Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN SALT LAKE CITY
Salt Lake City Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓SALT LAKE CITY AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Salt Lake City.
In Salt Lake City, replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit: a $59 base fee plus $16 per water heater (fee schedule amended June 2026). If you live in the home, you can pull your own permit with a state Owner/Builder Certification; rentals need a contractor. City water runs about 8 to 12 gpg of hardness depending on the treatment plant, and higher at some wells.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Salt Lake City Building Services
- Permit fee
- Plumbing permit base fee $59 plus $16 per water heater, about $75 for one heater (FY2027 Consolidated Fee Schedule, amended 06/16/2026).
- Who gets the permit
- If you own and live in a single-family home as your main residence, you can pull the permit with a state Owner/Builder Certification. Rentals and commercial properties need a contractor. If you hire a contractor, state law makes them responsible for the permit and inspections.
- Electric utility
- Rocky Mountain Power
- Gas utility
- Enbridge Gas Utah
- Water
- Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities · Depends on the source: 136 ppm (8.0 grains per gallon) from the Big Cottonwood plant, 175 ppm (10.2) Parleys, 212 ppm (12.4) City Creek, and 154–571 ppm (9.6–33.4) from city wells and springs; 2025 data in the 2026 Water Quality Report
- Rebate worth checking
- Minor Repairs Program (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1965 (median) · 46% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 9 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 Salt Lake City averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Salt Lake City
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feePlumbing permit base fee $59 plus $16 per water heater, about $75 for one heater (FY2027 Consolidated Fee Schedule, amended 06/16/2026).. Salt Lake City Building Services fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price3 of the companies listed for Salt Lake City post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Draper, YES! Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric (Utah), Wasatch Water Heaters of Utah. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Salt Lake City average is shown.
What can change the price in Salt Lake City?
Gas lines, new electrical circuits and mechanical appliances are priced separately: residential electrical permit base $59 plus $40 for a minor remodel/extra circuits; mechanical permit base $59; gas line/meter inspection for utility clearance $24.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Salt Lake City?
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 →
1st American Plumbing, Heating & Air
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised a reasonably priced water heater replacement with code corrections that a later home inspector commented on, and a neat tankless installation.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a $65 service visit that fixed a tankless water heater and a same-day tankless installation with clear explanations.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a $7,700 after-hours tankless replacement was inflated; Beehive cited book pricing plus a filter, PRV and after-hours fee and a $914.74 discount, and the customer rejected that.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Draper
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves. Based in Draper.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$500 Off' tankless water heater installation, expires 2026-10-31 —
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised a fast, affordable tankless water heater quote and install, and a flawless same-day water heater exchange.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Republished Google reviewers praised fast arrival, knowledgeable technicians, fair-market quotes and no leaks a year after a tankless installation.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Scott Hale Plumbing, Drains, Heating & Air
Lists Salt Lake City 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.
YES! Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric (Utah)
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: 'Save Up to $300 on a New Water Heater' (purchase and installation of qualifying water heater required), expires 09/30/2026, applies to Utah —
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Company-hosted testimonials praised quick response, fair pricing and same-day replacement with clear options.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Abbott Plumbing & Drain
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves. Based in Tooele.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Wasatch Water Heaters of Utah
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: $200 OFF Water Heater Installation, expires 12/31/2026 —
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Western Heating, Air & Plumbing
Lists Salt Lake City among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Salt Lake City 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 SALT LAKE CITY
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN SALT LAKE CITY
What Salt Lake City homes are like.
1965Median year built
65%Built before 1980
46%Owner-occupied
72%Heat with utility gas
47%Single-family homes
About 65% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
72% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
Only 46% of homes are owner-occupied. Renters should ask the landlord or property manager; replacing the heater is usually the owner’s decision.
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 Salt Lake City.
Hardness depends on which plant serves you
Salt Lake City mixes water from three canyon treatment plants, wells and springs, and water it buys. In 2025, hardness ran from 136 ppm (8 gpg) at Big Cottonwood to 212 ppm (12.4 gpg) at City Creek, and some wells were much higher. If wells serve your area, flushing the tank and checking the anode matter more.
Work without a permit can go on your title
Building Services warns that skipping permits and inspections can bring fines and a Certificate of Noncompliance on the property title. Work started without a permit can be charged double.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Salt Lake City 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
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities: Depends on the source: 136 ppm (8.0 grains per gallon) from the Big Cottonwood plant, 175 ppm (10.2) Parleys, 212 ppm (12.4) City Creek, and 154–571 ppm (9.6–33.4) from city wells and springs; 2025 data in the 2026 Water Quality Report
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Salt Lake City homes.
For Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah customers in Salt Lake City. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Minor Repairs Program ↗ActiveFree repairs up to $1,500 per household for owner-occupied homes in city limits with a senior (62+) or a person with a disability, and household income at or below 80% of the area median.
- Home Repairs Program ↗ActiveLoans at no or low interest, up to $50,000, for health, safety and structural repairs for low-income homeowners.
- 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 Salt Lake City.
Permits and who issues them
City code, quoted on the permit page, requires a permit for any installation, change or improvement to a building's plumbing or mechanical system. So a water heater swap needs a plumbing permit. Apply on the city's Citizen Access Portal and book inspections online or in the inspections app.
The city sends residents to Utah DOPL to check a contractor's state license. We found no separate city plumbing license (businesses need a general city business license).
Salt Lake City Building Services ↗ · SLC Building Permit Applications ↗ · SLC Building Services FAQs ↗ · Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule (amended 06/16/2026) ↗
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 Salt Lake City.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Salt Lake | 5 mi | Check with city | — | Rocky Mountain Power |
| West Valley City | 7 mi | Required | — | Rocky Mountain Power |
| Millcreek | 8 mi | Required | $70 | Rocky Mountain Power |
| Taylorsville | 8 mi | Required | — | Rocky Mountain Power |
| Murray | 9 mi | Check with city | $100 | Murray City Power |
| Kearns | 10 mi | Required | $70 | Rocky Mountain Power |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Salt Lake City water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Salt Lake City?
The plumbing permit base fee is $59, and each water heater adds $16, so about $75 for one replacement (FY2027 fee schedule, amended 06/16/2026). Electrical or gas work costs extra.
Can I pull the permit myself?
Yes, if you own the home and it's your main residence; submit the state Owner/Builder Certification. Rentals need a contractor.
How hard is Salt Lake City water?
The 2026 report (2025 data) lists 136–212 ppm (8.0–12.4 grains per gallon) at the three city treatment plants and 154–571 ppm at wells and springs.
More guides: Utah water heater replacement · All local guides