Topic

Water Heaters

Replacement, repair and running costs for tank, tankless and heat pump water heaters, plus how to read the serial number and judge a quote.

A tank water heater is one of the few appliances almost every US home has, and it fails on a schedule: most tanks leak somewhere between year 8 and year 12. That makes it the most common emergency purchase homeowners face, and emergencies are where quotes get expensive. This section exists so you know the numbers before the tank does.

Tools for this topic

Water Heater Age Decoder

Find out how old your water heater is from its serial number. Covers Rheem, Ruud, A.O. Smith, State, Bradford White, Kenmore, GE and related brands.

Open tool →

Water Heater Replacement Cost Calculator

Free water heater replacement cost calculator with every line item and its source. Tank, tankless and heat pump, by size, with a quote check.

Open tool →

Questions answered

How much does it cost to replace a 50-gallon water heater?Updated 2026-09-22Replacing a 50-gallon tank water heater runs $700 to $3,100 installed, according to HomeGuide (January 2026) and Angi (July 2026). The unit is $500 to $2,100, labor $200 to $1,000, and a permit plus haul-away adds $100 to $800. Most straightforward like-for-like swaps in an average market land between $1,200 and $2,000.