Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN MOLALLA
Molalla Water Heater
Replacement
Take a photo of your old water heater to start a replacement quote.
Get a water heater quotePhotos optional. No payment or booking.
See what replacement costs ↓MOLALLA AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Molalla.
Replacing a water heater in Molalla needs a plumbing permit from Clackamas County. The city takes its drinking water straight from the Molalla River and treats it at its own plant on South Molalla Forest Road; Canby and Colton draw from the same river. Homes are fairly new (the Census puts the median at 1997), and about 43% of households heat with electricity.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Clackamas County Building Codes (handles building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical for Molalla)
- Permit fee
- Clackamas County 2026/2027 fees: water heater $31.75, with a $123 minimum plumbing fee, plus Oregon's 12% surcharge (about $137.76).
- Who gets the permit
- If it's your own home, you can get a 'basic homeowner' plumbing, mechanical or electrical permit without using Development Direct. Licensed contractors must use Development Direct online; the county stopped taking emailed contractor applications on April 1, 2026. Oregon allows only the owner or a licensed plumbing contractor to do the work.
- Electric utility
- Portland General Electric
- Gas utility
- NW Natural
- Water
- City of Molalla (Molalla River surface water, city Drinking Water Treatment Plant)
- Rebate worth checking
- Energy Trust heat pump water heater incentive (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1997 (median) · 55% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 2 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 Molalla averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Molalla
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeClackamas County 2026/2027 fees: water heater $31.75, with a $123 minimum plumbing fee, plus Oregon's 12% surcharge (about $137.76).. Clackamas County Building Codes (handles building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical for Molalla) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Molalla post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Portland. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Molalla average is shown.
What can change the price in Molalla?
The county's minimum for home mechanical permits is also $123. Start before the permit is issued and plumbing fees double, unless it's a proven emergency; then you have 5 days to get the permit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Molalla?
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 →
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Portland
Lists Molalla among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- 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
Water heater feedback A customer praised short-notice service that included replacing a corroded water heater part and a clean work area.
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 Molalla 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.
Order: companies based in Molalla 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 ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN MOLALLA
What Molalla homes are like.
1997Median year built
31%Built before 1980
55%Owner-occupied
55%Heat with utility gas
66%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1997. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
55% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
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 Molalla.
Molalla River water
The Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District says about 26,000 people in Molalla, Canby and Colton drink water taken straight from the Molalla River, with city intakes for Canby and Molalla. Molalla treats its water at the city Drinking Water Treatment Plant (32899 S Molalla Forest Rd). River water changes with the seasons, so if you're worried about sediment in your tank, call the plant (503-829-5408).
Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District – Molalla River Drinking Water Project (May 2020) ↗ · City of Molalla – Drinking Water Treatment Plant Section ↗
Newer homes, more electric heat
Census estimates for 2020–2024 put Molalla's median year built at 1997, with about 65% single-family detached homes and 4% mobile homes. About 55% of households heat with gas and 43% with electricity, so electric tanks and heat pump units are common replacements.
U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year, table B25035 (via Census Reporter) ↗ · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year, table B25024 (via Census Reporter) ↗ · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040 (via Census Reporter) ↗
The county handles all trade permits
Sandy and Oregon City do their own. Molalla relies on Clackamas County for home plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits and inspections.
Clackamas County – Building Permit Responsibility by Jurisdiction ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Molalla homes.
Energy
- Electric: Portland General Electric
- Gas: NW Natural
Oregon Department of Energy – Oregon electric utility service areas (ArcGIS layer) ↗ · City of Molalla – Report a Power Outage (PGE) ↗ · City of Molalla – Report a Natural Gas Issue (NW Natural) ↗
Water
City of Molalla (Molalla River surface water, city Drinking Water Treatment Plant)
Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District – Molalla River Drinking Water Project (May 2020) ↗ · City of Molalla – Drinking Water Treatment Plant Section ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Molalla homes.
For Portland General Electric and NW Natural customers in Molalla. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- 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 Molalla.
Permits and who issues them
Clackamas County Building Codes says any plumbing change or install needs a permit first, and its fee table lists water heaters. The state's small-repair exemption doesn't cover water heater replacement. In Molalla, the county, not the city, handles all home plumbing inspections, mechanical and electrical work, according to the county's table.
Contractors need an Oregon Construction Contractors Board license. The county says sewer installers also need a state plumbing business license.
Clackamas County Building Codes (handles building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical for Molalla) ↗ · Clackamas County – Building Codes ↗ · Clackamas County – Plumbing Permits ↗ · Clackamas County – Building Division Fees (2026/2027) ↗ · OAR 918-780-0035 ↗ · Clackamas County – Building Permit Responsibility by Jurisdiction ↗
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 Molalla.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canby | 9 mi | Required | $31.75 | Canby Utility |
| Oregon City | 13 mi | Required | $38 | Portland General Electric |
| Wilsonville | 14 mi | Required | $25 | Portland General Electric |
| West Linn | 15 mi | Required | $34 | Portland General Electric |
| Gladstone | 16 mi | Required | $31.75 | Portland General Electric |
| Oatfield | 18 mi | Required (county) | $31.75 | Portland General Electric |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Molalla water heater questions.
Where does Molalla's water come from?
The Molalla River, treated at the city's own plant. Canby and Colton draw from the same river.
Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District – Molalla River Drinking Water Project (May 2020) ↗
Who issues the permit?
Clackamas County. The water heater line is $31.75, but the $123 plumbing minimum applies, plus Oregon's 12% surcharge.
Clackamas County – Building Permit Responsibility by Jurisdiction ↗
More guides: Oregon water heater replacement · All local guides