51%Heat with utility gas
56%Single-family homes
About 63% 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 Woburn.
A mix of local wells and MWRA
Woburn serves about 12,000 customers with water from its Horn Pond well field (62 ppm hardness, 2025) mixed with MWRA water. Hardness depends on the source and is higher than in towns on MWRA water alone.
MWRA 2025 Annual Water Quality Test Results - Partial Service communities ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Woburn homes.
Energy
- Electric: Eversource
- Gas: National Grid
MassDOT Utility Contacts by Municipality: Woburn ↗ · Eversource: Communities we serve ↗
Water
Woburn Department of Public Works (Horn Pond well field, supplemented by MWRA): Horn Pond treatment plant water averaged 62 ppm hardness in 2025 (about 3.6 gpg); the MWRA share is about 16 mg/L.
MWRA 2025 Annual Water Quality Test Results - Partial Service communities ↗ · MWRA: FAQ about MWRA tap water (hardness ~16 mg/L, ~1 gpg) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Woburn homes.
For Eversource and National Grid customers in Woburn. 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 Woburn.
Permits and who issues them
Under state rules, replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit, plus a gas permit for a gas unit, from Woburn's plumbing and gas inspector before work starts. We couldn't confirm Woburn's permit pages or fee schedule online.
City of Woburn Inspectional Services ↗ · 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 Woburn.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource |
| Burlington | 3 mi | Required | $45 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Stoneham | 3 mi | Required | $50 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
| Reading | 4 mi | Required | $50 | Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) |
| Wakefield | 5 mi | Required | $25 | Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) |
| Arlington | 5 mi | Required | $30 | Eversource (NSTAR Electric) |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Woburn water heater questions.
Is Woburn water hard?
Moderately. Water from the Horn Pond treatment plant averaged 62 ppm hardness in 2025. The MWRA water mixed in is about 16 mg/L.
MWRA 2025 Annual Water Quality Test Results - Partial Service communities ↗ · MWRA: FAQ about MWRA tap water (hardness ~16 mg/L, ~1 gpg) ↗
Who can pull the permit?
Only a plumber (for the plumbing permit) or gas fitter (for the gas permit) licensed in Massachusetts.
More guides: Massachusetts water heater replacement · All local guides