Water Heater Repair Seattle: $250 to $1,080 + $750 Rebate

Seattle rows are local; national rows are labeled.

Do this now: water heater leaking or no hot water

1. Smell gas? Leave the house and call 911 or Puget Sound Energy (1-888-225-5773) from outside.
2. Water near the heater and an outlet: shut off the breaker only from a dry spot.
3. Close the cold water valve on top of the tank, then turn off the gas valve or the heater's breaker.
4. Find the leak. HomeGuide says a leak from the bottom of the tank usually means replacement; leaks at fittings or valves may be fixable.
5. No hot water on a gas unit: a thermocouple, pilot or control valve is a common cause, HomeGuide says. Relight once by the label, then call.
6. Photograph water on finished floors and call your insurer.

Is it urgent? When to call tonight

An actively leaking tank, a gas smell or water reaching outlets is urgent. No hot water is urgent for many households in winter, when Sea-Tac averages 25.2 nights a year at or below 32 F, NOAA normals show. A heater that still works but rumbles, or a slow drip at the relief valve, can wait for a weekday and save the after-hours premium; Angi says Seattle after-hours work runs 1.5 to 2 times normal rates. See emergency plumber in Seattle.

Permits: King County, not the city

In Seattle, plumbing and gas piping permits come from Public Health Seattle and King County, which requires a permit to install, relocate or change a plumbing or gas piping system. Since January 1, 2025, the fee has been a $132 base plus $26 per fixture. Ask whether your replacement needs one and who pulls it. Gas piping work in Seattle also needs a city gas piping license.

Seattle's soft water and how long a heater lasts

Seattle's water is soft: Seattle Public Utilities' May 2026 analysis puts its Cedar and Tolt supplies at roughly 1.5 grains per gallon. DOE puts storage tank life at 10 to 15 years and tankless at about 20, and HomeGuide suggests replacing a tank over 10 years old or when a repair costs more than half of a new one. Rheem lists rust-colored water, a rotten-egg odor and rumbling as warning signs. Prices are in water heater replacement cost.

City Light rebate and free replacement programs

• Seattle City Light: $750 for a heat pump water heater, as a contractor discount, an instant coupon at Home Depot or Lowe's, or a rebate submitted within 93 days.
• HomeWise Weatherization (Office of Housing): replaces a water heater that is failing, leaking or rusted for income-qualified homes. (206) 684-0244.
• Home Repair Loans and Grants: replaces a hot water tank only if it is failing, leaking or rusted, not for age; income under 80% of area median; waitlist.

Water heater facts for Seattle, from the official city, county, state, utility, Census and NOAA pages listed under Sources.

Questions to ask a Seattle water heater company

1. Is the leak from the tank or a valve you can replace?
2. Will you pull the King County plumbing permit if I replace?
3. Do you offer the City Light heat pump water heater discount?
4. What is your L&I registration number, and can I see proof of insurance?

More Seattle plumbing guides

All plumbing: plumber in Seattle. Heat: furnace repair in Seattle. Other cities: water heater repair in Portland and water heater repair in Sacramento. National costs: water heater repair. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).