Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN SPANAWAY
Spanaway Water Heater
Replacement
Take a photo of your old water heater to start a replacement quote.
Get a water heater quotePhotos optional. No payment or booking.
See what replacement costs ↓SPANAWAY AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Spanaway.
Spanaway is unincorporated, so Pierce County issues the permit: $86 online for a water heater in 2026, going to $95 in 2027. Homeowners can do their own plumbing. Electricity comes from either Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light, which pays $1,400 to $1,800 for heat pump water heaters, or Tacoma Power. Water comes from the Spanaway Water Company.
Spanaway is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Pierce County Planning & Public Works (Development Center), for unincorporated Pierce County
- Permit fee
- $86 for a residential water heater or furnace permit bought online (2026 fee in PCC 17C.10.070; $95 listed for 2027)
- Who gets the permit
- Homeowners can do their own plumbing and mechanical work, Pierce County says (RCW 18.27.090, RCW 18.106.150). If you hire a contractor, they must be registered with L&I.
- Electric utility
- Tacoma Power and Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light
- Gas utility
- Puget Sound Energy
- Water
- Spanaway Water Company (member-owned nonprofit mutual water company)
- Rebate worth checking
- Elmhurst heat pump water heater rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1989 (median) · 74% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 10 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 Spanaway averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Spanaway
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$86 for a residential water heater or furnace permit bought online (2026 fee in PCC 17C.10.070; $95 listed for 2027). Pierce County Planning & Public Works (Development Center), for unincorporated Pierce County fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Spanaway post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Spanaway average is shown.
What can change the price in Spanaway?
Going from an electric to a gas water heater, or any new or changed gas pipe, needs a gas piping permit. Tacoma Power issues electrical permits for the addresses it serves; L&I issues the rest.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Spanaway?
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 →
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning
Lists Spanaway 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.
Fast Water Heater Co. (Washington)
Lists Spanaway 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.
Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians
Lists Spanaway 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.
Hunt's Services
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Milton.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised same-day emergency water heater replacements and a technician who also corrected code issues at a reasonable price.
Worth knowing BBB reviewers said a tankless flush ended in a paid replacement without the promised phone controller (Hunt's said a controller is typically an optional upgrade) and that a $10,000 boiler hot water tank replacement left them without hot water.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Tacoma
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Tacoma.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A customer praised next-day service with a new hot water heater installed by 11am.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Burien.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised fast response to a leaking water heater, fair pricing and dispatch updates on arrival times.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Convenient Water Heaters & Plumbing
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Graham.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Home Comfort Alliance
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Sumner.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Rainier View Plumbing & Rooter
Lists Spanaway among the areas it serves. Based in Puyallup.
- Tank
- 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 Spanaway 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 SPANAWAY
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN SPANAWAY
What Spanaway homes are like.
1989Median year built
35%Built before 1980
74%Owner-occupied
31%Heat with utility gas
85%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1989. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
65% of homes heat with electricity, which usually means an electric water heater. It’s worth getting a price on a heat pump model too.
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 Spanaway.
Two power companies, two places for electrical permits
Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light serves part of Spanaway and Tacoma Power serves the rest. If you're on Tacoma Power, it issues your electrical permit. Elsewhere in unincorporated Pierce County, L&I does.
Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light area map ↗ · L&I: city electrical permits and inspections ↗
The permit costs more in 2027
County code already raises the online water heater permit to $95 in 2027, from $86 in 2026.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Spanaway homes.
Energy
- Electric: Tacoma Power (Covers unincorporated Pierce County as far south as Roy)
- Electric: Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light (Member-owned co-op; its map covers roughly 128th to 168th St E, including northern Spanaway)
- Gas: Puget Sound Energy
About Tacoma Power ↗ · Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light area map ↗ · PSE locations and service area (Pierce County: electric and gas) ↗
Water
Spanaway Water Company (member-owned nonprofit mutual water company)
Spanaway Water Company ↗ · Spanaway Water 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Spanaway homes.
For Tacoma Power, Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light and Puget Sound Energy customers in Spanaway. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Elmhurst heat pump water heater rebate ↗ActiveFor Elmhurst members: $1,400 for a 40-gallon heat pump water heater, $1,600 for a Tier 3 unit of 50 gallons or more, and $1,800 for a Tier 4 unit of 50 gallons or more.
- Tacoma Power hybrid water heater rebate ↗Active$500 rebate when a Tacoma Power customer replaces a standard electric water heater with a BPA Tier 3 or 4 hybrid (heat pump) model, contractor or self-installed.
- 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 Spanaway.
Permits and who issues them
Pierce County says replacing a water heater or furnace requires a permit (IRC R105.1, UPC 103), and homeowners can get one online. County code sets one flat fee for a residential water heater or furnace permit issued online with no plan review. Switching from electric to gas also needs a gas piping permit.
Pierce County Planning & Public Works (Development Center), for unincorporated Pierce County ↗ · Pierce County FAQ: Mechanical / Plumbing ↗ · Pierce County Code 17C.10.070 permit fees ↗ · L&I: cities and utilities that issue their own electrical permits ↗
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 Spanaway.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkland | 3 mi | Required (county) | $58 | Parkland Light & Water Company, Tacoma Power |
| Elk Plain | 5 mi | Required (county) | $86 | Tacoma Power |
| South Hill | 7 mi | Required (county) | $86 | Puget Sound Energy |
| Lakewood | 7 mi | Required | $34 | Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy |
| Graham | 8 mi | Required (county) | $86 | Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy, Ohop Mutual Light Company |
| Puyallup | 8 mi | Required | $40 | Puget Sound Energy |
This guide also covers Frederickson, which share Spanaway’s permit office, utilities, water provider and companies.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Spanaway water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Spanaway?
Yes. Pierce County requires a permit to replace a water heater, and you can get a residential one online.
How much is the permit?
$86 online in 2026 for a residential water heater permit, and $95 in 2027.
Can I install it myself?
Yes. Pierce County lets homeowners do their own plumbing and mechanical work. If you change a gas line, that needs its own gas piping permit.
Is there a local heat pump water heater rebate?
If you're an Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light customer, yes: $1,400 to $1,800, depending on tank size and tier.
More guides: Washington water heater replacement · All local guides