Water Heater Installation in Greater Seattle: Tank, Power-Vent, Heat Pump and Tankless
Done Right Plumbing installs water heaters across the greater Seattle area, from Seattle and Shoreline to Lynnwood, Everett and Bellevue, and a like-for-like tank usually goes in the same day you call. Every installation is complete: the straps, expansion tank and pan the code calls for, the permit, a vent that works, and the old unit hauled away.
Considering tankless? Our tankless water heater installation page covers endless hot water and long-term energy savings, and our tank or tankless guide covers how to choose.
Need a repair instead? If your water heater is acting up but not ready for replacement, see our water heater repair page.
Real Work: A Mount Baker Gas Water Heater Replaced in One Visit
In October, Joseph T. replaced the gas water heater in a Mount Baker home in Seattle. The old forty-gallon A. O. Smith had been built in 2017, and it sat in a pan with rust stains around its base. Joseph set a new forty-gallon Bradford White gas water heater in the same corner, with a new expansion tank above it, a new pan underneath, seismic straps around the tank and the relief line piped down its side. The whole job was a single visit, and it carries our two-year warranty on parts and labor.
Not every replacement is like for like. In Eastlake this month, the gas heater that failed had a vent that sloped the wrong way, so Nick and Jeremy replaced it with a fifty-gallon power-vent unit vented out through the wall; that job has its own Eastlake power-vent story. And in March, in the Highland Terrace neighborhood of Shoreline, Nick and Jeremy replaced a gas heater with a new fifty-gallon Bradford White, complete with an expansion tank, seismic strapping and a pan.
Signs It's Time for a New Water Heater
There are several reasons you might be considering a new water heater. Common signs include:
- ✓Your existing unit is more than 10–15 years old
- ✓Hot water runs out too quickly or never gets fully hot
- ✓Rusty, discolored, or smelly hot water
- ✓Pooling water or rust at the base of the tank
- ✓The vent pipe has come loose or slopes the wrong way, or the gas to the heater has been shut off for safety
- ✓Your energy bills are climbing because of an outdated system
- ✓You’re renovating and want to upgrade to a more efficient unit
- ✓You’re looking to lower your carbon footprint with tankless or heat-pump options
Our experienced technicians can assess your current system and recommend the most suitable options for your needs and budget.
What a Complete Installation Includes
Every water heater we install goes in finished to code, not just set in place and connected:
- ✓Seismic straps around the tank, one in the upper third and one in the lower third, anchored to the framing
- ✓An expansion tank where the plumbing is a closed system, so the water has room to expand as it heats
- ✓A drain pan wherever a leak could reach a finished floor
- ✓The relief valve piped down to a safe termination
- ✓New supply connections, plus the gas connection or the electrical hookup the unit needs
- ✓The permit and inspection, with the fee in the quote
- ✓Removal and disposal of the old unit
Gas, Electric, Power-Vent, Heat Pump or Tankless
Natural-draft gas tanks
The most common gas replacement. The burner’s exhaust rises up a metal flue on its own heat, which only works when the vent climbs properly all the way out, so we check the flue on every gas swap.
Power-vent gas tanks
A small fan pushes the exhaust out through plastic pipe, usually through a wall, which solves venting that cannot rise. It needs an outlet nearby, and it is what we installed in Eastlake this month.
Electric tanks
Common in condos and in houses without gas to the closet. Replacing one is usually straightforward, with the existing circuit reconnected to the new tank.
Heat pump water heaters
The most efficient way to heat a tank with electricity. Seattle City Light pays a $750 rebate to eligible residential customers on qualifying units, and Snohomish County PUD has its own rebate, covered on our Lynnwood water heater page. They need air around them and a condensate drain, so a garage or basement suits them better than a closet.
Tankless
Endless hot water from a unit on the wall, at a higher price and with gas, venting and electrical work to plan. Our tank or tankless guide covers when it pays off.
Permits Across Our Service Area
Since July 1, 2026, Public Health Seattle & King County has required a plumbing permit for every replacement water heater in Seattle and unincorporated King County, including a like-for-like swap, and for most replacements it is an over-the-counter permit. Lynnwood, Bothell, Everett and the other cities we work in issue their own. A separate electrical permit applies when a circuit is added or modified, as it can be for a power-vent or heat pump unit. We pull the permits and include the fees in the quote.
Top Brands We Install
We install the tank brands homeowners and contractors trust: A. O. Smith, Rheem and Bradford White, the brand on all three replacements above. For tankless, we install Navien.
Why Homeowners Choose Done Right Plumbing
- ✓Same-day installation available, often the same day you call
- ✓50+ years combined experience in the greater Seattle area
- ✓300+ five-star Google reviews from real homeowners
- ✓Upfront pricing, so you know the cost before we start
- ✓We handle permits and disposal, including hauling away your old unit
- ✓A two-year warranty on our installation, on top of the manufacturer’s warranty on the heater
- ✓WA Contractor License #DONERRP852N5, fully licensed, bonded & insured
Water Heater Work Across the Region
We replace water heaters throughout Seattle, Lynnwood, Bothell, Everett and the rest of the north end. Two of those jobs have their own stories: a complete install in Mill Creek and the Eastlake power-vent swap. For lifespan, sizing and heat pump questions, see how long a water heater lasts in Seattle.
Related services: Tankless Water Heater Installation | Water Heater Repair | Gas Line Installation | Whole-Home Repipe
FAQs About Water Heater Installation
How much does a new water heater cost to install?
Most like-for-like tank replacements we do, forty or fifty gallons, land between $2,600 and $3,600 with the straps, expansion tank, pan, permit and haul-away included. A power-vent or heat pump unit costs more because of the unit itself and its venting or electrical work, and a tankless changeover runs two to three times a tank.
Can you install a water heater the same day?
Usually, for a like-for-like tank. The common gas and electric sizes ride on our trucks, so a morning call often means hot water by evening. A change of type can take a little longer: in Eastlake this month, the power-vent replacement went in two days after we found the failed tank.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Almost everywhere we work, yes. In Seattle and unincorporated King County, Public Health Seattle & King County has required a permit for every replacement since July 1, 2026, even a like-for-like swap, and Lynnwood, Bothell, Everett and the other cities issue their own. We pull the permit and include the fee in the quote.
What is a power-vent water heater, and when do I need one?
A power-vent water heater uses a small electric fan to push its exhaust out through plastic pipe, usually through a wall, instead of relying on hot exhaust rising up a metal flue. You need one when a natural-draft flue cannot rise properly, as in an Eastlake closet this month, and it needs an outlet nearby.
Should I get a tank or tankless water heater?
For most homes replacing a working tank, another tank is the simpler and cheaper choice. Tankless earns its higher price in a gas house with two or more bathrooms and a long stay ahead, provided the gas line and venting can support it. Our tank or tankless guide walks through the decision.
Do you haul away the old water heater?
Yes. Draining, disconnecting and removing the old tank is part of every installation we quote, so you never have to arrange a pickup or drag it to the curb. The gas or power is shut off safely first, and the price you are quoted already includes the disposal.
Call for a Water Heater Estimate
Call us today to discuss your water heater installation. We'll help you find the right unit for your home and budget.