Choosing a water heater

[SewerRatz]

I replaced a few Bradford Whites (the ones with old styles burners) under warranty, there is a mandatory upgrade fee for the VIFR unit which does come with a fresh warranty. Now if it a VIFR unit that was defective, when replaced it will just have the remainder of the warranty of the heater it replaced.

Now only time I ever got hit with paper work fees by the supply houses is when I am not the one that originally purchased the heater. I as well as my customers find this annoying. Also with Bradford White, AO Smith, and Rheem suppliers I always end up paying for the warrantied heater and get reimbursed when they get reimbursed. As for State water heaters, I never got charged paper work fees and they never charge me for the heater. They do have the upgrade fee as well though.

[CarlH]

we get asked for the energy effieicnt one all the time
because the stupid the gas company is giving away a whole $100 rebate if you get the better one... it has to have a .62 energy rateing..(none of them have it)

the normal 50 gal Brad white has a .59 rateing...

no one in town is carrying the higher rated water heater cause the price for the .62 unit is well over double plus what the normal one is.......

A water heater blanket cost 15 bucks..

and putting one on any brand of heater will probably still save you %25% on the gas bill and extend the life of the heater quite a while

Thanks, that is good to know. I'm surprised that they charge that much more for the extra insulation. No rebates in this area as far as I know, so there isn't much extra incentive to get the .62 unit. I guess I'll do the blanket thing on the regular 50gal.

[MACPLUMB 777]

Very, very, bad ideal ! ! !

On putting blanket on gas water heater, because you must make sure not to cover "any" air openings and with the side vents it's very easy for the blanket to slide down blocking the air inlets, and according to the law you are required to post all "safety" warning labels on the outside of the blanket

all above reasons why mfg's make extra installation water heaters,

[CarlH]

Very, very, bad ideal ! ! !

On putting blanket on gas water heater, because you must make sure not to cover "any" air openings and with the side vents it's very easy for the blanket to slide down blocking the air inlets, and according to the law you are required to post all "safety" warning labels on the outside of the blanket

all above reasons why mfg's make extra installation water heaters,

Warning about the blocking the air vents noted, although I will be certain not to do that in the first place.

The funny thing about warning labels is that the people that should read them don't and the people that know enough have read them. The real reason why they are there are for liability reasons. For a plumber, it would be a bad idea to cover up that label for a customer for liability reasons. I will take this into consideration before buying an installing a heater blanket.

[hj]

And then some manufacturers put a sticker on the heater "do NOT use an insulating blanket on the heater".