A gas water heater replacement with Water Heater Now costs $2,498 for a 40-gallon Bradford White gas unit, installed, and that price includes the expansion tank and haul-away of the old tank. Valves and any vent repairs are extra, priced on site, and you approve the full number before any work starts.
What the $2,498 Covers
The price is for a 40-gallon Bradford White atmospheric-vent gas water heater (model BRWRG240S6N), supplied and installed. It covers:
| Included | Details |
|---|---|
| The water heater | 40-gallon Bradford White gas tank |
| Installation | Old tank drained and removed, new tank set, piped, connected to gas and the flue, filled and tested |
| Expansion tank | Included on every install |
| Haul-away | The old water heater is removed and disposed of. No separate disposal fee |
| Permit | Handled for your address, whether you are inside Wilmington city limits or elsewhere in New Castle County |
Financing is available at $89 a month on approved credit.
Most homes in our area run a standard gas tank that vents up through a metal flue, which is the kind of heater this price is for. A.O. Smith notes that "standard atmospheric water heaters are the most common type of residential gas water heaters."
What Can Add to the Price
The flat price assumes the rest of the setup is sound. Four things can add to it, and you hear about each one before work starts:
- Valves. Shutoff valves that no longer close properly are replaced. Valves are priced on site.
- Vent repairs. On a gas heater, the flue has to carry exhaust out of the house. A.O. Smith warns that "any blockages or misalignments in your home's venting may result in excess heat and fumes being released back into the ambient air." A rusted, loose or badly sloped flue gets fixed before the new heater is lit, and that is priced separately.
- After-hours and weekend service. Additional fees apply outside normal hours.
- Access. Narrow basement stairs or a tight closet slow removal and placement, which adds time.
If you are comparing quotes, our water heater installation cost guide explains why one quote can come in far below another, and what a low quote usually leaves out.
Why Gas Costs More to Replace Than Electric
Our 50-gallon electric installation is $2,198, so gas is $300 more for a smaller tank. The difference is the work, not the heater:
- The gas connection. The gas line is shut off, disconnected and reconnected to the new heater's gas valve, then checked for leaks before the burner is lit.
- The flue. An electric tank needs no venting. A gas tank has to be reconnected to its flue, and the vent is checked all the way to the chimney or wall. A.O. Smith says atmospheric venting "may either be dedicated to the water heater or can be shared with other atmospheric vent appliances, such as a furnace," so in many Wilmington basements the water heater and furnace share one vent, and both depend on it being right.
- Lighting and testing. The burner is lit and the draft is checked so exhaust goes up the flue, not into the room.
That is why a gas replacement is a job for a licensed plumber rather than a weekend project. For the electric side, see our post on electric water heater replacement.
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Repair First, or Replace?
Not every gas heater that stops making hot water needs replacing. A pilot that will not stay lit is often a thermocouple, which is a quick repair. Our guides to a gas water heater not heating and a pilot light that keeps going out cover the common causes.
Replacement makes sense when:
- The tank itself is leaking. Water from the tank body cannot be repaired.
- It is old and the repairs keep coming. Spending on a gas valve for a tank near the end of its life rarely pays off.
- It cannot keep up. If the household has grown, check what size water heater you need before replacing like for like.
Our post on the signs you need a water heater replacement covers the warning signs in more detail.
How Long a Gas Replacement Takes
A standard gas tank swap takes about two to three hours from arrival to testing. We stock common gas tank sizes, so most standard replacements in Wilmington and New Castle County are done the same day when you call early. Jobs that need vent repairs, gas line work or new venting take longer or are scheduled, and you are told the expected time before we start.
With the cold months coming, a gas heater that is already leaking or struggling is worth replacing before it fails on a January morning.
Get Your Gas Water Heater Replaced
Water Heater Now handles water heater installation and replacement in Wilmington and across New Castle County, Chester County, PA and Cecil County, MD, under Delaware plumbing licence PL-0002475. Call (302) 240-2818. We answer 24 hours a day, and you get the price before we start.
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Source, verified October 20, 2026: A.O. Smith, Do Heat Pump Water Heaters Need to Be Vented? (gas water heater venting section). Pricing is Water Heater Now's published flat rate as of October 2026.
