Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN ST. HELENS
St. Helens Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓ST. HELENS AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in St. Helens.
You need a plumbing permit from the city to replace a water heater in St. Helens. Its 2020 fee schedule, the newest posted, sets a $63 minimum plus the state surcharge and a 3% technology fee. Electricity comes from Columbia River PUD, which has a heat pump water heater rebate. Water comes from the city's Ranney collector wells next to the Columbia River.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of St. Helens Building Department
- Permit fee
- City fee schedule effective July 15, 2020 (the newest linked, now six years old): $26.60 per fixture with a $63.00 minimum for a home plumbing permit, plus the 12% state surcharge and a 3% technology fee (about $72.45).
- Who gets the permit
- Licensed contractors apply online on Oregon ePermitting; homeowners can use the city's paper forms. The state allows owners to do their own home plumbing; any other person needs to be a licensed plumbing contractor.
- Electric utility
- Columbia River PUD
- Gas utility
- NW Natural
- Water
- City of St. Helens (Ranney collector wells on the Columbia River bank)
- Rebate worth checking
- Heat Pump Water Heater Program (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1985 (median) · 62% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 3 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 St. Helens averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in St. Helens
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeCity fee schedule effective July 15, 2020 (the newest linked, now six years old): $26.60 per fixture with a $63.00 minimum for a home plumbing permit, plus the 12% state surcharge and a 3% technology fee (about $72.45).. City of St. Helens 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 St. Helens average is shown.
What can change the price in St. Helens?
The mechanical fee table lists a 'Flue vent for water heater or gas fireplace' ($9.28), so gas vent work may add a mechanical permit. The city doesn't list electrical among the permits it issues.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in St. Helens?
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 →
Northwest Plumbing Services
Lists St. Helens among the areas it serves. Based in St. Helens.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Sharp's Plumbing Company, Inc.
Lists St. Helens among the areas it serves. Based in St. Helens.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
D&F Plumbing, Heating and Cooling
Lists St. Helens 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.
Order: companies based in St. Helens 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 ST. HELENS
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN ST. HELENS
What St. Helens homes are like.
1985Median year built
46%Built before 1980
62%Owner-occupied
48%Heat with utility gas
79%Single-family homes
About 46% 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 St. Helens.
Cheap power changes the math
Columbia River PUD's heat pump water heater savings estimates use a home rate of 8.10¢ per kWh, lower than typical private utility rates. That means smaller dollar savings from any electric efficiency upgrade.
Old fee schedule
The building fee schedule the city links is from July 15, 2020. Confirm current fees with the Building Department.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies St. Helens homes.
Energy
- Electric: Columbia River PUD (Public utility district serving the city; PGE's area reaches the edges)
- Gas: NW Natural (Assumed; we didn't find an NW Natural page confirming St. Helens service)
Oregon Department of Energy – Oregon electric utility service areas (ArcGIS layer) ↗ · Columbia River PUD – Heat Pump Water Heaters ↗ · NW Natural – About NW Natural (serves Oregon and SW Washington) ↗
Water
City of St. Helens (Ranney collector wells on the Columbia River bank)
City of St. Helens – 2025 water quality report announcement (April 15, 2026) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for St. Helens homes.
For Columbia River PUD and NW Natural customers in St. Helens. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Heat Pump Water Heater Program ↗ActiveColumbia River PUD gives rebates and quality checks to customers who install qualifying heat pump water heaters.
- 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 St. Helens.
Permits and who issues them
The St. Helens Building Department issues plumbing, mechanical, structural and fill permits. Oregon's small-repair exemption doesn't cover water heater replacement, so you need a plumbing permit. Licensed contractors apply on the State of Oregon ePermitting system; homeowners can email a paper application. To ask whether you need a permit, call 503-397-6272 (option 4, then 3).
City of St. Helens Building Department ↗ · City of St. Helens – Building ↗ · City of St. Helens Fee Schedule, effective July 15, 2020 (PDF) ↗ · OAR 918-780-0035 ↗
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 St. Helens.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany | 20 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Oak Hills | 22 mi | Required (county) | $37 | Portland General Electric |
| Cedar Mill | 22 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Hillsboro | 23 mi | Required | $35.40 | Portland General Electric |
| Portland | 23 mi | Required | $63 | Portland General Electric, Pacific Power |
| Aloha | 25 mi | Required (county) | $37 | Portland General Electric |
COMMON QUESTIONS
St. Helens water heater questions.
Who issues water heater permits in St. Helens?
The city's Building Department, which issues plumbing and mechanical permits. Contractors apply on Oregon ePermitting.
Is there a local rebate for heat pump water heaters?
Yes. Columbia River PUD has a heat pump water heater rebate for its customers; ask the PUD for the current amount.
How much is the permit?
The newest posted schedule (July 2020) lists $26.60 per fixture with a $63 minimum for a home plumbing permit, plus the 12% state surcharge and a 3% technology fee.
More guides: Oregon water heater replacement · All local guides