Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN UNION
Union Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓UNION AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Union.
Union's Building Department charges a flat $35 for a home plumbing permit under its 2023 fee ordinance and enforces the 2021 International Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes. Contractors need a City of Union business license. Electric service in Union is Ameren Missouri; gas is Spire. City well water is hard, 189–300 mg/L.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Check with the city · City of Union Engineering / Building Department
- Permit fee
- $35 flat for a home plumbing permit (home mechanical and electric permits are also $35), plus the $25 home administrative fee where it applies (Ord. 4582, Mar. 13, 2023).
- Electric utility
- Ameren Missouri
- Gas utility
- Spire
- Water
- City of Union (Union PWS, groundwater wells) · Carbonate hardness 189–300 mg/L (about 11–17.5 gpg) from Aug. 2023 sampling, printed in the 2025 report
- Rebate worth checking
- Missouri IRA Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR) (Not launched)
- Typical home
- Built 1996 (median) · 61% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 1 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 Union averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Union
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$35 flat for a home plumbing permit (home mechanical and electric permits are also $35), plus the $25 home administrative fee where it applies (Ord. 4582, Mar. 13, 2023).. City of Union Engineering / Building Department fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised priceNone of the local company websites we checked list a full installed price.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Union average is shown.
What can change the price in Union?
Home mechanical and electric permits are separate ($35 each), so a gas line, vent change or new circuit may need its own permit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Union?
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 →
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup (St. Louis)
Lists Union among the areas it serves. Based in 2671 Washington Ave, St Louis, MO 63103 (local branch of national company).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- 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 Union 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. Missouri has no statewide plumbing license (check your city or county) ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN UNION
What Union homes are like.
1996Median year built
31%Built before 1980
61%Owner-occupied
10%Heat with utility gas
72%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1996. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
85% of homes heat with electricity, which usually means an electric water heater. It’s worth getting a price on a heat pump model too.
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 Union.
Hard well water
Union's seven wells deliver water with carbonate hardness of 189–300 mg/L, among the hardest of the cities we checked.
2021 codes
Union enforces the 2021 International Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code (page updated February 2024).
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Union homes.
Energy
- Electric: Ameren Missouri
- Gas: Spire (The city FAQ calls it Missouri Natural Gas)
Missouri PSC Utility Locator ↗ · Union – Building Department FAQ ↗
Water
City of Union (Union PWS, groundwater wells): Carbonate hardness 189–300 mg/L (about 11–17.5 gpg) from Aug. 2023 sampling, printed in the 2025 report
Missouri PSC Utility Locator ↗ · Union PWS 2025 Annual Water Quality Report (MO6010801) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Union homes.
For Ameren Missouri and Spire customers in Union. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Missouri IRA Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR) ↗Not launchedMissouri expects about $76 million for HOMES and $75 million for electrification and appliance rebates.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Missouri rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Union.
Permits and who issues them
Union's Engineering / Building Department issues permits and inspects work under the 2021 International codes. City code sets a flat home plumbing permit fee, but the city doesn't say whether replacing a water heater with the same type needs one. Call 636-583-1805. Inspections need 24 hours' notice.
Contractors need a City of Union business license. If a contractor doesn't have one, the permit application lets them pay the $50 license fee with it.
City of Union Engineering / Building Department ↗ · Union – Permits / Inspections ↗ · Union – Building Codes (updated 2/2024) ↗ · Union Code §500.100 Fees (Ord. 4582, Mar. 13, 2023) ↗ · Union – Building Alterations & Additions permit application (5/18/23) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Missouri has no statewide plumbing license (check your city or county) ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Missouri licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Union.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 8 mi | Check with city | $40 | Ameren Missouri |
| Eureka | 19 mi | Required | $10 | Ameren Missouri |
| Wildwood | 20 mi | Required | $47 | Ameren Missouri |
| Ellisville | 24 mi | Required | $12 | Ameren Missouri |
| Dardenne Prairie | 26 mi | Check with city | — | Ameren Missouri, Cuivre River Electric Cooperative |
| Lake St. Louis | 26 mi | Required | $50 | Cuivre River Electric Cooperative |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Union water heater questions.
How much is a plumbing permit in Union?
City code sets a flat $35 fee for a home plumbing permit, plus a $25 home administrative fee where it applies.
Does my contractor need a Union license?
Yes. The permit application asks whether the contractor has a City of Union business license and collects the $50 fee if not.
Union – Building Alterations & Additions permit application (5/18/23) ↗
Who supplies water in Union?
The City of Union, from wells. Its 2025 report lists carbonate hardness of 189–300 mg/L.
More guides: Missouri water heater replacement · All local guides