After the initial Bradford White unit stopped functioning after 14 1/2 years it was replaced with an enclosed similar system. The amount of soot the new unit discharged over a year is mind boggling. Technical Support blamed the pressure, the regulator of the propane, running out of fuel, to the HOMEOWNER not making the correct calculations to replace the unit. Mind you it was purchased by a PLUMBER from a reputable Plumbing Supply Company. The final straw it is the HOUSE!!! So the burner was replaced, the regulators replaced at the propane tank and at the house, the direct PVC vent was professionally cleaned as well as the unit. Again a dirty burn and soot inside the unit. The gas valve (Bradford White on the unit) is replaced and again dirty burn. OF COURSE it is everyones fault but the unit which is 1yr 1 month and as you can guess.... they do not want to replace it. I deem it a fire hazard or health concern and would not put another in my home. Figure about 15 hours of labor and over one week to have a unit that for safety reasons needs to be removed from the home..

Our Bradford White water heater Model MI5036FBN failed and began leaking. We awakened to water dripping from the ceiling in our dining room. Fortunately we caught it early. Our unit was manufactured in 2011. Ironically, our home warranty does not cover items that are still covered under manufacturers warranty, and Bradford White does not apparently cover installation, so our cost is $1,100.

I called a plumbing company to look at my Bradford White water heater which is only a little less than 3 years old. He told me to call and have the replacement part sent to me under the warranty. I called the company/warranty department and was told that as the home owner I am not allowed to order the part, only the contractor who worked on the unit! Ridiculous!! Why wouldnt the homeowner be able to order the control unit as the contractor requested I do so??? I am so upset as I havent had hot water for days.

I had replaced my hot water heater after 19 years of having an AO Smith hot water heater. I had the Bradford White only 14 months and we were having problems with the bathroom smelling like rotten eggs when the hot water was ran. My plumber diagnosed it to be the anode in the heater. When he removed it he said it was a generic part in it. I called Bradford White and they would not help with the part or the labor. It cost me $275 to have this part repaired. I would never purchase a Bradford product again.

When the original water heater started leaking after about 4.5 years I contacted Bradford and they agreed to swap the faulty unit per their warranty for free. Although, I had to pay the labor to a local plumber $250.00. Nice warranty, isnt it? The new unit lasted about 2 years and now is leaking just as the original one was. Stay away from this manufacturer at all costs. They put together a piece of junk that will not even last for their own warranty period.

Our plumber installed a new Bradford White water heater in our new house. Two months later, it started making a very loud buzzing/rattling noise. And then it started spilling water into the tray below, eventually flooding our laundry room. BW replaced the faulty heater, but they refused to pay for the reinstallation. So I ended up paying ~$600 to install the same water heater twice in about 3 months. My understanding is that their competitors have better warranties for when things go wrong. Would *not* recommend buying a BW heater.

My mom had a pos bw water heater installed 5 yrs 6 months ago-- Woke up this morning to find drain pan full and could not find leak. After pulling anode covers found some moisture in top cover but bottom cover was soaking wet and anode was rusted beyond belief. Its a miracle this pos didnt short out and burn the house down. NEVER EVER have I seen a water heater with such a short life span as this. WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT OR ANY OTHER MADE BY THIS COMPANY.

These are garbage. Ours leaked flooding our basement and they will not replace under warranty. Stay away from this companys products, the tank was not even 4 yrs. old.

Have only had this gas Bradford White gas water heater since March 1, 2016, and it is already out. No hot water for 2 days now with a household of 6 people. Lee Company who installed it is trying to work me in today to check to see what is wrong & if it is under warranty.

I wish everyone would do their homework and read these reviews before buying a Bradford White (BW). These things have been junk since AT LEAST 1982. My first new house in 1982 came with a 6 yr BW which failed after 6 yrs and a couple of months. My second new house in 1997 came with a 6 yr BW which failed just before 6 yrs use. Both were replaced with Rheem water heaters - great product and great warranty that includes labor in the early years. The BW replacement for my 1997 house was a 9 yr Rheem that lasted me 15 years and was still working when I chose to replace it in 2017 due to signs of age. I bought a 12 yr Rheem that covers parts & tank for 12 years, and all labor for the first 3 years, $558 (now $618 a year later).Unfortunately you dont get a choice of water heater brand with new homes, and BW has a system working against you with plumbers. If you read the Please Note at the bottom of the BW warranty page (https://www.bradfordwhite.com/warranty) youll note that BW only distributes and sells through plumbers. If you are able to buy one elsewhere (dare Amazon) and install it yourself, you have immediately voided your warranty (call them & check for yourself). Rheem does not care if you self-install providing you do it correctly - which means dont fire it up without water in it which their electronic control module would record. The Rheem module provides error codes you can call into Rheem to skip the cost and hassle of diagnosis calls with a BW.I am a happy Rheem customer, I do NOT work for Rheem, or Home Depot who sells them. Im really saddened by how many people get burned by BW buying a replacement unit year after year. A local plumbing company constantly advertises a new 6 yr 40/50 gallon electric unit, installed with an expansion tank (typically only $40 retail) and removal of the old unit for $1,395!!! Oh that hurts to think people buy this.

Four years ago I purchased a Bradford White gas water heater. In less than 2 years the temperature of the water could not be controlled, as I kept turning it lower and lower as it stayed very hot. When I called the company I was told to set it at pilot which I did... still too hot. A plumber looked at it and told me everything was fine because the blinking green light was blinking. I suggested that maybe something was wrong with the blinking light! This patient person finally ran out of patience and called another plumber. The temperature of the water on just the pilot light was 134 degrees. The plumber has changed out hundreds of the sensors in these water heaters because they only last about 2 years... about $200 part. If you dont mind the built-in obsolescence expense every 2 years and poor customer service, by all means purchase a Bradford White water heater.

Thermal Coupler is bad after 4 years. I contacted Bradford White after having plumber from Mike Diamond let me know the unit is under warranty. After contacting BW, I was told to contact Ferguson Plumbing Supply. After waiting for about an hour to let a new employee figure out how to handle a swap of a warrantied product, I was told I owed $25 for a handling fee. What the heck was he talking about? BW told me it would be a swap at no charge to me. I contacted BW and they told me it was up to their supplier. I told BW I will NEVER buy another BW product and he didnt seem to care. What a ripoff! I could go to Home Depot or Lowes and pay about $6 for a thermal coupler and install it myself with any other water heater, but NO... not with BW. I guess were going to get rid of this unit and get a tankless water heater. Thank you, BW, for helping us speed up the process to purchase another mfgs tankless water heater!!!

On January 16th 2015 we were awake by our smoke detectors to a smoke filled house. Went outside to find the Bradford White water heater that was 4.5 years old had turned into a blow torch and set our house on fire. It had worked perfect for all the time previously. This happened without warning. It leveled our house and destroyed our life long dream and all that we owned in our house - even killed our dog due to her hiding inside. Both I and my wife tried desperately to save her before nearly over come with smoke inhalation. We have been devastated by this loss and are currently soliciting for legal council to pursue legal action. Would never own a Bradford White product again and would never have a propane water heater in a home again.

I purchased 2 of their small 6 gallon electric hot water heaters to replace the same size Rheem units in my office. I decided to spend the extra cash on the Bradford White instead of a direct replacement from Rheem, thinking Id rather buy a quality unit now and not have to worry about it for another 10 years. Only one of my Rheem units failed after the 8 years, but I figured the other was sure to go soon so I replaced both. What a mistake it was to go with the BW units. After 3 weeks the element on one unit blew out, I called for service. They told me I would have to pay their tech to come out and diagnose and if it was deemed a defect, they would cover the repair. Knowing this would end up being a useless expense because they could always find a million reasons to say it wasnt them, I replaced the element with an aftermarket - unit worked good for a while until now the thermostat crapped out. (It was working fine after element replacement and did not cause it, I cycled the temp adjustment to make sure it turned on and off properly and checked with a multi-meter.) I replaced that with an aftermarket too. So I basically bought an overpriced tin can because the electronics are trash. Thinking maybe one unit was just a rotten apple or something went wrong on install, I figured all is well now that I replaced the parts. A month later, the element on the second tank went in the same fashion. Ok now Bradford, either man up and stop patting yourself on the back with your BS quality awards or change your name to Bradford and Wong, because these have to be manufactured in China or something. Two separate tanks, on two separate water lines with the same exact problem??? Highly doubtful that this is MY problem. Well it is my problem, but definitely not my doing - well maybe its even my doing for buying a BW in the first place. However I called customer service again for the second unit and got the same speech about paying their tech... It just wasnt worth it to get suckered in again by this company for a repair tech to diagnose (aka Yep its broken - heres your bill) and replace a part they would probably weasel their way out of paying for anyway. I ordered the part online myself for $15 because I already know what the problem is. The problem is BW making garbage products... I replaced two Rheem units that lasted 8 yrs under the exact same conditions, both Bradford and Wongs died within a month or two of installation. Thankfully Im handy enough to diagnose and fix these problems myself. Now I know what youre thinking, youre not a plumber and probably installed them wrong. This is a direct replacement of a unit - its 2 pipes and 3 color coded wires, not much room for error there. My Diagnosis - Bradford and Wong makes a garbage product, your bill is in the mail.

My plumber installed a Bradford White water heater, Model No. URG240T6N, on January 29, 2020. It immediately leaked because the factory-installed nipples didnt work. He told me that he had to remove them on every Bradford White water heater he has installed, that it is a problem with the product. I called my plumber when I saw that the water heater was leaking (thank goodness its in the garage) and he came out and removed the factory-installed nipples and the water heater stopped leaking. But, then, the water never came out hot. At the factory recommended setting of Hot, a bath would only be at 88 degrees. I called and said there was something wrong with the water heater. The plumber came and changed out the thermostat. Still no hot water. I called the company, Ferguson in Santa Barbara that he purchased it from. They said there was nothing that they could do. I needed to call Bradford White.I called Bradford White Warranty Dept. and told them that I had a defective water heater. They immediately began arguing with me, telling me that it wasnt the water heater and that I must have faulty plumbing. I told them that the plumbing had been fine in my house, for 12 years, until the new water heater was installed. Then, they told me that it was my plumber. I told them that I had been using my plumber for 25 years and never had a problem with him. I also told them that he had already changed out the thermostat and it still wasnt working right. I also said he had come to my home three times to try to fix it. They told me that I wasnt getting the full story from my plumber and Fergusons. I told them that I had spoken with both of them and that Fergusons had directed me to the warranty dept.I told Bradford White that it was defective and I wanted a new water heater. The woman continued to argue with me. It was THE RUDEST call I have ever had with a company. And, then, she said shed send a factory rep. to check it. I told her that I had taken cool baths/showers for over a week and I wanted it fixed immediately. I asked her for the name of the President of the company because I was going to write a letter. She said she didnt know the name of the President of the Company. I asked her, again, You dont know the name of the President of the company for which you work? and she hung up on me. I know she hung up because she had my number, which I had confirmed at the beginning of the call, and she never called back. Plus, she NEVER sent the rep.I ended up talking with a rep from Bradford White. He told me that he realized I had lost faith in the company and he was going to give me a refund so I could get a new water heater and a different brand. This was over a week ago. Two days after our call, I called him after no word and he back-pedaled on his offer and that they were going to send a factory rep. I told him they had promised me that over a week ago and no one had arrived. To this date, no factory service rep has ever called or arrived.So, now, it is February 19, nearly three weeks, and I am still fighting my water heater issue. I ending up having to call an attorney. I am also filing a complaint with the Consumer Fraud division of the State of California and am going to call our local television station which has a service that tracks down companies who arent upholding business standards. I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH BRADFORD WHITE COMPANY EVER AGAIN. This is definitely a Buyer Beware Situation and the appropriate state/federal business regulating company should be after the company.

After only 3 1/2 years in a newly built home, the heating elements had to be replaced. The cost of the elements were covered under the warranty. However, the $225 in labor was not covered and we had to pay for it ourselves. I called the warranty dept and they could not reimburse for labor. They advised me to call the Corp. office, which I did and left a message asking for reimbursement. I have not heard back from anyone at Bradford White HQs. Bradford White does a great job marketing their product, but they appear not to live up to the hype as being the best in the business and all the other garbage they present themselves as being. All that I am asking for is some kind of reimbursement for the labor cost. I could have purchased a much better brand new heater for a bit more money. Im not one to complain about things, but this I felt strongly enough about to do so. Stand behind your products Bradford White!

The AO Smith water heater that came with the house lasted 18 years before it needed to be replaced. I got a Bradford White that failed in just 18 months and had it replaced under warranty. After only a year we had to put in a new anode in the warranty replacement water heater. 12 months later that water heater ruptured. No warranty for a water heater replaced under warranty. I guarantee that I wont be getting a third Bradford White.

We had the first heater installed in Aug of 2011...it leaked 8 mo. later and was replaced free of charge. The second heater did better...it lasted 12 mo. then leaked. The third heater did even better by lasting 21 mo. before leaking and flooding my basement. That will be 4 water heaters in 42 mo. I dont know If they will replace this one under warranty but if I need to buy one you can bet your a__ it wont be Bradford White.

I just Googled Bradford White to see what models are available as my husband and I are almost finished building our vacation home and want to install a Bradford White unit. Im shocked to see the reviews posted by others because they couldnt be further from our experiences. Our first home had a Bradford White unit that was brand new and outlasted its 10 year warranty by 2 years. We bought another Bradford White when it came time for replacement. Our next home had a Whirlpool water heater that was 9 years old with a 12 year warranty and it leaked within 4 months of us moving in. So, we replaced it with a Bradford White. Weve had nothing but great experiences with Bradford White, but there is something to be said about who does the installation of your water heater. We frequently refer family and friends to get Bradford White and weve yet to hear anything negative at all. Which is why Im so shocked to see the reviews posted here.

ZERO Stars. Like so many others, I have also experienced multiple failures of multiple tanks in a span of just a few years. Might be covered by warranty but youre still stuck without hot water and stuck with large labour invoices for parts and/or entire tank replacements. I can’t see how any of their competitors could be any worse so it can not hurt to take the advice of so many people and avoid Bradford White.

A hot water heater was installed last year, 50 gallons LP gas. Today I felt smoke coming out from that room. I open the door, I saw the control box (gas valve) engulfed in flames, not from the burner, just the box in front of the tank. Thank god I was still able to shut of the gas and avoid a catastrophe, but this is a very serious matter. It is very dangerous, it should get the attention of public and safety regulators.

I am going on my fifth water heater! First one installed Model # MI5036EN10 on December 23, 1999. Second water heater installed on December 16, 2003 Model #MI5036FBN, third installed on December 17, 2008, Model #MI5036FBN, fourth water heater installed on November 7, 2012, Model # MI5036FBN and now today May 16, 2016 yet another water heater bad. The same plumber has been replacing these water heaters (under warranty) but I have to pay the installation charges! Really Bradford White something for sure is very wrong here and not listening to us consumers with these issues is terrible consumer relations!! The warranties have gone from 10 year down to a 6 year warranty! Clearly they must see a problem and not fixing the problems!!

I purchased a new home in 2009 which has a Bradford White water heater Model No:M440356FBN S/N FK12499826. The problem is the sensor on the pilot light keeps failing so the boiler goes out and cannot be re-lit. You can hold the pilot button as long as you want but the second you leave go the pilot light goes straight out. This seems to be an annual problem so is becoming expensive as you cannot buy just the sensor - you have to purchase the entire gas control assembly, which I find ridiculous, then you have the expense of getting someone to install it. This is obviously a manufacturing fault and Bradford White need to step up to the plate and resolve this issue. In the meantime, I am again without hot water and again have to purchase a control module just to replace a $10 sensor. I have neighbors around me having the same problems and are having the entire hot water tank replaced. Not a Happy Customer! Make It Right Bradford White and feel free to call me!!!

My wife and I purchased a new home in 2013 and during the first year no complaints. On 10 May 15 Mothers Day I had to replace my Bradford White water heater because the internal seal burst. On May 22 I had several walls and carpet dried and repaired. The morning of 24 May 15 the new Bradford White water heater burst again... Another insurance claim to repair my mechanical room and basement. Since the heater is less than a month old it is under warranty and will be replaced at no cost. There is still the issue of labor cost to pay for the licensed plumber. I will never again purchase a Bradford White product nor should anyone reading this.

Our first water heater (not sure of brand) lasted 16 years. It was replaced by a Bradford White in 2010. 2 years later it leaked from the bottom and was replaced by the plumber that installed it in 2012. Even though it was covered under warranty the plumber charged us $400 to put it in. Now, 6 1/2 years later, it just failed again, leaking water out the bottom. Used a different plumber this time and went with a Rheem. I would not ever put another Bradford White in my home. 24 year old home on its 4th water heater!

I bought a Bradford White Defender water heater earlier this week to replace another Bradford White unit that was in the house when we bought the house several years ago. The age on the original unit was 15 years and for the 7 years we owned the house we didn't have any issues. The only time we thought of it was when we'd go on vacation and needed to turn it down. We made updates to the kitchen and added a bathroom so needed more hot water which led to buying a bigger water heater.

I purchased my home in 2005 with a Bradford White water heater, in 2008 it leaked and was replaced, again in 2013 it leaked and was replaced and now in 2017 water is all over my basement floor as again it leaked... Called the company to check on warranty status and was informed that the warranty goes back to the unit that was replaced thus no warranty. I asked representative if this was normal for this product as I am seventy years old and have owned several homes and have never had this problem. I asked if I could be connected to someone that might have a suggestion what to do. No response except for, I am sorry. Subsequently I looked up reviews on this product and there are hundreds if not more similar experiences with this BRADFORD WHITE water heater. Obviously I will not be replacing this with another Bradford White as the company does not appear to really care about this product. Anyone reading this should beware about this product sold by BRADFORD WHITE.

November 30, 2016 we replaced our 15 year old water heater with a Bradford White. April of 2018 (1 year and 5 months) later we were losing hot water. We called the company that installed the heater and a service employee attended our problem. WE HAD PURCHASED A DEFECTIVE HOT WATER TANK!!! It had to be replaced. The company charged us $289 to service this problem. We will never purchase a Bradford White Water Tank again. We also do not get the full 6 year warranty on this new tank, only 4 1/2 years left on the defective tank. We will never purchase a Bradford White again or do business with the company that represented them.

In 2015 we needed a new water heater. Our plumber recommended a Bradford White water heater which we had installed. Since then we have had to have the dip tube, gas burner and gas valve assembly replaced twice because we dont get hot water (it is currently March, 2019). All of this is covered under their warranty but they only supply the parts - we have to pay for our plumber to make a service call and fix the damn thing plus a $50 warranty administration fee that Bradford White charges on warranty claims. Dont do business with companies like this!

I paid top dollar for the best 50 gal. water heater they sold. 1 year later and the pilot light goes out everyday. I called about the 6 year warranty. What a joke. They will replaced the part for free BUT I have to hire an Authorized plumber that charges $300.00 per hour! Wish I had checked the reviews first. I will never buy their products ever again. Should have gone to Home Depot or Lowe’s.

We purchased a home in 2018 that had a 40 gallon Bradford White Hydrojet heater. Installation was done in 2015. The heater is leaking and needs to be replaced. As others have noted, the heater has a 6 year warranty that does not include labor costs. Based on other reviewers experience with multiple failures, we have decided to replace the unit with a different make. After you pay for labor twice within a few years, you are close to the cost of installing a much more dependable brand. We strongly advise avoiding Bradford White water heaters.

Late Sunday evening I notice that we did not have hot water. We check the hot water tank to find our basement was wet and water continued from the hot water tank. I looked on Google for 24 hours and found PK Wadsworth. I called and was told that the Tech would return my call. The Tech, Roberto, returned the call within ten minutes. I discuss my busted hot water heater and we decided that he would come out on Monday morning 8:30 am. Roberto was prompt and pleasant. He discussed the issue we agree replaced the hot water tank. Roberto left and returned with a new hot water tank and Brad. Together they promptly removed the tank. Roberto placed a tarp on the floor and stairs so that this area would not get wet or damaged. We were very pleased with the job and the excellent customer service demonstrated Brad.

New BW tank has good performance for the cost. The 1st hour rating is much better than most other brands. Tanks have changed since the last time I had to replace a water heater 15 years ago. Since I used another Bradford White the connections lined up perfect.

Glad to have found this thread. We had a 40 gallon hot water heater installed 4 years ago, and it completely failed over the Thanksgiving Weekend, leaking all over the basement. Found someone to replace it on Friday, but they used Rudd, which is probably better. Trying to get a refund since it was still under warranty and I just reached out to the consumer affairs office at Rudd. I will post an update with their response, but I hope they will issue a refund for their defective product. Not to mention the water damage in the basement.

Our Bradford White gas water heater was installed in 2002 when we had the house re-piped. Our house is a 50s-vintage mid-century modern style. The water sits in the garage (semi-attached) and serves the dish washer, clothes washer, and sink. There is another heater for the other end of the house that serves the two bathrooms. The garage unit started leaking yesterday and will have to be replaced ASAP. But from 2002 to yesterday, no problems, leaks, or anything. Good stuff.

Natural gas Water Heater failed after 3 years of service. Serial # HK15769973 Model # MI403S8FBN. Hot water tank started leaking form the base, no emergency service available from local service provider. Product is clearly defective and as I understand it, replacement not completely covered under warranty. Not a product which I would recommend to anyone considering replacing their current water heater.

My Bradford White water heater is only a few years old. The pilot light went out. I made several unsuccessful attempts to relight same. Now I am without hot water on a Sunday morning. I read several complaints on the internet and I am convinced that Bradford is aware of this problem but fail to do the right thing and make a quality product.

I purchased a 40 gallon Bradford White water heater and it was defective. Within a week, had a replacement installed and within a year it too needed to be replaced. Bradford White “customer service” told me that unless I replaced with another Bradford White water heater, there was no warranty. Terrible! My plumber called them scams. Is there any recourse with Consumer Affairs? At this point I don’t want to incur attorney costs so pursuing small claims for money back.

Im a contractor and have found Bradford White water heaters failing at an alarming rate over the past six months (believe to have had four with the fifth coming today). Most of my problems seem to be with the Honeywell control either leaking or not working right (overheating). I have one customer that I replaced Honeywell control because it was overheating, 2 months having same problem and now out of warranty. Todays customer has a water heater that I installed 1/19/16 and has a leak. Bradford White is no longer my water heater of choice.

In a period of 5 years I had had two water heaters fail. Very low quality and poor customer service. I was made to feel like I should be grateful that lasted that long and their ridiculous warranty covers nothing. Avoid this brand.

A little less than five years ago we purchased and had installed a Bradford White Hydrojet Water Heater. Yesterday the element in the heater apparently short circuited and caught fire. We were very lucky not to have had a major house fire. In any event, we were told that product was still under warranty and would be replaced. However, once the company found out that the heater wasnt leaking and in fact had caught on fire, they said that they would no longer honor the warranty. Apparently the warranty only applies to water heaters that leak, and not those which spontaneously burst into flames! This is a terrible and dangerous product with an equally terrible warranty. Stay far away from Bradford White!

I had a Bradford White water heater installed 19 months ago by a lic plumber. The unit failed and flooded my garage and had to be replaced by another lic plumber that Bradford White warranty dept referred me to. It cost me $840 to have it replaced. Bradford Whites warranty does not cover labor which I was fully aware of. However, my complaint is that no one there seems to care or have any empathy or capacity to apologize or make things right with the consumer who has spent this kind of money on labor twice in 19 months. Very poor service experience. No one in the warranty dept even wanted details of my experience with their product. How can they possibly improve and make a better product when they dont care why it failed.

Purchased a Bradford White Gas Water Heater 6 years, 9 months ago. The top of the tank is now leaking and we do not have hot water. Plumber told us we need to replace it. The Warranty on the water heater is only good for 6 years. Called Bradford White customer service and person was very rude and did not care about our concerns. I am very uncomfortable with buying another Bradford White Water Heater.

Had 2 - 40 gals twin water heaters in attic on 2 story house. Both eventually started leaking from the thermostats. Took both of the thermostats out of tanks and found that the plastic covering both probes had split and it is where the water came back thru the thermostat housing and leaked thru my ceiling down to the first floor. Obviously a defective water heater assembly and thermostat from Honeywell.

Eight years ago we put in our home a Bradford White energy saver 50 gallon hot water heater and it started leaking last month. Shouldnt hot water heaters last longer than 8 years?

Bradford white 40 gallon water heater - The first heater started leaking after 5 years. The replacement was under warranty and started leaking within 2 years. 3.5 years of service between them, and of course, contractor fees.

We recently had our 2nd Bradford White water heater installed. The old one lasted 20+ years and was still working. We decided it should be replaced before something else happened so it made sense to get another one when the contractor, Service First in Newtown, PA, recommended it. Love that they're American made.

Purchased new 40 gallon Bradford White hot water heater. Within 5 months the unit quit working. Some parts were replaced and it worked for about 5 weeks. A plumber came out sent by the supplier - Edge Supply - he said he couldnt find anything to be the cause so he replaced all of the valves etc. - it worked for about 3 or 4 weeks and quit again. I could light it but it would run for a few hours and then quite again. Upon checking it, the flue was entire covered with black debris. The burner when lit appeared to be yellow - I was told that the burner was not burning properly. After no closure I purchase another brand - hooked up on the same plumbing and it has not failed yet - now I am out several hundreds of dollars and no refund or new replacement from Bradford White.

My plumber has had to install 4/ 30 gal water heaters in the last 5 yrs in my home. They all leaked within 1-3 yrs. The last one was installed in March of 2018, and because it was over a yr when it started to leak again they would not replace it free of charge because the other 2 were under the warranty. My plumber was not even able to get his work reimbursed by installing it again. I would never buy another one or anything made by this company.

Warranty is for 6 years but if you buy it from a reseller it is still from the date manufactured. We purchased through the plumber doing the work. We were under the 6 years when we bought the unit but not under the 6 years when it was manufactured. Therefore, no warranty coverage for us. Also our previous water heater lasted over 16 years. Not impressed with a 6 year lifecycle. In our case the control valve was leaking. Fortunately caught early enough. Will get the water sensors that we can place underneath in case of a future leak.

I had a 14 year old water heater that leaked badly. I had to call an emergency plumber who ONLY had Bradford White water heaters. Same thing for the other plumber I called on Labor Day at night. I should have done a few seconds research and just gone to Home Depot myself to by another brand. The water heater and installation cost $1500. Within TWO YEARS, I came home to find water all over my garage and in my house. I only got a $200 credit from Bradford White. I have a rental house in Los Angeles. The tenant said its not working properly. Had them look and its also a Bradford Water heater only 3 years old. Now its not working properly and appears completely broken. Absolutely outrageous how expensive their heaters are, yet in two cases, they only lasted 2-3 years. This is totally unacceptable. Dont EVER use Bradford White under ANY circumstance. They have very poor ratings!

New 40gal Defender water heater installed May 2020 as a warranty replacement for other defective one. Warranty goes from original install and has now expired. Ive had issues with water temp and had to have defective thermostat replaced ($400) and now pressure relief valve has a pretty fast constant drip and needs to be replaced. Shouldnt have these problems with 7 mth old water heater.

For the consumer named Evelyn who posted on July 1, 2014 please contact me regarding your water heater. Back in 2011 a Bradford White Natural Gas water heater was installed in my home - Model # M2XR504T6FBN. One week after install my unit also began malfunctioning. Bradford White failed to honor my 10-year warranty. One year after it was installed, my entire family was poisoned with carbon monoxide and my dog died. I have an attorney who is currently working on my case. I am 100% certain the water heater is defective because my attorney spent thousands of dollars getting mines tested. PLEASE contact me ASAP!!

Bradford White URG250T6N 50 gal water heater. Installed by plumber. 10 year warranty. Started gushing water in 2 1/2 years and flooded my garage. They honored the warranty on the water heater, but Im still out $500 for a plumber. Very unsatisfactory. Customer service said they would not cover the labor even though the unit only lasted 2 1/2 years. Thats not really standing behind your product.

We had our home built in 2010 and the builder installed a BW water heater. The 1st one lasted five years, then started to leak. Since then weve gone thru three water heaters in three years all with the same problem, they leak and the pilot light won’t stay lit. Customer service will warranty the parts if you can get them but not the labor cost. So you are still out of pocket several hundred dollars to fix their faulty product. I would never recommend anyone to buy a BW product of any kind. Very poor quality and customer service.

40 gallon gas water heater, model# RG240T6N. Unknown to me, comes with a 90 day warranty. Thats it. So now 18 months later, control not working. Pilot wont stay light because led light wont function. I used to buy Home Depot wh - they lasted 4 years. A so called top water heater - Bradford White only lasted 18 months. Looks like Im going back to Home Depot. I do not recommend.

Bradford White just know their products so well. The warranty period is just a little bit shorter than the actual life of the water tank. Just like some other consumers, Bradford White customer service offers no help at all. Its hard to believe that expensive 75 Gal. water tank (PDX275) can only serve 2 people for less than 7 years.

According to the plumber the heater has a small leak which caused the gas line to corrode and rupture. Even though you are made in the USA. We as consumers, have certain rights when you buy something that says made in the USA. I expect poor quality coming from other countries. The labor bill was $600.00 to replace the heater. Yes the parts were free, so-far. My customer experience with this company was horrible, I would never recommend this product to anyone, just because of the crappy customer service experience. Poor quality control standard can be fixed, yet when you get on the phone and they basically tell you to **-off. There has to be a line drawn in the sand.My recommendation on this product is less than 1 star, just on the customer experience when dealing with the manufacture and problems that occur, and that may cause potential health issues, injury, or even property damages to something that you will be paying on for the next 15 to 30 years. I hope everyone takes heed to this warning and if your plumber or home improvement store recommends this product, go elsewhere. Oh, by the way, welcome to your new home, that will be $600.00. DONT BUY THIS MANUFACTURERS PRODUCT.

This hot water heater lasted 4 1/2 years. It started leaking, causing the electrical unit to burn. Had we not checked the water heater before we went to bed at 11:00 p.m., our house would have had major damage. When we went out, the garages were filled with smoke and odors. The bottom unit was aglow and I dont know what would have happened during the night. We made sure the unit was unplugged and tried to release all the pressure. This is the worst experience I have had regarding hot water heaters and I am now 70 years old. I will not recommend this product. I am very, very upset.

Dont purchase a Bradford White! Initially I was thinking buy American. What a mistake! Our 50 gal. BW with a 10 year warranty self destructed just short of four years with a catastrophic failure! The water tank cracked. Hot water began spraying out of the pressure relief valve connection then pouring out of the base. My past experience has been that water heaters begin with a drip under the tank indicating its time for replacement. Our Bradford White just let go creating an instant flood. With 6 years of existing warranty remaining I found the customer service dept to be useless especially when you need a new hot water heater immediately. If you are considering a Bradford White my recommendation is STAY CLEAR of this brand.

I am asking everyone that has a problem with Bradford White products to call the distributor where you purchased it from and let them know that you are unsatisfied with the product and customer service. The first water heater first leaked within three years and needed to be replaced and the second needs a new gas control valve and is just out of warranty. After many hours of complaining to Bradford White about their inferior products, they just hid behind the warranty and denied my claim. Amy told me that they gave great customer service because the first CRAPPY water heater replacement was free. But that free water heater cost me $900 to install and the new one will be over $600 to repair. They have obviously dealt with many warranty issues and complaints before and if they actually honored their warranties THEY WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS. So Sad!!!

I am really surprised by all the bad experiences with the Bradford White water heaters I am reading here. We have a 40 gal electric model #m240s6ds2, if I read it right. Its a beautiful model and was installed in 2005 by the owners before us. We purchased this house (built in 1978) in 2006. We have never had a problem with it at all but because the year it was installed, and everyone says most last for 10-12 years, I am thinking at getting a new water heater before this one starts going bad or falls apart (even though it still looks brand new). I certainly dont want to have a big mess on my hands. I am now afraid to get another Bradford White because of what I have been reading here. Was the company sold since 2005… or are the contractors not as good/experienced as they were before. I mean something had to change for these newer units to be so messed up! Or are these complaints only from folks that got gas water heaters? I dont know a friend told me to just get a Rheem from a local Home Depot and forget about it. I have to say I am going to miss this beauty though, its been great for us.

New 50-gallon Bradford White water heater was installed in my new home in 2018. It FAILED after only 3.5 years with water leaking out all around the top, connection on side and around the bottom. When the plumber called supplier, this water heater is no longer being sold. Even though Bradford White say the water heater has a 6 year warranty, I found the warranty to be useless. The plumber called, as well to confirm. I have NEVER had a water heater fail this fast. All others have lasted for many years. I then decided to have a Noritz tankless water heater installed. Ill never purchase another product from Bradford White!

In 2006, we had a hot water heater installed. In 2012, it was replaced due to a thermocouple that failed. In December 2015, we had pilots shut off several times and a contractor discovered that the tank had a crack in it. The warranty will not replace the heater a 2nd time on the warranty so we now have to repurchase another hot water tank at $484 plus installation. Bradford should change their claim to being such a great product and reconsider changing their warranty due to shoddy workmanship.

New water heater installed March 21, 2016 pilot light will not ignite. This has happened several times and wont be a year old for two more months. Davis & Davis Plumbing Company, Louisville, Kentucky has been great. This is the first time we have had problems with what is a new hot water heater. Never will I purchase another one from this manufacturer.

Bradford White water heater installed into purchased Pulte home/tank develops leak in 5 yrs from purchase date. Customer relations denies the warranty. Tank was leaking from the insert nipples at the top for over a year and rusted out a hole at the top. Tank was slowly leaking but could not be detected because of the outer jacket. Customer relations was not concerned/not interested in my problem, showed no support, were indifferent, rude and said I was wasting his time. Non sympathetic to homeowners, could not communicate properly... poor choice of words. Only interested in companys liability and made no effort to help. Customer Relations is a joke!!! Bradford White is a joke. Do not buy water heaters from them. Much better alternatives. Pulte stood behind the warranty and offered compensation. Bradford White are only interested in profits according to the poorly articulated customer relations manager. He needs some speech therapy for his position. I am also writing a letter to the company to review the recorded message and evaluate this IDIOT!!

Installed new, failed after 2 1/2 years. Do not use if you have a salt water softener or high calcium chloride in your water, BW would not honor the warranty. Not one penny. No help at all. The tank was almost solid inside and extremely heavy when it was removed. Our contractor will no longer use their products. Expensive mistake. Horrible people to deal with.

In July, we replaced our 16yr old hot water heater with a Bradford White hot water heater. I know regulations have changed, and this was maybe one of the first models, so we tried to give the benefit of the doubt when it started leaking 4 months later. So, we called the installer, who promptly replaced it with another Bradford White Defender hot water heater. It has been 3 days, count them, 3 days, and it is leaking already. What is wrong with this product???

The igniter goes out every 4 months. You constantly have to go and turn it on which is a headache itself due to you have to reset the module. I had to pay for a plumber after hours to switch out parts which the manufacturer says will reimbursement. Thats a big lie. You have to get their authorized plumbers that only work businesses hours. Save yourself the grief. Stay away from this water heater company.

I am a Bradford White customer (personal home and 2 rentals) and a plumbing heating and cooling contractor that installs Bradford White in New Mexico. Your build up of black debris sounds like what happens when a water heater that is set up for natural gas is put on a propane system. I have seen the same thing happen on gas burning equipment around here when an unqualified contractor installs equipment meant for natural gas systems is installed on a propane system without converting it.

Had a Bradford White natural gas water heater installed in June,1993 and have never had a problem with it. Now 21 years later it has small leaks on the bottom so will need to be replaced. All in all Im satisfied with this product.

I had my home warranty company, First American, vendor, Round The Clock, install a Bradford White water heater/serial #HC14703352 D/N 394 on 4/3/2011. Three weeks later, they had to come back because of a gas leak. We have had Southwest Gas out to our home, 3 times since, because of the smell of gas. Last Tuesday, June 19, the gas company turned off the hot water heater, saying it was too dangerous to keep on. The home warranty company will not return my calls. The vendor, Round The Clock, came out to fix the power box, and put a hole in the tank. Now, they said that it is out of warranty. I called Sheila **, Service Manager of Bradford White, phone number 1-800-900-3364 to complain. She will replace the water heater only, will not pay for labor. So, long story short, I will have to pay for labor, again. If you had a car that was leaking gas, the vendor would fix at no cost to you. It is called liability. Where is the conscience of this American business (Bradford White)? Why, as consumers, are we constantly being robbed?

We have a Bradford White. Within 5 years, it started leaking and stopped working. It is still under warranty. Bradford White asked me that I would have to pay for the replacement unit and a warranty fee of $35 first before they would even process the warranty. This seems like a ploy to get me to buy a new water heater. I am willing to wait until the warranty is approved before I get someone to install a new water heater but they said that their process wont allow it. If I pay for a replacement unit and pay for labor to get it installed, and then if they dont even honor the warranty, what should I do then?

I had a Bradford White water heater model #M45036FBN, S/N DM10005845, D/N -394 installed on January 25, 2008. On Friday evening, November 9, 2012, I noticed no hot water at the faucets. I checked the water heater, found the tank leaking and the pilot light out. I shut off both gas and water supply. I called the installation plumber. I could not get someone to come till Tuesday, November 13, because Monday, November 12, is Veterans Day. This plumber, Perfection Plumbing of Temecula, CA, advertised to be 24/7 service. I called another plumber, VIP Plumbing, and someone came on Saturday at 8 am. I had to pay for labor because this is not the installation plumber. VIP Plumbing said they will take care of the warranty issue with Bradford White. I called Bradford White and was told that warranty does not cover labor at all, even for defective product. When asked whether pro-rated labor cost will be reimbursed, I was told that warranty does not cover labor, like talking to a machine. Defective, yet the consumer has to pay for re-install; quite a scam. Unfortunately, the replacement water heater had to be the same model Bradford White too. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop in less than 6 years. If and when that happens, no Bradford White for me or anyone else I can persuade and talk to about water heaters.

The water heater is barely five years old and the pilot light constantly goes out. We have contacted customer service several times and never received a call back. Finally, we contacted a plumber and paid out of our own pocket. They couldn’t figure out what the problem was and assumed it was a filter issue. After some research, we realized this is a common problem with these water heaters. Terrible product and customer service!

We have the 40 gallon Gas Water heater model M44 and it has operated flawlessly for 9 years. Now 3 years past the manufacturers stated warranty of 6 years and we are hearing popping when the heater is on, so we know the time is near to a tank failure. I was surprised to learn that the warranty starts at time of manufacture and not from time of purchase. I find this not to be in my best interest and not a good consumer policy. For that reason alone I will not purchase another B-W water heater.

The gas hot water tank was installed on 01/04/13 and quit working on 08/29/19. It was installed by a reputable local plumbing company. Bradford Whites response...If the plumbing company installs another Bradford tank we can extend the warranty at no extra charge. Seriously? I dont want another Bradford tank. I got twice the life out of a tank installed by one of the big box stores and they are known for garbage units. Stay away from Bradford White!

I cant believe how many other reviews there are stating the same exact problem I am having with my Bradford White water heater Model M15036FBN. I had it professionally installed in June of 2010 for $1600.00. When it blew I contacted the installer who came out to declare it dead and then proceeded to tell me it would be $900.00 plus $300.00 for a new expansion tank. ON A 4-YEAR OLD WATER HEATER!! OMG! My last water heater from Home Depot cost 1/3 as much, was professionally installed and lasted 15 years! I would never again buy from Bradford White and will tell everyone I know about this nightmare! Their warranty (my unit is under warranty for another full year) is useless and requires that I send parts to them before they will decide what (if anything) is covered! (I also think the contractor took that part when he evaluated the broken heater tonight! ) Even if it is covered I still get to pay over $1000.00 for installation of another piece of junk Bradford White water heater. NO WAY! I will pay the same to someone else for something that lasts more than 4 years! Worst experience I have had with plumbers and manufacturers in quite sometime. Someone should do a class action lawsuit to stop them. Any lawyers reading this???

My Bradford White water heater is going on 20 years. As a former plumbing associate at your local big box, I knew about and performed maintenance on my own tank. After reading many of these reviews, it appears that repairs are being made willy nilly by people who dont have the service manual and are just replacing parts randomly. BW has an excellent service manual that an informed service tech/plumber or advanced homeowner can follow along and make systematic diagnoses based on methodical testing. It sounds like that was not done in many cases. So before you threaten with a lawyer, get an informed plumber to do this testing. Some complaints appear to have been poor wiring on the part of the installer, not the companys fault. Based on my experience, I would buy another BW and I do not own stock or know the VP of sales or have any other connection other than having experience working on my own unit.

Had replaced the conventional water heater with BW tankless water heater in 2017. In 4 years, there were two major repairs. One was 2 yrs in and the second one was just two weeks ago. Both times the fuse was blown and the control board needed to be replaced. The fan also caused issues and needed to be replaced twice two weeks ago. The first replacement fan failed the second day. Both times we were without hot water for almost a week. The second repair cost me a little under $1,700. Less than two weeks after that second repair, the unit failed again. I have had it with this BW unit and decided to change back to the conventional water heater. I had filed a claim with BW. So far BW has not responded. My advice is to avoid Bradford White tankless water heater.

50 gal propane water heater - This unit is five years old. Every year the pilot light goes out at least four times. Sometimes I can blame it on the wind, but not this year. In this last week, it goes off every other day. I might get a good hot shower in before it shuts off, if I take it right after I have relighted the pilot light! This isnt convenient at all - must I relight it every time I need hot water? Its still suppose to be closer to brand new. My first one of a different brand lasted 15 years! What am I suppose to do, rebuild the damn thing! Yes, I am disappointed!!!

Hot water tank failed at 1 year and 8 months. It cost $425 to replace it under warranty. Water started coming out of top side seam. The plumber stated that he had no idea why this would happen. The plumber also stated that this was a top brand; it doesnt look like it according to this site.

Only 3.5 years and the unit cracked. Now, Im out the full cost of removal and replacement. They only cover the tank AND they dont reset the warranty period. It only lasts the duration of the original. Makes sense as this junk isnt likely to last any longer. AND you are (practically speaking) stuck with the original installer who recommended this shoddy, poorly made product. ASHAMED it is made in the USA. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED TOO! I spoke with the customer service supervisor, Mr. Mike ** and he was no help. Just reiterated the warranty and refused to consider that 3.5 years is UNACCEPTABLE water heater life. GARBAGE!

50 gallon electric. 7-year warranty and it failed three to 6 months after it was out of the service contract. I will be looking for a new hot-water heater and I promise Bradford White I will not look at one of their products ever again and will also tell everyone I know to do the same. How can something with the highest price and recommended so much be so bad? What a piece of **.

We have two units and this morning our 5th water heater is once again leaking badly. This product is a joke. Do not buy this from Bradford White. And they have been difficult to deal with, not offering to pay for labor even after so many problems. We will be filing a suit against them.

Ordered a part for my water heater and that was not the issue. Contacted customer service and they Would not take the part back. The part cost me 225.00 with shipping. Now I have a part that I dont need. That 225.00 will cost them thousands because I wont do buisiness with them any way, shape or form. I will also tell my family and friends.

Installed a 40 gallon gas water heater on 2/27/16. Pilot light keeps failing. Had to install a new gas burner assembly on a unit that is not even 2 months old. Call Bradford White to demand a new water heater as I just paid good money to have a new Bradford White installed. Big mistake using this companys product. Their customer service is rude. Product sucks and they dont stand behind their warranty. I WILL NEVER BUY A BRADFORD WHITE PRODUCT AGAIN. I have also informed all my friends and family to stay away from this Company as they are happy to take your money, but not so willing to back up their product. Just another corporation robbing the people. All scum at Bradford White. Pure scum.

I have had a great experience with Bradford White. Weve had two Bradford White water heaters in our home and have been very satisfied with them. The first one lasted almost 16 years before it went and the current one is 19 years going on 20 years old with zero issues! Great quality products from an American company!

We have lived in our home for 18 years and we are now getting ready to install our FOURTH Bradford White Hot Water Heater. For some reason, these particular water heaters do not last very long. Our unit has been installed three times by a professional plumber and the same one is getting ready to install the fourth one. It is a High Efficiency Model and if I had to do all over I would never use this particular brand again. We are in a pickle as we are in the process of trying to sell our home and we definitely need to have a Hot Water Heater!!!!! I believe that these models should last longer than they have. All I can say is Buyer beware if you choose this particular model to use. Right now, I am in the process of cleaning water up in my basement so that the water doesnt get into my finished family room wall and I am very frustrated. Look at other models before buying this one.

I had a Bradford-White Defender water heater professionally installed. After 3 years, it failed and is going to cost me $400 installation fee plus another $149 for another technician visit to diagnose the problem. I have a pressure maintenance valve set at 70 psi, tested and working, as well as an expansion tank, so I know it isnt a problem with the water pressure being too high. I also have a professionally installed water softener, so I know it isnt a problem with hard water deposits eating away the tank. I have been reading numerous negative reviews on this site as well as Amazon with the same story Im telling.

I had a Bradford White Gas Water Heater installed to replace a 15 year old water heater that was still working. After 2 years on the Bradford White, an internal seal or weld gave way and it sprayed water over a bunch of items which were not tolerant of water and leaked over part of the basement laundry room. Needless to say I am not impressed and after reading other reviews here, I would definitely recommend buying from another company.

I am a plumber from Phoenix AZ and I have had a 50% fail rate with all of the Bradford White Gas Water Heaters I have installed in the last 7 years. Most of the failures are due to the Honeywell Gas Controllers. Both Honeywell and Bradford White should be ashamed of themselves for building such a pile of crap. I have also had quite a few leakers within the first year of installation too. I have switched to RUUD Water Heaters and so far I have had zero warranty issues. The Ruud Residential Gas Water Heater has White Rodgers Gas Controllers and that seems to be a bulletproof control valve. These water heaters make me look bad. I am a native of Michigan and Bradford White Resides in Michigan. It makes me glad I moved to Arizona so Im not in the same state with such an incredibly poor manufacturing company.

Bradford White hot water heater model #mi403s6fbn - This is the second brand new BW gas hot water heater installed in less than one month......... first one only produced lukewarm water. Called service man and he found the thermostat was defective, installed new one. Had hot water for half of the next day, called service back. They checked everything, moved water temp to very hot... nothing changed. BW accepted the tank back and presented us with another new one... installed last week and once again we had hot water for a day maybe two and now it is back to lukewarm again even though I pushed the temp up as far as it will go......... Service person says I need to call a plumber now which is going to mean more money... Shouldnt the gas company that installed it stand behind it?

My neighbor installed a Bradford White water heater and the exhaust was vented into my yard. The sound is an annoying loud white noise like a leak in an air compressor. I looked on their website for a noise suppressor and there is none. In fact, they dont care. Their response to some a question on this included the statement Give the city building department a call, explain your problem and ask them to come out and take a noise measurement. If youre within the city noise guidelines you can tell the neighbor to get lost. . Based on the customer reviews on their units they dont care about their customers either. Out of 65 reviews I looked at 60 were at the lowest rating. I will need a new water heater soon and I would not be encouraged with a dealer who even carries these units.

On September 21, 2020, Poes Plumbing & Backflow replaced our water with Bradford White 50 gallon Eco-Defender Ultra Low NOx Serries (gas), magnesium rod with our 12 yrs Whirlpool gas. On Oct 8, 2020, my son broke out in hives and continued to broke out in hives until they replaced the water heater with aluminum rod on Dec 30, 2020. Bradford White or American Home Shield did not cover the plumber cost and we paid the full installation cost for the labor of $462. Between September 8, 2020 and December 30, 2020, I had to chase down Judy at Poes Plumbing & Backflow, American Home Shield and Bradford White to replace a new gas 50 gallons water heater with aluminum rod.

I have BW water heater installed in my house and every 4 years it always leaks, they have very poor warranty and I ended up spending double plus I have to pay for the plumber, they have very poor customer service too. I will never buy this brand of water heater again. This BW I had broke in 2009, 2013 and now its 2017, just within 4 years time this BW leaked and it flooded all over my basement. The same exact problem that I had way back 2013. So to other customers who are planning to buy a new hot water heater I advised you guys not to buy this brand because its just a waste of money, its a crappy product. Thank you all for reading this review and this is an honest review from a concerned person. Thank you to all again.

Got a 10 year warranty water heater. 3 years then fail. Company is like pay a plumber we appove of to convince us it was our failure and we will provide a free replacement part 2 weeks after the failure. You are okay waiting 2 weeks for hot water and trust us to decide on the failure right? I mean just because we dont answer our phone and you have to wait 20 minutes doesnt mean we are not honest? Cmon its just normal not to tell you the specific details of our warranty.

Ours died just after three months. We installed it July 2021 and here we go with no hot water October 2021. I have two blinks on the diagnostic light. Reading online it looks like a faulty pressure switch. Everything else running off natural gas in house works fine. My cheap big box water heater lasted at least 3 years before it started having problems. Well see what the service company says in the morning.

4 years in and the tank is leaking flooding my basement. Rather than have the plumber come out and charge me I called to see what they could recommend. I was hoping to see about replacing it myself but the person taking my call was totally uncooperative. Said Id have to go through wholesaler to see if they would give me a replacement. I have a video of water pouring out but thats not enough for them. I asked for their legal department and said it would be cheaper to sue for it. They now blocked me from getting my replacement unit without first shipping the heater all the way back to them for inspection. Well thats encouraging.

I replaced a Bradford White water heater that I had for 10 years with another of the same. The heater started leaking out of the hot water nipple after 4 years of service. I spoke to two people at Bradford. I was told the hot water anode tube and nipple were designed to sacrifice themselves to minerals in the water to preserve the tank. I agree with the concept of the anode wearing away, but the nipple it is attached to should never leak. I found out the nipple is made of galvanized steel, which is not a good metal for water use because it rusts very quickly. I asked why the nipple was not made out of brass, which is universally used for water pipes because it lasts forever. They just wanted to give me the boiler plate response they have for complaints when they disagree with the customer. They are not very customer friendly. This will be the last Bradford White heater I will ever use.