How old is your water heater?

Dunbar Plumbing · Feb 16, 2009

dx said:
Very interesting thread.

Rugged, the ethics of it are between you and your conscience. The legal part is simple: if you sold the original AO Smith, you committed fraud. If you didn't sell the original AO Smith, you're guilty of nothing. You simply discovered value in someone's garbage.

What I find amusing is all the whining about having to schlep the heater up the stairs. Pretty simple, either
1. You got paid for it, did it willingly and presumably you know how much to charge for your labor, or
2. You did it for free, in which case I'd like to hire you AND sell you some swamp land...

Didn't read anywhere about the HO putting a gun to your head to haul it away.

And yes, I always charge $60 to haul away water heater. Never installed the original.

I was no different than the junk man checking the mfg. sticker.

Me? Have a conscious or morals? Never. I'm perfectly immoral and enjoy the stardom.

Master Plumber Mark · Feb 17, 2009

The Honor system applies...

RUGGED

it is well known throughout the industry about
water heater warranties...

I went through this yesterday with a customer....

perhaps good will is a good thing when you install a brad white under warranty for what someone else wanted over twice for....
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know of another greeedy slob that literally tried to take 5 warranty tags into a Smith dealer and try to claim that he had 5 customers with bad waterheaters all going out at once... is that nerve or stupidity??

he even had bogus names and addresses out of the phone book for each tag.

they told him to take a hike and kept the tags....

and of course they wont let that dumbass back into the place either...
------------------------------------------------------------------
RUGGED
of course at this time , it is possible to fill up your whole home with them if you so choose....and you can sell one to a little old lady at a steep discount...or whatever you choose to do

eventually you will ruin it for everyone out there that
perhaps does this only on rare occasion as a favor to someone .....

It would not be hard for every water heater comapny to simply require an address and registration for everry water heater ser# , that must be mailed in by the original customer
state water heaters already does this ...and so does American...
(both are junk and probably get tons back)....

but I think that they would just rather trust the plumbers.

at least untill they hear a bunch of them bragging on the
internet about how they steal them blind every day..........

I sort of remember some saying about

"greedy pigs getting slaughtered". ........someday......

oink, oink... aaawwweeeeeeeee!!!

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Ladiesman271 · Feb 17, 2009

dx said:
Very interesting thread.

Rugged, the ethics of it are between you and your conscience. The legal part is simple: if you sold the original AO Smith, you committed fraud. If you didn't sell the original AO Smith, you're guilty of nothing. You simply discovered value in someone's garbage.

The legal part is simple, except you even got that wrong. Rugged is not the original owner of the water heater.

Quoted from the A. O. Smith Warranty

"THIS WARRANTY IS APPLICABLE TO THE ORIGINAL
OWNER ONLY. In accordance with the warranty terms and
conditions specified below."

Dunbar Plumbing · Feb 17, 2009

Thanks folks, another crime spree foiled

We gottem jed!

Here's the response from the water heater police when they found out a garbage water heater was found to have a warranty, and turned in for a new one,

RUN FORREST~~!!! F**KING RUN!!!!!

Dunbar Plumbing · Feb 17, 2009

master plumber mark said:
RUGGED

Sounds good but I has no internets feelings. Don't care if people do this daily, all I know is I don't have to do JACK **** when I find out after the fact that the tank is under warranty and I find opportunity to provide myself hot water for the next 6 to 10 years, thanks to me.

But since everyone made a point of wrecking Terry's thread chasing me over a heater, I think I'm going to end up with a basement full of water heaters just to be as guilty as ya'll trying to make it.

DX · Feb 17, 2009

Ladiesman271 said:
The legal part is simple, except you even got that wrong. Rugged is not the original owner of the water heater.

Quoted from the A. O. Smith Warranty

"THIS WARRANTY IS APPLICABLE TO THE ORIGINAL
OWNER ONLY. In accordance with the warranty terms and
conditions specified below."

Are you having trouble with reading and comprehension? What I said was "if Rugged sold the original heater to the customer".

Or, how about this: I did't say Rugged was the original owner, I said "if he was the original installer".

If you're still failing to comprehend, let me know and I'll try a third way of 'splaining it to you

Cass · Feb 24, 2009

Redwood said:
Typical A.O. Smith S/N: MH************X

"MH" really does not translate into a date by just looking at it.

Actual A.O. Smith #s

Mod#FSG 50 248

S/N GK02-1062974-248

The K would stand for November the 11th month corresponding with K the 11th letter in the alphabet and 02 would be the year it was manufactured.

AL_2007 · Mar 14, 2009

Cass said:
Actual A.O. Smith #s

Mod#FSG 50 248

S/N GK02-1062974-248

The K would stand for November the 11th month corresponding with K the 11th letter in the alphabet and 02 would be the year it was manufactured.

I have an A.O. Smith and found the age after following this link:

http://www.rootermd.com/water-heater-age.htm

The link also shows how to find the age for few other water heater makes.

My 40 Gallon gas fired water heater is 20 years old installed by previous owners. I moved into the house a year ago. It seems to work fine, but it takes rather long time for the hot water to reach the shower in the morning. I wonder if there is any way to speed this up?
Also, what could go wrong in a heater of that age? Is there an age limit for such water heaters?

Cwhyu2 · Mar 14, 2009

AL_2007 said:
I have an A.O. Smith and found the age after following this link:

http://www.rootermd.com/water-heater-age.htm

The link also shows how to find the age for few other water heater makes.

My 40 Gallon gas fired water heater is 20 years old installed by previous owners. I moved into the house a year ago. It seems to work fine, but it takes rather long time for the hot water to reach the shower in the morning. I wonder if there is any way to speed this up?
Also, what could go wrong in a heater of that age? Is there an age limit for such water heaters?

Yes
Tank rupture.
20 yrs is maxed out.
New water heater will save you a lot of bucks.If you replace it now,it may seem costly to install a new one ,but it will solve all of the above.Peace of mind.

AL_2007 · Mar 15, 2009

cwhyu2 said:
Yes
Tank rupture.
20 yrs is maxed out.
New water heater will save you a lot of bucks.If you replace it now,it may seem costly to install a new one ,but it will solve all of the above.Peace of mind.

Thanks for the info.
I am about to get a new tank from Lowes.
They are also doing an optional gadget for instant heating. I think this device works on electricity and is attached to the gas heater. But I am not so sure if I really need it. It costs an extra 200 bucks. I thought this device might be useful only if there is lack of hot water in the tank. But I am not so sure.

Kingsotall · Mar 15, 2009

AL_2007 said:
Thanks for the info.
I am about to get a new tank from Lowes.
They are also doing an optional gadget for instant heating. I think this device works on electricity and is attached to the gas heater. But I am not so sure if I really need it. It costs an extra 200 bucks. I thought this device might be useful only if there is lack of hot water in the tank. But I am not so sure.

Are you nutsÂ¿!! Have you not read this threadÂ¿ I even have "Lowes" highlighted for you wherever it has been mentioned in regards to the water heaters they sell.

SewerRatz · Mar 15, 2009

AL_2007 said:
Thanks for the info.
I am about to get a new tank from Lowes.
They are also doing an optional gadget for instant heating. I think this device works on electricity and is attached to the gas heater. But I am not so sure if I really need it. It costs an extra 200 bucks. I thought this device might be useful only if there is lack of hot water in the tank. But I am not so sure.

Go to a local plumibng supply and buy a quailty heater.

Brother · Mar 15, 2009

Ive actually put some in myself in my home before. I learned from a plumber that its good to put a 'date' in black permanant ink on the heater so you know the life of the heater.

The funny ones Ive seen is the ones that were 'installed' up in the attic, so when they leak, its a BIG MESS (ie ceiling). I told one guy that he had better get that heater moved/replaced before something happens. He says he has a leak detector, oh well.

Kingsotall · Mar 15, 2009

SewerRatz said:
Go to a local plumibng supply and buy a quailty heater.

Would you believe one of the plumbing supply houses in town only sells American water heatersÂ¿ I asked if they knew about all the problems and they acted suprised. Then recanted and said, "oh yeah, we had some reps talk to them about it and they (American) have since fixed that problem."

AL_2007 · Mar 15, 2009

kingsotall said:
Are you nutsÂ¿!! Have you not read this threadÂ¿ I even have "Lowes" highlighted for you wherever it has been mentioned in regards to the water heaters they sell.

Thanks for the link. I agree that there are some serious pilot and ventilator issues to be considered. But I think the criticism against Lowes is a little too harsh. I consider them as nothing more than a middle sales agent. Some of the high end water heater they have are of more superior quality than that Whirlpool.

Kingsotall · Mar 15, 2009

If you have a link share it! I'd be interested to see them.

SewerRatz · Mar 15, 2009

kingsotall said:
Would you believe one of the plumbing supply houses in town only sells American water heatersÂ¿ I asked if they knew about all the problems and they acted suprised. Then recanted and said, "oh yeah, we had some reps talk to them about it and they (American) have since fixed that problem."

There was a supply house that carried them as well. After all the issues and headaches they switched to Bradford White.

Kingsotall · Mar 15, 2009

One can only hope they do the same here.

CHuntMD · Mar 19, 2009

Rheem Fury NG 70gallon 17.5 years old

Dunbar Plumbing · Mar 19, 2009

Found out today that the fellow that I replaced his water heater and later found out his junk heater had a warranty, and the new one ended up in my house?

The guy's wife died of cancer last august. She couldn't take it anymore and it spread through her body. I was working directly across from his house today and wanted to strike a convo with him to let him know that he needs to drain his water heater to keep it in good shape,

I made the mistake of asking how his wife was doing, and then he told me.

It's of my nature to ask these things as I have personal reference to this disease and him and I spoke to some length about this when I was replacing his water heater.

I felt bad for him, knowing the pain has got to be rough, they was together over 35 years.

Makes a water heater under warranty found by accident pretty damn insignificant at this point.

I plan on sending a condolence card since I'm just now finding out about it. I couldn't go to funerals of my customers anyway; I'd be in a suit every damn week, there's that many I know at this point in my community. Know of 5 in just the past 5 weeks.

How old is your water heater?

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