How Much Does It Cost to Repair or Replace a Water Heater in Washington State?

How’s life up there in the PNW? We gotta admit, we’re a little jealous of the fresh seafood and gorgeous landscapes — though we could do without the persistent drizzle (why is it, again, that you don’t you use umbrellas?). Washingtonians perhaps know better than anyone: When it rains, it pours. So when your water heater decides it’s quittin’ time, the first thing on your mind is how much it’s going to cost to repair or replace it. While the average resident of Washington State will pay less to have their water heater repaired compared to the average American, full-on water heater replacements are going to cost you more.

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Your water heater powers your dishwasher, clothes washer and the hot shower you crave at the end of a long day of mountain biking, kayaking, surfing or snowshoeing — so it’s almost impossible to live without it. If your hot water is already out, the last thing you want right now is to be blindsided by exorbitant service fees. Calling around for estimates? These figures should give you a general idea of how much you can expect to pay in the Evergreen State.

Repair and replacement costs vary depending on where you live. For comparison, the national average for diagnosis is $101, for repair is $359 and for replacement is $1,396. The good news? We're seeing prices that are, on the national level, lower than when we first reported this data in 2021. National average diagnosis fees are up just $2 in four years, while average repair and replacement costs are down 27% and 20% respectively.

The following average prices are based on aggregated HomeServe data reported from our network of contractors across Washington State.

Water Heater Diagnosis: $104

The technician will typically charge you a diagnostic fee to come out to your home, inspect your machine and tell you whether it needs to be repaired or replaced. In Washington, this fee is about three bucks higher than the national average.

Water Heater Repair: $306

Any of a number of things may be going wrong with your water heater — issues with the gas control valve, a faulty thermostat or a combination of several malfunctions. This average repair price includes replacement parts and the labor to install them. Water heater repairs cost ’Toners an average of 15% less than the U.S. overall.

Water Heater Replace: $1,797

Water heaters only last about 10 years, so a breakdown might be a sign that yours is on its way out. When it’s the end of the road for your water heater, you’ll need to buy a new one. Washington’s average replacement price is about 29% higher than the nation’s — and one of the highest in the country.

(Note that HomeServe water heater data should generally be assumed to refer to conventional “tanked” models — the most common type — as opposed to tankless or “on-demand” models, which can cost roughly twice as much.)

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• Types of Hot Water Heating Systems

• Is a Tankless Water Heater Worth the Cost?

• A Tankless Job? Decide Whether a Tankless Water Heater Works for Your Home