Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN KENMORE
Kenmore Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓KENMORE AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Kenmore.
Under Kenmore's 2026 fee schedule, an electric water heater costs a $165 base fee plus $37 on a plumbing permit; a gas one costs $165 plus $222 on a mechanical permit. A 5% technology fee is added. Lower-income homeowners can ask to have the fee waived. PSE supplies electricity and gas, and Northshore Utility District delivers mostly Tolt River water from Seattle.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Kenmore Development Services
- Permit fee
- Electric water heater: $165 plumbing base fee + $37 for each fixture. Gas water heater: $165 mechanical base fee + $222 (as printed in the 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 25-434, effective January 1, 2026). A 5% technology fee is added.
- Who gets the permit
- A licensed contractor (Kenmore points you to L&I's Verify tool to check), or a homeowner doing plumbing in their own home (RCW 18.106.150).
- Electric utility
- Puget Sound Energy
- Gas utility
- Puget Sound Energy
- Water
- Northshore Utility District (buys treated water from Seattle Public Utilities, predominantly Tolt River supply) · Very soft: SPU's Tolt distribution sample measured 1.53 grains per gallon in May 2026 (SPU quarterly analysis); Northshore's own report hardness not checked.
- Rebate worth checking
- Permit Fee Waiver Program (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1985 (median) · 69% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 14 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 Kenmore averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Kenmore
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeElectric water heater: $165 plumbing base fee + $37 for each fixture. Gas water heater: $165 mechanical base fee + $222 (as printed in the 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 25-434, effective January 1, 2026). A 5% technology fee is added.. City of Kenmore Development Services fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price3 of the companies listed for Kenmore post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Bee's Plumbing & Heating, CM Heating, Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Kenmore average is shown.
What can change the price in Kenmore?
On the residential mechanical permit, gas piping is $37 an outlet and a heat pump is $74.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Kenmore?
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 →
North Sound Plumbing
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Kenmore.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Bee's Plumbing & Heating
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$500-$800 OFF Water Heater Installation' ($500 off tank, $800 off tankless; not valid on dispatch fee; expires 9/30/2026). No base installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised same-day response, clear explanation of options and quick tank and tankless installs.
Worth knowing Reviewers on BBB and Yelp said water heater prices were far above other quotes or not itemized (the company said on BBB it later sent an itemized invoice and wanted to make it right).
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater-specific praise was found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a gas tank was installed facing the wrong way, blocking access to controls (Brennan apologized and scheduled a return visit to rotate it), and Yelp reviewers described a delayed Costco-sourced install and a later diagnosis they disputed.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
CM Heating
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Everett.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Water heater replacement 'Starting at $2,349' or as low as $29.99/month with price match guarantee; tankless '$49.99/mo. Installed'. Deals page: gas or electric water heater 'starting at just $44.99/month installed' with lifetime repairs and maintenance (50-gal electric / 40-gal gas standard units, Comfort as a Service program); up to $200 off tankless or standard installation. Diagnostic fee $89.95 (waived with approved repair). ;
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a same-day water heater replacement and professional, friendly installation crews.
Worth knowing A Yelp reviewer said CM told him it no longer works on tankless water heaters after selling him one, and another said a service call yielded a replacement quote instead of an inspection, which the company refunded after he complained.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Danika Plumbing & Electric
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Everett.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Republished reviews praised same-day replacement, quotes that matched the final bill, and technicians who explained why tanks failed.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked; accounts come from a company-curated page.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Fast Water Heater Co. (Washington)
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Woodinville.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised punctual, communicative technicians, quick scheduling and a competitively priced replacement.
Worth knowing BBB complainants and a Yelp reviewer said code items were sold as add-ons after a basic quote and that installs failed inspection or permits lingered; the company says it walks customers through a signed code checklist, and in several cases refunded charges or did the code work free.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Fischer Plumbing
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Mountlake Terrace.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised easy scheduling, same-day replacement and prices they described as fair.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a 2021 water heater install never kept water hot and tripped the breaker (Fischer said it provides a 1-year parts and labor warranty and cannot be responsible for home electrical; it refunded a service call fee), and a 2009 Yelp reviewer said the installer tried to raise a $900 quote to over $1,500.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Goldstar Plumbing
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Testimonials praised heat pump water heater installs with clear options, permit and inspection handling, cleanup and haul-away.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Green Planet Plumbing & Sewer
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A customer praised a next-day estimate, quick scheduling and pleasant technicians for a hot water tank replacement.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians
Lists Kenmore among the areas it serves. Based in Tacoma.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Promos (no base price): $100 off a standard water heater (or $39/month financing); $250 off a tankless water heater (or $199/month financing); 5% Heroes Discount up to $200.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised technicians who flushed water heaters and explained maintenance clearly.
Worth knowing BBB reviewers and complainants said technicians recommended whole-house repipes or new tanks for water heater problems that other plumbers fixed cheaply (Harts denied any fraudulent practice and offered manager follow-up), and one disputed $2,500 for a tankless flush and diagnosis that did not fix the issue.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Also listing Kenmore: Hunt's Services, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Everett, Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating, Home Comfort Alliance.
Order: companies based in Kenmore 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. L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING KENMORE
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN KENMORE
What Kenmore homes are like.
1985Median year built
40%Built before 1980
69%Owner-occupied
47%Heat with utility gas
67%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1985. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
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 Kenmore.
Gas costs far more than electric
Kenmore's 2026 schedule charges $37 for an electric water heater on a plumbing permit but prints $222 for a gas one on a mechanical permit. Both are on top of a $165 base fee.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Kenmore homes.
Water
Northshore Utility District (buys treated water from Seattle Public Utilities, predominantly Tolt River supply): Very soft: SPU's Tolt distribution sample measured 1.53 grains per gallon in May 2026 (SPU quarterly analysis); Northshore's own report hardness not checked.
Northshore Utility District Water Quality Reports ↗ · SPU Quarterly Surface Water Analysis, May 2026 ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Kenmore homes.
For Puget Sound Energy customers in Kenmore. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Permit Fee Waiver Program ↗ActiveHomeowners at or below 80% of Area Median Income who live in Kenmore at least 6 months a year can have single-family plumbing and mechanical permit fees waived.
- PSE heat pump water heater rebate ↗Active$1,000 back on a qualifying Tier 3 or Tier 4 heat pump water heater installed on or after January 1, 2026.
- Washington HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates) ↗ActiveState-run program covering heat pump water heaters, heat pumps, induction cooking and electrical upgrades for households at or below 150% of Area Median Income.
- IRA Home Energy Rebates (HARP appliance rebates and HOMES) ↗Not launchedThe federally funded appliance (HARP) and whole-house (HOMES) rebates for households up to 150% AMI had not launched statewide.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Washington rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Kenmore.
Permits and who issues them
Kenmore requires a plumbing permit to install, change, repair or replace any plumbing, and a mechanical permit to install or replace mechanical equipment. Its 2026 fee schedule lists electric water heaters as a plumbing fixture and gas water heaters as a mechanical fixture. Applications and refund forms go through MyBuildingPermit.com.
City of Kenmore Development Services ↗ · Kenmore Do I Need a Permit? ↗ · Kenmore Permit Fees ↗ · City of Kenmore 2026 Fee Schedule (Resolution 25-434) ↗ · RCW 18.106.150 homeowner plumbing exemption ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Washington licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Kenmore.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest Park | 2 mi | Required | $150 | Seattle City Light |
| Bothell | 3 mi | Required | $82 | Puget Sound Energy, Snohomish County PUD |
| Mountlake Terrace | 4 mi | Required | $218 | Snohomish County PUD |
| Kirkland | 4 mi | Required | $121 | Puget Sound Energy |
| Alderwood Manor | 5 mi | Required (county) | $150 | Snohomish County PUD |
| Shoreline | 5 mi | Required | $267 | Seattle City Light |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Kenmore water heater questions.
How much is a water heater permit in Kenmore?
In 2026: $165 base plus $37 for an electric water heater (plumbing), or $165 base plus $222 for a gas one (mechanical). A 5% technology fee is added.
Can Kenmore waive my permit fee?
Yes, if you're a homeowner at or below 80% AMI and live in Kenmore at least six months a year. Ask for a waiver of single-family plumbing and mechanical permit fees using Form 108.
Who supplies water in Kenmore?
Northshore Utility District. It buys treated water from Seattle Public Utilities, mostly from the Tolt River watershed.
Kenmore Utility Providers ↗ · Northshore Utility District Water Quality Reports ↗
More guides: Washington water heater replacement · All local guides