Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN FOREST GROVE
Forest Grove Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓FOREST GROVE AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Forest Grove.
Forest Grove issues its own plumbing permits, with a low $27.30 minimum fee; electrical permits come from Washington County. The city's own Forest Grove Light & Power supplies electricity and pays $1,400–$2,200 toward a heat pump water heater. Water comes from the city's Clear Creek watershed plus Joint Water Commission supply.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Forest Grove Building Division
- Permit fee
- The city's plumbing application lists a water heater at $13.90 with a $27.30 minimum permit fee, plus Oregon's 12% state surcharge (about $30.58). The form has no date. In the city's January 2026 report of permits issued, a home permit to install a tankless gas water heater and a new main shutoff cost $51.91 in fees.
- Who gets the permit
- Whoever does the work, homeowner or contractor, must get the permit, the state Building Codes Division says. Contractors need a Construction Contractors Board license and the matching state plumbing contractor license, and can use state plumbing minor labels ($140 for 10) on water heater replacements.
- Electric utility
- Forest Grove Light & Power
- Gas utility
- NW Natural
- Water
- City of Forest Grove (Clear Creek watershed treated at the Watercrest Road plant, plus Joint Water Commission water from the upper Tualatin River, used mainly July through September) · Not given in the city's 2025 Water Quality Report. The Joint Water Commission, which supplies part of the city's water, showed 30 mg/L (soft) on Sept. 28, 2026.
- Rebate worth checking
- Forest Grove Light & Power heat pump water heater rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1982 (median) · 64% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 6 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 Forest Grove averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Forest Grove
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeThe city's plumbing application lists a water heater at $13.90 with a $27.30 minimum permit fee, plus Oregon's 12% state surcharge (about $30.58). The form has no date. In the city's January 2026 report of permits issued, a home permit to install a tankless gas water heater and a new main shutoff cost $51.91 in fees.. City of Forest Grove Building Division fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price2 of the companies listed for Forest Grove post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Forest Grove average is shown.
What can change the price in Forest Grove?
Electrical permits come from Washington County. On the mechanical application, a gas water heater is $8.95, and a water heater flue vent is a separate line.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Forest Grove?
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 →
Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupons: 'Water Heater Installation – $250 Off' and 'Full Water Heater Inspection' $89 (reg. $149); both expire September 30, 2026; cannot be combined. No base installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Testimonials praised a fast, polite replacement crew and a tankless service technician who explained the work and documented it with photos and video.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
D&F Plumbing, Heating and Cooling
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised same-day water heater replacements, clear explanations of options, and help diagnosing tankless parts under warranty.
Worth knowing One BBB reviewer said a technician left residue from water heater work across the basement floor without telling them and repeated cleanup requests went unanswered (the company apologized and said it would take the feedback into account).
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Fast Water Heater Co. (Oregon)
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves. Based in Troutdale (Oregon office; company HQ Woodinville, WA).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Oregon reviewers praised same-day installs after a failure, punctual and kind installers, and prices and warranties they found reasonable.
Worth knowing A Portland reviewer said a $1,749 basic install rose to $3,000 with code items including a $500 leak detector the county said was not required, and another said the company wrongly claimed rebate eligibility, costing a $1,200 rebate.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
M T Dunn Plumbing
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves. Based in Hillsboro.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A reviewer praised a water heater installation done quickly, professionally and cleanly.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup (Portland)
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised quick, friendly water heater replacement and troubleshooting, including a small extra fix done free.
Worth knowing No Portland-specific water heater complaints were found in the sources checked; national BBB complaints about Roto-Rooter water heater work could not be tied to this location.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland
Lists Forest Grove among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$200 Off Water Heater Installation' (valid toward qualifying water heater installation; expires 01/31/2027). No base installed prices published.
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Forest Grove 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. Oregon CCB license search ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING FOREST GROVE
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN FOREST GROVE
What Forest Grove homes are like.
1982Median year built
48%Built before 1980
64%Owner-occupied
32%Heat with utility gas
64%Single-family homes
About 48% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
64% 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 Forest Grove.
What a replacement has to meet
Oregon's code guidance holds replacement water heaters in existing homes to current rules for earthquake straps, garage elevation, the relief valve's drain line, thermal expansion and combustion air. You don't have to upgrade pipe sizes, add a drip pan or fix existing water pressure above 80 psi.
City-owned power company with its own rebate
Forest Grove Light & Power pays $1,400–$2,200 for qualifying heat pump water heaters, far more than many utility rebates in the region. Energy Trust's heat pump water heater incentive is only for PGE and Pacific Power customers.
FG L&P – Residential energy rebates ↗ · Energy Trust – Residential water heater ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Forest Grove homes.
Energy
- Electric: Forest Grove Light & Power (City-owned utility serving Forest Grove and some unincorporated land around it)
- Gas: NW Natural (Gas company for Washington County)
City of Forest Grove – Light & Power ↗ · Oregon Dept. of Energy – Washington County energy profile (2018) ↗
Water
City of Forest Grove (Clear Creek watershed treated at the Watercrest Road plant, plus Joint Water Commission water from the upper Tualatin River, used mainly July through September): Not given in the city's 2025 Water Quality Report. The Joint Water Commission, which supplies part of the city's water, showed 30 mg/L (soft) on Sept. 28, 2026.
City of Forest Grove – Water Quality Report 2025 ↗ · Joint Water Commission – Testing results ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Forest Grove homes.
For Forest Grove Light & Power and NW Natural customers in Forest Grove. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Forest Grove Light & Power heat pump water heater rebate ↗Active$1,400 for a 40-gallon unit (any tier), $1,600 for Tier 3 at 50 gallons or more, $1,800 for Tier 4 at 50 gallons or more, or $2,200 for a split system.
- Energy Trust heat pump water heater incentive ↗Active$1,200 for a Tier 3 or higher heat pump water heater installed by a licensed contractor in an existing home, applied as an instant discount through the distributor.
- Energy Trust gas tankless water heater incentive ↗Active$400 for an ENERGY STAR gas tankless water heater that replaces an existing gas storage tank water heater.
- Oregon Home Energy Rebates (IRA HEAR and HOMES) ↗Not launchedOregon received over $113 million for the two federal rebate programs, but ODOE says no rebates are currently available and there is no application opening date.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Oregon rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Forest Grove.
Permits and who issues them
Forest Grove issues its own plumbing and mechanical permits; Washington County issues electrical permits. The city's plumbing application lists a water heater as a fee item, and Oregon's Building Codes Division says replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit. Apply and book inspections on the State of Oregon ePermitting system.
City of Forest Grove Building Division ↗ · City of Forest Grove – Permitting process ↗ · City of Forest Grove – Plumbing Permit Application ↗ · City of Forest Grove – Mechanical Permit Application ↗ · City of Forest Grove – Permits issued, January 2026 ↗ · Oregon BCD – About Oregon residential building permits ↗ · Oregon BCD – Plumbing minor labels ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Oregon CCB license search ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Oregon licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Forest Grove.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelius | 3 mi | Required | $13.90 | Portland General Electric |
| Hillsboro | 8 mi | Required | $35.40 | Portland General Electric |
| Aloha | 12 mi | Required (county) | $37 | Portland General Electric |
| Oak Hills | 13 mi | Required (county) | $37 | Portland General Electric |
| Bethany | 13 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Beaverton | 15 mi | Required | $27.83 | Portland General Electric |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Forest Grove water heater questions.
Does Forest Grove Light & Power offer a heat pump water heater rebate?
Yes: $1,400 for a 40-gallon unit, $1,600 for Tier 3 or $1,800 for Tier 4 units of 50 gallons or more, and $2,200 for a split system.
How much is a plumbing permit for a water heater?
The city's application shows $13.90 for a water heater with a $27.30 minimum, plus the 12% state surcharge. The form has no date, so confirm with the Building Division (503-992-3229).
More guides: Oregon water heater replacement · All local guides