Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN PORTLAND
Portland Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓PORTLAND AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Portland.
You need a plumbing permit to replace a water heater in Portland. It's $63 per water heater in 2026, plus Oregon's 12% surcharge, and homeowners can apply on DevHub. PGE or Pacific Power supplies electricity, depending on your side of the river; NW Natural supplies gas. Bull Run water is soft, about half a grain per gallon.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D)
- Permit fee
- $63 per water heater on the City of Portland plumbing fee schedule effective July 10, 2026, plus the State of Oregon's 12% surcharge (about $70.56 total). An expansion tank is another $63.
- Who gets the permit
- You can do your own plumbing if you're the owner on record with the county (not an LLC). Any contractor doing plumbing must be licensed through the Oregon State Plumbing Board.
- Electric utility
- Portland General Electric and Pacific Power
- Gas utility
- NW Natural
- Water
- Portland Water Bureau (Bull Run watershed, with the Columbia South Shore Well Field as a supplement) · Bull Run water is soft, usually 7–11 ppm, about half a grain per gallon. Columbia South Shore groundwater is moderately hard at about 80 ppm (about 5 grains per gallon) and is mixed in at times. From the 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report.
- Rebate worth checking
- Energy Trust heat pump water heater incentive (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1966 (median) · 52% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 18 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 Portland averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Portland
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$63 per water heater on the City of Portland plumbing fee schedule effective July 10, 2026, plus the State of Oregon's 12% surcharge (about $70.56 total). An expansion tank is another $63.. City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price4 of the companies listed for Portland post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Portland, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland, Rossco Plumbing. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Portland average is shown.
What can change the price in Portland?
Replacing a gas water heater with the same type, in the same spot, hooked to an approved existing chimney or vent without a new liner, doesn't need a mechanical permit; it still needs the plumbing permit. Moving the heater, changing the vent or adding a circuit can mean mechanical or electrical permits, which Portland Permitting & Development also issues.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Portland?
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 →
Central Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
Lists Portland among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised quick scheduling, clear explanations and a final water heater replacement cost that matched the quote.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air
Lists Portland 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 Portland 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.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised quick response, next-day water heater replacement, tidy work and technicians who explained the controls.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Portland
Lists Portland 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 Portland 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.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised punctual, careful installers, a competitive bid and same-day water heater replacement.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked; one Yelp reviewer said a same-day install was probably not his cheapest option.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Fast Water Heater Co. (Oregon)
Lists Portland 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.
Also listing Portland: M T Dunn Plumbing, Sutherland Plumbing LLC, 1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland, Burfitt Plumbing, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland, Rossco Plumbing, Sky Heating, AC, Plumbing & Electrical, Terry Massey Plumbing.
Order: companies based in Portland 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 PORTLAND
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN PORTLAND
What Portland homes are like.
1966Median year built
63%Built before 1980
52%Owner-occupied
47%Heat with utility gas
57%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 Portland.
Gas-to-gas swaps skip the mechanical permit, not the plumbing permit
City code says a same-type gas water heater in the same spot, hooked to an approved existing vent without a new chimney liner, doesn't need a mechanical permit. The residential plumbing permit page still says water heater replacement needs a plumbing permit.
Portland City Code 27.03.010 ↗ · Portland.gov – Residential Plumbing Permits ↗
Summer groundwater can raise hardness
Bull Run water is very soft, but the Water Bureau mixes in moderately hard Columbia South Shore groundwater (about 5 gpg) during summer peaks, cloudy-water events and maintenance. A Bull Run filtration plant is due to be finished by September 2029.
Portland Water Bureau – 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report ↗
Oregon's small-repair exemption doesn't cover water heaters
Oregon lets you skip a permit for ordinary small plumbing repairs, but the rule specifically leaves out replacing water heaters.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Portland homes.
Energy
- Electric: Portland General Electric (Most of the city west of the Willamette and part of the east side)
- Electric: Pacific Power (Shares the east side with PGE; check your bill)
- Gas: NW Natural
Oregon Department of Energy – Oregon electric utility service areas (ArcGIS layer) ↗ · Wikipedia – Portland General Electric (service territory) ↗ · NW Natural – About NW Natural ↗
Water
Portland Water Bureau (Bull Run watershed, with the Columbia South Shore Well Field as a supplement): Bull Run water is soft, usually 7–11 ppm, about half a grain per gallon. Columbia South Shore groundwater is moderately hard at about 80 ppm (about 5 grains per gallon) and is mixed in at times. From the 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report.
Portland Water Bureau – 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Portland homes.
For Portland General Electric, Pacific Power and NW Natural customers in Portland. 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 Portland.
Permits and who issues them
Portland lists 'Replace a water heater' as a job that needs a residential plumbing permit. Apply online on DevHub (fastest; the city says permits are issued within 24 hours after you pay), by email to PPDTradePermits@portlandoregon.gov, or on a paper form by appointment. Every plumbing permit closes with a '399 Final Plumbing Permit' inspection.
Plumbing contractors need a license from the Oregon State Plumbing Board. The city tells homeowners to check contractors with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB).
City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) ↗ · Portland.gov – Residential Plumbing Permits ↗ · Portland.gov – Current fee schedules ↗ · City of Portland Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule, effective July 10, 2026 (PDF) ↗ · Portland City Code 27.03.010 – Mechanical permit exemptions ↗
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 Portland.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukie | 7 mi | Required | $33.60 | Portland General Electric |
| Cedar Mill | 7 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Oak Grove | 9 mi | Required (county) | $31.75 | Portland General Electric |
| Lake Oswego | 9 mi | Required | $24, | Portland General Electric |
| Oatfield | 9 mi | Required (county) | $31.75 | Portland General Electric |
| Beaverton | 9 mi | Required | $27.83 | Portland General Electric |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Portland water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Portland?
Yes. Portland says replacing a water heater needs a residential plumbing permit, closed with a final inspection. A same-type gas replacement on an existing approved vent doesn't also need a mechanical permit.
Portland.gov – Residential Plumbing Permits ↗ · Portland City Code 27.03.010 ↗
How much is the permit?
$63 for a water heater (fee schedule effective July 10, 2026), plus the state's 12% surcharge. An expansion tank is another $63.
Can I replace my own water heater?
Yes, if you're the owner on record with the county and the property isn't held by an LLC. Anyone you hire must be a licensed plumbing contractor.
Is Portland water hard?
No. Bull Run water runs about 7–11 ppm, roughly half a grain per gallon. When summer groundwater is mixed in, it can be harder, around 5 grains per gallon.
More guides: Oregon water heater replacement · All local guides