Gas Water Heater Recommendation

[Bodrey]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this but if not I'll post elsewhere...

I'm renting a gas water heater right now and I'd like to buy. I don't know the first thing about water heaters but what's most important to me is quality and reliability. I'm willing to pay a little more to get something well built and has a good warranty. I'm looking for some plumbers' opinions on what Canadian market brands are best to buy based on these two things. I'm thinking of buying from either Lowe's (which sells Whirlpool) or Home Depot (which sells Rheem). Then again, if someone can recommend a different brand that's better than either one of these I'm not averse to looking elsewhere.

 

[Terry]

I prefer the Rheem water heaters.
I think the Rheem I'm buying at the wholesale level is a bit better though. The homecenter stuff seems a little less to me.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bodrey]

I prefer the Rheem water heaters.
I think the Rheem I'm buying at the wholesale level is a bit better though. The homecenter stuff seems a little less to me.

"A bit better" - do you mean, the units you have access to are better built or are more reliable than those from HD?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Bradford White

 

[Jadnashua]

The stuff sold at big box stores tends to be built to a price point...this means that some subtle points may be different such as the type of drain valve - often plastic at the big box stores, brass at a plumbing supply store. There may be other, sometimes subtle differences, and in some cases, there probably are none. Often, a big box store's model number may have a slightly different designation than those sold at the plumbing supply store. This could also include the size, type, and number of anode rods. If you're going to get it installed, a private plumbing contractor may be close to the installed price you could get at HD, and, you may end up with a better result. In many places, replacing a WH requires building permit and inspection...something HD often neglects to tell you, and may be omitted from the cost. Course, some plumbers will install one without a permit as well.

 

[Dj2]

So much has been said on this subject, but the following is true:

- There are 4 major manufacturers of water heaters, who produce all brands out there: Rheem-Ruud (GE), American (Whirlpool), Bradford-White and Smith.
- Your chance to get a "good" unit or a "bad" unit from any brand is the same.
- The price you pay has no relations to quality.
- All manufacturers are very lazy honoring their warranties, and never pay for labor.

I've had WHs last 2 years and ones lasted 15 years. I never knew why, therefore, I go for the least expensive, the one on sale or the one which is reduced because of a dent in the outer skin.

Good luck choosing.

 

[Reach4]

The HTC Pheonix light water heater is expensive but has some premium features-- especially stainless steel tank and heat exchanger.
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....stion-powered-direct-vent-water-heater.59061/

It is more than a little more expensive.
They have a rep in Canada it looks like.
http://www.htproducts.com/cgi-bin/replist.pl