[dhal22]

Yea ours are higher than that by about 100.00 or so. BUT, 1 phone call and it’s sitting in the driveway when we arrive.

And they come to my shop and haul away the dead heaters. Need a gas valve under warranty? Supply house has it waiting on the counter for you. Try that with a home depot heater.

 

[hewhodigsholes]

I haven't noticed much of a difference between HD Rheems and Lowe's AOs, at least quality wise. The Richmond and Reliance heaters are impossible to get parts for where I'm at.

The main issue we run into with box store units is warranty parts, so we go with Bradford White. Our supply house carries GCVs, burner plates, pilot assemblies, you name it.

 

[dhal22]

I get a one year in home warranty with Home Depot Rheem water heaters.


Home Depot Rheems get one year in home service for free. Not sure if supply house or Rheem does that for just the professional lines.

it’s not worth $100 for deliver to me. I pass a Home Depot or a Lowes no matter where I go and I can call ahead and they’ll pull one up the front for me, They know Terry…….

Same day resolution on the in home service? My customers don't go overnight without hot water.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Same day resolution on the in home service? My customers don't go overnight without hot water.

No idea but I don’t stock gas controls and neither does the stores. Our supply houses don’t either.

Do you guys offer emergency service 7 days a week ?

One things for certain. The supply house doesn’t stay open until 10pm like the box stores do. IF, and that a big IF I wanted to get a heater after 5 then the box stores are open. Then you have Saturday and Sunday.

I suppose you could stock a selection but that’s not cost effective for me. I don’t push water heater sales or advertise.

At one time you could call supply house after hours and they’d serve you but those days are mostly gone for a small business like myself.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

And they come to my shop and haul away the dead heaters. Need a gas valve under warranty? Supply house has it waiting on the counter for you. Try that with a home depot heater.

It’s easy for me to get rid of an old heater. I just sit it out by my curb and it’s gone in a couple hours.

Like I said, no supply houses here stock any gas water heater parts except for your basic thermocouple. Different part of the country, different attitudes.

I only replace a few heaters a month, no one’s going to kiss my ass because I buy 2-3 heaters a month. Maybe if I bought a 12 pack they would or a 24 pack,

One year free in home warranty
$75 cheaper for me
Open at night and weekends
I can call ahead and they have it waiting.

Box store wins for me. I already knew that.

My question is simply who makes the better box store heater, AO smith or Rheem and why would you pick one over the other.

You don’t like the TRD device. I’m not fond of it because it can’t be reset.

I’ve had a couple of them fire off in laundry rooms with the dryer on, water heater on and a hot air vent from the hvac blowing into the room with the door shut.

I think that’s what this one did actually. A tub valve was pouring water for over 24 hrs and the water heater ran almost non stop. I replaced the cartridge. Delta 1400

I advised the occupants and the owner. I’mtaking the laundry room door off the hinges until they either replace it with a louver door or cut some vents in it.

 

[Cityplumber]

I stay away from big box heaters up here in MA: either they look like they fell off the back of a truck, or there is some defect waiting for you when you pull the cardboard off. Gas valve not opening, leaks at the crappy plastic drain cock, leaky T/P valve, missing draft hood tin------

I'm thinking the big box people buy the heaters that don't pass inspection and throw that crap on the poor non-technical store workers who have to deal with the pissed-off customers who bring the defective heaters back only to take another defective heater back to the jobsite-----
I hope my brother plumbers have better luck with the big box heaters; as for me, I'd rather pay the few bucks more, pass the cost onto the customer and have that box delivered--- an old guy like me can't dance with the fat ladies anymore.
A supply house up here would quickly go out of business trying to pass off the crap the big boxes sell. They have plenty of competition and try to keep their loyal customers happy. I have witnessed houses go under when the parking lots stay empty.

 

[dhal22]

First, sorry. I've derailed your original question. Worse, no opinion on big box heaters so I shouldn't even be here.

We are open on the weekends and holidays (1-2 plumbers) but only repeat customers or obvious profitable jobs.

 

[ROCKSTARPLUMBER]

First, sorry. I've derailed your original question. Worse, no opinion on big box heaters so I shouldn't even be here.

We are open on the weekends and holidays (1-2 plumbers) but only repeat customers or obvious profitable jobs.

Not to derail terry's thread, but what will you charge for christmas eve and christmas day service? I just changed the voicemail to closed untill the 26th at 8 am for any burst pipe repairs. But, if i had to, i think i would charge minumum $500.00 for christmas eve, and minimum $1200.00 for christmas day. and even at $1200.00 my wife would still lose her sh!t if i went and did a call either of those days.

 

[Nazareth]

I don’t touch the pieces of sht.

no matter what, I end up yanking the stupid thing out in about a year and a half. They’re all junk.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Not to derail terry's thread, but what will you charge for christmas eve and christmas day service? I just changed the voicemail to closed untill the 26th at 8 am for any burst pipe repairs. But, if i had to, i think i would charge minumum $500.00 for christmas eve, and minimum $1200.00 for christmas day. and even at $1200.00 my wife would still lose her sh!t if i went and did a call either of those days.

I charge the same rate no matter the day or time.

But I’m not working unless it’s an existing regular customer.

My family understands what we do and it’s provided for us without fail.

I think I’m going with the Rheem. I do more business with Home Depot more than Lowes. Home Depot puts them at the front of the store for me and the guy usually loads them also.

 

[ROCKSTARPLUMBER]

I charge the same rate no matter the day or time.

But I’m not working unless it’s an existing regular customer.

My family understands what we do and it’s provided for us without fail.

I think I’m going with the Rheem. I do more business with Home Depot more than Lowes. Home Depot puts them at the front of the store for me and the guy usually loads them also.

Mine understands fully, but your self worth and time away from family during a holiday should come with a premium.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Mine understands fully, but your self worth and time away from family during a holiday should come with a premium.

Holidays are just another day to me and mine.

I might take off a week when I’m slower……or take a few fridays off and go to the beach,

In other words I get plenty of time off it just may not be on what the rest of the country calls a “ holiday “.

Plus I’m here when my kids wake up and leave for school and I’m here when they get home most days. I only work from about 10-3 and 4 days a week. Yes, it’s very nice.

Sounds like part time ? I can do in 4-5 hours what it takes a “ tech “ to do in 8 or more hours.

I like running off for a couple hours and coming home with a pocket full……

 

[skoronesa]

We have a key to the supply house which comes in handy. Bix box stores are too far away to even consider. Besides, why would we install the same crap as the dog-eat-dog cidiot plumbers who charge too much and do crap work?

Professional products only for us, although a lot of the Kohler Krap we install is shameful. We stopped being an official Kohler Krap dealer years ago.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

We have a key to the supply house which comes in handy. Bix box stores are too far away to even consider. Besides, why would we install the same crap as the dog-eat-dog cidiot plumbers who charge too much and do crap work?

Professional products only for us, although a lot of the Kohler Krap we install is shameful. We stopped being an official Kohler Krap dealer years ago.

Professional products ? That’s hilarious 🤣

Do you drink that Koolaid the supply house try’s to push ? 🤭

I’ve had more problems with supply house Rheems that box store Rheems I have put in 20x as many box store Rheems.

Fact…..not my assumption. I changed the “
Blue knob “ control twice on one supply house Rheem.

Had one that the pilot wouldn’t stay lit from day one. Thermocouple wasn’t in the flame.
Had another that the spark igniter didn’t work.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

I wish every manufacturer would just use the old Robertshaw gas control valves.

Those things worked and worked well.

The FVIR water heater with its extra features just isn’t reliable as the old types.

Good for business, bad for the consumer. Like most things.

 

[skoronesa]

Professional products ? That’s hilarious 🤣

Do you drink that Koolaid the supply house try’s to push ? 🤭

I’ve had more problems with supply house Rheems that box store Rheems I have put in 20x as many box store Rheems.

Fact…..not my assumption. I changed the “
Blue knob “ control twice on one supply house Rheem.

Had one that the pilot wouldn’t stay lit from day one. Thermocouple wasn’t in the flame.
Had another that the spark igniter didn’t work.

We don't install Rheem.

State electric/propane water heaters. Bock or TFI oil water heaters. Veismann for almost all condensing gas boilers/water heaters though we've installed a couple State and Rinnai condensing units for cheap customers.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

I guess we’re lucky. No need for fancy stuff, the basic crap works just fine when your incoming water temp 9 months out of the year is 70-80 degrees.

Combine that with 7.5-8.0 ph water the pipes and heaters last a while.

I have a family of 4 in a 2400 square ft house and it’s total electric. Power bill last month was $225.00.🤣

Heat pump, 50 electric, everything electric.

Water bill was $50 for about 4500 gallons. No sewage, I’m on septic that I designed and installed 25 yrs ago.

 

[Master Mark]

Professional products ? That’s hilarious 🤣

Do you drink that Koolaid the supply house try’s to push ? 🤭

I’ve had more problems with supply house Rheems that box store Rheems I have put in 20x as many box store Rheems.

Fact…..not my assumption. I changed the “
Blue knob “ control twice on one supply house Rheem.

Had one that the pilot wouldn’t stay lit from day one. Thermocouple wasn’t in the flame.
Had another that the spark igniter didn’t work.
View attachment 136447

That valve is a peice of junk.... and I dont think they will ever resolve the issues with them

Rheem has not learned their lesson with that SIT valve yet and they are still sending that junk out
for warranty replacement valves for the first ones that have failed..... We have gone back on about 5 of the new
valves that failed again in less than a year and I wont install any more of them..

I have insisted on the white rogers gas controls for the warranty replacements and I have had to buy my own
off e-bay and get credits from our supply house for them.... i have changed out about 200 of them so far

an interesting note on this mess is Rheem went to the Blue SIT valve because they were promised that these
folks could keep up with the production demand that Rheem needed...
Rheem used to use the White Rogers and the Robert Shaw valve but they got into some spats with the
companies about demanding exclusive supplies to them first....

Both of the better quality valves are actually much cheaper in cost that the peice of crap SIT valve that they have
chosen to use......

 

[Master Mark]

I wish every manufacturer would just use the old Robertshaw gas control valves.

Those things worked and worked well.

The FVIR water heater with its extra features just isn’t reliable as the old types.

Good for business, bad for the consumer. Like most things.

I too also wish that Rheem and Robert Shaw would kiss and make up

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

That valve is a peice of junk.... and I dont think they will ever resolve the issues with them

Rheem has not learned their lesson with that SIT valve yet and they are still sending that junk out
for warranty replacement valves for the first ones that have failed..... We have gone back on about 5 of the new
valves that failed again in less than a year and I wont install any more of them..

I have insisted on the white rogers gas controls for the warranty replacements and I have had to buy my own
off e-bay and get credits from our supply house for them.... i have changed out about 200 of them so far

an interesting note on this mess is Rheem went to the Blue SIT valve because they were promised that these
folks could keep up with the production demand that Rheem needed...
Rheem used to use the White Rogers and the Robert Shaw valve but they got into some spats with the
companies about demanding exclusive supplies to them first....

Both of the better quality valves are actually much cheaper in cost that the peice of crap SIT valve that they have
chosen to use......

I believe you, you put in more water heaters than anyone probably does on the forum.

Water heaters be you favorite Booty call

Yiu know there will eventually be a lawsuit over those gas controls.