Bimwad
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My head is spinning. I need a new gas water heater and have read a gazillion thoughts here and on other forums as to what to get.
The preferred choices seem to be a Bradford White or a Rheem-made unit.
I believe my old one that just expired was made by Rheem...in 1988, so I have no problems buying another one. Their primary weakness seems to be the failsafe mechanism that renders the entire thing useless if it trips. How much of a risk is this?
From the comments, I can't discern any such large weaknesses in the B-W heaters. Is there one? Are they really worth seeking out over the Rheems?
The other things that puzzle me are the love/hate relationships with the store-branded clones from GE/Rheem and particularly Sears/AO Smith/State.
The hassle of dealing with Home Depot and/or GE plus their subs seems to work against those units. I can understand that very well.
What's puzzling is how the Kenmore/AO Smith/State units can be OK at times, and not at others (excluding one notable individual who universally loathes them). How can this be if they all come from the same company?
I'm also having difficulty pulling the trigger on Plumber Roulette after calling darned near ever listing in the phone book. I've been quoted from around $800-1200 for a new 40 gallon heater.
What kind of questions should I ask to help separate the wheat from the chaff? Which items (lines, fittings?) are typically replaced, or must be replaced along with the heater?
My installation seems to be straightforward; the heater sits on a raised box in the garage, against an interior wall. Is what I'm being quoted reasonable? What particularly scares me is the caveat everyone gives about work that may be required to be brought up to code. How can an installation that has sufficed for over 35 years and three heaters not be good enough any longer? If there are newly-discovered dangers to be rectified, shouldn't that be compulsory for everyone and not delayed until some other event triggers action?
I see this task as a relatively straightforward replacement. Remove the old and install the new. I guess what I have problems digesting is all the potential extra complication and cost that has forced itself into the equation.
I welcome your perspectives.
The preferred choices seem to be a Bradford White or a Rheem-made unit.
I believe my old one that just expired was made by Rheem...in 1988, so I have no problems buying another one. Their primary weakness seems to be the failsafe mechanism that renders the entire thing useless if it trips. How much of a risk is this?
From the comments, I can't discern any such large weaknesses in the B-W heaters. Is there one? Are they really worth seeking out over the Rheems?
The other things that puzzle me are the love/hate relationships with the store-branded clones from GE/Rheem and particularly Sears/AO Smith/State.
The hassle of dealing with Home Depot and/or GE plus their subs seems to work against those units. I can understand that very well.
What's puzzling is how the Kenmore/AO Smith/State units can be OK at times, and not at others (excluding one notable individual who universally loathes them). How can this be if they all come from the same company?
I'm also having difficulty pulling the trigger on Plumber Roulette after calling darned near ever listing in the phone book. I've been quoted from around $800-1200 for a new 40 gallon heater.
What kind of questions should I ask to help separate the wheat from the chaff? Which items (lines, fittings?) are typically replaced, or must be replaced along with the heater?
My installation seems to be straightforward; the heater sits on a raised box in the garage, against an interior wall. Is what I'm being quoted reasonable? What particularly scares me is the caveat everyone gives about work that may be required to be brought up to code. How can an installation that has sufficed for over 35 years and three heaters not be good enough any longer? If there are newly-discovered dangers to be rectified, shouldn't that be compulsory for everyone and not delayed until some other event triggers action?
I see this task as a relatively straightforward replacement. Remove the old and install the new. I guess what I have problems digesting is all the potential extra complication and cost that has forced itself into the equation.
I welcome your perspectives.