Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN KEARNS
Kearns Water Heater
Replacement
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Replacing a water heater in Kearns.
You need a permit to replace a water heater in Kearns. The Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District issues it, and the Kearns fee schedule charges $70 for a mechanical or plumbing permit plus a 1% state surcharge. Water comes from Kearns Improvement District; its 2025 report shows hardness averaging 182.7 ppm (about 10.7 grains per gallon).
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) Planning & Development, for the City of Kearns
- Permit fee
- $70 for a mechanical/plumbing/electrical permit, which covers inspecting one system. Each extra appliance inspected on the same visit is $20. Add a 1% state surcharge (City of Kearns FY2026 fee schedule, effective July 1, 2025; no FY2027 Kearns schedule was posted).
- Who gets the permit
- A licensed contractor (using the MSD's Contractor Authorization Form) or the owner with the MSD Owner-Builder Certificate.
- Electric utility
- Rocky Mountain Power
- Gas utility
- Enbridge Gas Utah
- Water
- Kearns Improvement District (purchased surface water) · 182.7 ppm as calcium carbonate (about 10.7 grains per gallon), range 16–602 ppm; supplier data in Kearns Improvement District's 2025 Annual Water Quality Report
- Rebate worth checking
- Wattsmart Homes – Heat Pump Water Heater (Utah) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1977 (median) · 84% 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 Kearns averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Kearns
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$70 for a mechanical/plumbing/electrical permit, which covers inspecting one system. Each extra appliance inspected on the same visit is $20. Add a 1% state surcharge (City of Kearns FY2026 fee schedule, effective July 1, 2025; no FY2027 Kearns schedule was posted).. Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) Planning & Development, for the City of Kearns 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 Kearns average is shown.
What can change the price in Kearns?
The MSD also requires permits for adding or changing electrical circuits, changing service equipment or panels, and adding fixed electrical appliances that aren't a replacement of the same type.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Kearns?
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 →
Scott Hale Plumbing, Drains, Heating & Air
Lists Kearns among the areas it serves. Based in Murray.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater praise was found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said Scott Hale installed a $4,428 water heater expecting 12 months at 0% and then tried to arrange financing afterward on terms he had not agreed to, and threatened a lien; Scott Hale said the customer accepted the quote on a recorded line, the card on file was declined, and he had not paid.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Order: companies based in Kearns 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. Utah DOPL license lookup ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING KEARNS
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN KEARNS
What Kearns homes are like.
1977Median year built
58%Built before 1980
84%Owner-occupied
89%Heat with utility gas
93%Single-family homes
About 58% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
89% 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 Kearns.
A city now, but the MSD still does permits
MSD materials now call it the City of Kearns. Even so, the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District still handles building permits and inspections; there is no city building department.
Replacing two appliances at once saves money
The $70 permit covers the first system inspected. Each extra appliance or fixture checked on the same visit is $20. So replacing a furnace and water heater together costs less than two separate permits.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Kearns homes.
Energy
- Electric: Rocky Mountain Power
- Gas: Enbridge Gas Utah
Utah UGRC Electric Service Areas (UDPU and Rocky Mountain Power data) ↗ · Enbridge Gas construction services contacts by city ↗
Water
Kearns Improvement District (purchased surface water): 182.7 ppm as calcium carbonate (about 10.7 grains per gallon), range 16–602 ppm; supplier data in Kearns Improvement District's 2025 Annual Water Quality Report
Kearns Improvement District 2025 Annual Water Quality Report ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Kearns homes.
For Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah customers in Kearns. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Wattsmart Homes – Heat Pump Water Heater (Utah) ↗Active$350 customer rebate for a qualified heat pump water heater (all tiers), any tank size; trade ally incentives are also available.
- ThermWise Appliance Rebates – Water Heating ↗Active$100 for an ENERGY STAR gas storage water heater, $300 for an ENERGY STAR gas tankless, $350 for an ENERGY STAR condensing gas storage or a hybrid gas water heater (0.90 TE/EF or higher), $750 for a combined space/water heater (over 95% AFUE), and $50 for a smart water heater controller.
- Utah Home Energy Rebates (HER: HOMES and HEAR) ↗Not launchedUtah's federally funded home energy rebate program is on hold until further notice: DOE has not approved Utah's December 2024 application, so no rebates are available.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Utah rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Kearns.
Permits and who issues them
The Municipal Services District (MSD) handles building permits for the City of Kearns and lists installing or replacing a water heater as a job that needs one. Apply and book inspections on the MSD online portal (questions: 385-910-7138).
We found no MSD contractor license. Utah DOPL licenses contractors.
Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) Planning & Development, for the City of Kearns ↗ · Greater Salt Lake MSD: Do I Need a Building Permit? ↗ · Greater Salt Lake MSD: Apply for a Building Permit ↗ · Greater Salt Lake MSD: Forms and Links (Owner-Builder Certificate, Contractor Authorization Form) ↗ · Greater Salt Lake MSD: Building Permit Fee Schedules ↗ · the City of Kearns fee schedule ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Utah DOPL license lookup ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Utah licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Kearns.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley City | 3 mi | Required | — | Rocky Mountain Power |
| Taylorsville | 3 mi | Required | — | Rocky Mountain Power |
| West Jordan | 3 mi | Required | $70 | Rocky Mountain Power |
| Murray | 6 mi | Check with city | $100 | Murray City Power |
| Midvale | 7 mi | Required | $65 | Rocky Mountain Power |
| South Jordan | 7 mi | Required | $212 | Rocky Mountain Power |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Kearns water heater questions.
Who issues water heater permits in Kearns?
The Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) issues building permits for the City of Kearns on its online portal.
How much is the permit?
$70 for a mechanical, plumbing or electrical permit, $20 for each extra appliance inspected on the same visit, plus a 1% state surcharge (FY2026 schedule effective July 1, 2025).
Can a homeowner pull the permit?
Yes, with the MSD Owner-Builder Certificate. Contractors use the Contractor Authorization Form.
More guides: Utah water heater replacement · All local guides