Just FYI Rheem Power Vent

**Cass** · 02-25-2008, 05:54 AM

I just had to replace a Flammable Vapor Sensor on a newer Rheem Power Vent.

The sensor sits on the outside front just below the burner and is attached to the sheet metal.

It is about the size of a thimble and is $157.00...

Lucky for the home owner it was under warranty.

**master plumber mark** · 02-25-2008, 02:12 PM

that is fairley expensive......

how much did you stick them for on the labor?????

CASS....how much should I charge on this one ..........

Today, I get a call from a real estate lady that

2 years ago she insisted
she could get a power vent water heater from her brother
in Chicago much cheaper that I priced one to her..

I said ok, and we installed her STATE power vent heater... for labor only
I told her it was junk from the get go... but noooooooo...
she wasnt going to hear that.....

Now less than 2 years later.......its leaking..
and I got to run and get one and install it tomorrow......

for how much????...... what is it worth?????

**Dunbar Plumbing** · 02-25-2008, 03:27 PM

Tank leak means it's under warranty under the 6 year rule; doesn't matter where you bought it. Go to any plumbing supply house with the serial # tag and they'll gladly swap you out with a new one @ no charge IF they sell State.

Sounds like a defective tank, will save your customer a minimum $600 on the tank, just charge for your labor to replace the tank.

**master plumber mark** · 02-25-2008, 04:35 PM

Rugged,,, yes I know how to do the water heater exchange...

my queston is what everyone gets to change out a

"I told you so " water heater.......

**construct30** · 02-25-2008, 04:44 PM

Everything has doubled in price in the last two years, charge more than you did the first time and blame it on the fuel prices. I wonder how happy they will be to pay labor to put the same brand back in. I've had people that figure it was better to cut their losses and upgrade in a case like that.

**Cookie** · 02-25-2008, 04:55 PM

Mark, if as a consumer, I purchased a water heater and paid you to install it and two years later, the heater went bad any savings from getting a deal on the heater would be gone because I lost the gamble. I would have to pay you again, and maybe more than the last time because everything has gone up.

**construct30** · 02-25-2008, 05:09 PM

That's why when people make the mistake once they decide to just buy a better brand the second time rather than getting the cheap one replaced under warranty. If the cheap replacement goes bad in two years again they will be out even more labor money. I think thats how these makers of junk stay in business even with a warranty, most people wise up and realize a "free" replacement is not such a good deal.

**Cass** · 02-25-2008, 05:38 PM

Mark, I would charge the same price as the last time and tell them that if it happens again that it will be the same rate then.

Remind them that when they purchase something and have it installed and it goes bad they lose, even if it goes bad the day after instlation.

Even I charge again after 1 year on a tank I supply. The labor on a heater does not go the 6 years like the tank.

**construct30** · 02-25-2008, 05:49 PM

I generally do water heaters, toilets and faucets flat rate, if someone buys it themselves, I charge the flate rate again if it goes bad on them, if I bought it then it is usually free for a year then I still go a better than usual deal for at least two years. If your flate rate has gone up in the past two years, then you should charge whatever your going rate is now, I would assume your price has gone up in the past couple of years.

**master plumber mark** · 02-25-2008, 06:24 PM

I usually give a 2 year labor warraty on my heaters and I
have considered bumping it up to 3........

that extra labor warranty certainly makes the water heaters move out the door much quicker...

with a 2 year warranty, their is very littel downside to it with the Rheem and Bradford heaters...

I would never, ever ...give more than one year on a Smith or State heater....

**Dunbar Plumbing** · 02-25-2008, 07:54 PM

I never purchase the water heater to be installed but I give a lifetime warranty on workmanship. If it was ever proven that I installed it incorrectly, they get their money back.

When any customer buys a water heater, whether it was purchased at a big box store or plumbing supply house, when they call stating it's not working, I give them the factory rep's number to come out and work on it.

When they want me to come out, I tell them I'm charging for my time which can void the warranty of that tank knowing it's covered by warranty by the trained reps. I didn't make the water heater, I installed it. I tell them that if the factory rep finds that I've incorrectly installed your water heater and caused the current problem you're having, I'll cover the expense of the rep coming to fix your water heater.

It's that simple.

Which one of you is offering to give the customer an additional $600+ to buy a new water heater when a new one is promised as part of the implied warranty.

That's a smoking deal to get by with just a labor charge...

First chance my #2 pencil breaks I'm automatically buying a pen.

**Cass** · 02-26-2008, 04:56 AM

So you don't work on water heaters...even a thermocouple or heating element? Or are you talking about items under warranty.

hj · 02-26-2008, 05:04 AM

A replacement heater installation is the same price as a new one, less the cost of the heater after any adminsitrative costs of the warranty are deducted. Here State has left the state so any warrantees still left are a hassle because you have to deal with State directly.

hj · 02-26-2008, 05:09 AM

A replacement heater is the same price as a new one, less the cost of the heater after any adminsitrative costs of the warranty are deducted. Here State has left the state so any warrantees still left are a hassle because you have to deal with State directly.

**Dunbar Plumbing** · 02-26-2008, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Cass

So you don't work on water heaters...even a thermocouple or heating element? Or are you talking about items under warranty.

I never touch them under warranty, I don't mess with power vents because I don't want to stock 100's of dollars of parts for all 3 mfg's of the heaters being used.

I'm now not installing/replacing water heaters because I just need to write it off as a piece of history, just like digging ditches in my earlier years.

Has to do with the risk of physical injury, the constant dull-drum of being price-shopped to death, the time span from pickup of heater to pulling away that crowds my schedule......1/2 a day is the worst case scenario, 2 hours if a perfect situation from supply house to collecting payment.

All of these new heaters are larger, bigger because of the FVIR application and/or R value requirement. Give a price over the phone and you get there,

dryer
ventilated shelving
condensate drain all of which have to be removed and reinstalled just to get the heater in.

I find the task very demeaning.....I don't think I've ever mentioned that before. It has a lot to do with being a hired monkey for sears/home depot/american home shield installing nothing but water heaters for a year straight, 3 to 5 a day. Physically impossible for me to do in my present day and time. Those were long days and the people had no respect for the installer.

They consider the talent of the replacement a simple one, and to a degree it really is. I felt like one of those Aaron's Rental places where you pick up furniture and replace it.

Homie say no mo!