BEWARE BRADFORD WHITE HYDROJET WATER HEATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deborah Berry]

I have a 6 year old Bradford White Hydrojet water heater that has given me nothing but trouble since the first 90 days it was installed. The first issue is that the unit would not stay lit; every couple of days the gas would turn off, but the most horrific problem is that the gas control valve has gone out three (3) times and each time it has flooded my garage, den, and washer and dryer room. Absolutely unacceptable. If this is what AMERICAN MADE is, I DON'T WANT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This third time, that my unit control valve went out (August 1, 2017) I called Bradford White, who stated that my warranty was up; and that's when I started doing my research. There are so many complaints against Bradford White to Consumer Affairs for the exact same problem, that I'm starting to believe, that they have paid someone off. The new part cost me $185.00 dollars, but it doesn't lineup with the current water heater. GO FIGURE!!! So not only am I having to pay someone to change out the control valve, but I'm also having to pay for additional time to change out or adjust the gas handle. So for all you A..Holes who are trying to make light of this situation... well you can go straight to HELL, not to mention the cost of a plumber, which was very difficult to find because nobody wants to change out a gas valve, most plumbers suggest I just continue to throw more money away and throw out the Bradford White and get a new water heater by another manufacturer. Also, my original part is made of plastic, while the new part is made of metal, which is a clear indication that they are aware of their faulty product. You Shouldn't Need A Warranty For That, you should be able to rely on the company to make good of their faulty product, especially since they made so much money off of consumers trying to buy American Products; which has been their biggest SLOGAN!!!

This is not some simple fix. Bradford White knows that they sold a faulty product that has caused a lot of good people nothing but trouble and it should have been recalled. I have also found out that most respectable, reliable companies stand by their product and was told that Bradford White should have changed out my entire unit and that a water heater should last anywhere from 8-12 years. I will never buy another Bradford White and I will tell everyone about my experience. I have attached a picture of the PLASTIC part, which was suppose to last on a HOTTTTT water heater and a picture of the new METAL one. Not to mention that I had to go back to the plumbing supplier twice because the model numbers do not lineup.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

you sound pissed... and you have not given enough info about your unit..

How old it the unit.. and what size it it??
but I am just wondering how it has flooded you out 3 different times??
is the unit installed in the home or out in the garage?? If it was installed in the home did they
install the unit in a drain pan>>??

It looks like the older valve has a longer shank on it than the new metal one has... We have run into
this problem before.... and it can get ugly just to find the matching one.. You must have one of the more energy efficient ones that have more insulation on the tank and the smaller shank wont work...... its great fun........

Bradfords are basically junk all the way back through about 2007, and then they made the problem much worse when they started using those plastic Icon valves..in early 2010
we ran away from them in 2010 and have been replacing defective controls and leaking water heaters going back through 2007 and we are finally through with them all now that we have gone 7 years out..... People are not happy when they have to pay to have a 4 year old water heater replaced under warranty

Before you throw more money at it , if the unit is past the tank warranty I suggest you just switch it out to a Rheem brand and be done with the misery......

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

You do know, the thermostat and backplate are TWO SEPARATE items, don't you and you only have to change the "faceplate' to repair it. BUT, when BW was the heater my supply house carried, I NEVER had to repair those parts, not have I on the BW that has been in my garage for the past 17 years.

 

[Bgard]

those parts are plastic for a reason, not to make the water heater cheaper, they are used to be able to meet the over bearing DOE energy standards, plastic conducts less heat from the water to the ambient air than the brass or steel ones do. so if you want to complain to someone call your congressman. the DOE is the reason water heater physical sizes are changing in turn causing the cost to install a new one to go up.

 

[Treeman]

I don't know what to think about threads such as this. Obviously the original poster has a bad situation and anyone would be P.O.ed about this. Out of curiosity, I Googled A.O. Smith problems and come up with a web page of disgruntled owners with similar complaints: part(s) fail early and questionable service from the company: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/ao_smith.html . Many say the same exact thing: I want to get rid of this piece of junk and will never buy brand X again.

When I investigated brand quality here this past winter, the consensus I got was that the major water heater mfg. used similar technology and parts. They are a commodity, so just buy the cheapest 6 year warranty model you can get (from one of the 3 or 4 main mfg.). Like automobiles, the parts design and suppliers change, and it is not uncommon to get a bad batch of parts that affects that model(s). The consumer is screwed.

Is Bradford White really any worse than the others?? The original poster recommends Rheem.....guess what, at the site I linked, it gets the same 1 star (bad) rating as BW.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

TREEMAN....
there is simply too much information or "fake news" out there on the
internet and all it will do is drive you nuts..... even with water heaters...

Basically the best gas water heater on the market at this present time is the Rheem Pro
that is sold exclusively to the plumber... you know--ME the plumber or the fool that does this for a living every day....

Some day if Rheem decides to ever cheapen their product , then their product might go down the drain like Bradfords has. . Back in 2002 the Bradford was the best brand around... then they decided to cheapen their glass lineing in about 2006 and their quality went to hell fast... now they are junk.

The Rheem pro sold to plumbers comes with the solid metal gas thermostat and a standard thermocoupling that has been used for 50+ years and is basically trouble free..... I am getting about 12+years out of the rheem units , what I installed in about 2003 are just now starting to leak..

The Rheem water heater sold at Home Depot has a new honeywell blinking light or
"thermopile " style gas thermostat on it and it can give you troubles.. it is of lower quality
but seems to work ok.. and I would guess that is where the majority of the bad reviews are
coming from......

The bradford white has given me fits over the past 7 years ever since they went to their ICON
gas valve and I dont like them... I just dealt with a customer who has a 5 year old one that is
leaking already and its still under warranty..he is not happy and expects me to change this unit
out for free........
BRADFORDS--THEY ARE JUNK -- now remember that I do this for a living...every day.....

Sooo.. You can go to the butchers shop and take his word that you are buying steak
or you can stick your head up the bulls ass and look for yourself..........