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Bradford White Water Heater Reviews
Bradford White designs, engineers and builds water heating, space heating, combination heating and storage solutions for residential, commercial, & industrial applications.
The tanks was only almost 5 years was leaking flooded all over the basement. Call to representative. Told water tank was leaking needs to get warranty done. The lady replies Oh well. We have never seen our tank was leaked before. Are you kidding me? There are many complained here. You guys need to read your review Bradford White!!!! Not worth the high price tag!!!
I went to a supplier today to replace a part from my Bradford White Hydrojet water heater, (gas control valve) and noticed that the new part which cost $185.00 is made of metal and that my part is made of plastic which is very important, because my part melted where the hot water flows. This is a clear indication to me that Bradford White and Honeywell are well aware that the old previous version of the hot water gas control valve, is and was a default product, and for those reasons, it should not matter if a persons warranty is out or not, because the fact of the matter is, they sold a faulty product and should be held accountable and responsible and should stand by their product.
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.
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.
50-gallon hot water heater was 55 months old and suddenly started leaking. Warranty was for 72 months BUT did not cover labor or any ancillary costs for delivering a new boiler, paperwork, etc. Total cost to replace my warranty covered unit... SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.
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!
Our Defender series heater stopped working recently. It is less than two years old. A technician diagnosed the entire pilot assembly as bad and replaced it. The heater still didnt. The technician also determines the gas control valve to also be broken. How does a relatively new product fail on multiple fronts? Bradford offered no consolation.
I purchased my home in 3/9/18. It is a new construction home. My builder installed two Bradford White Defender Safety System water heaters. On 7/9/2020 I found that my water was no longer getting hot. I first contacted the plumber the builder used to install the water heater and was told I had to contact an outside plumber. I then found a plumber who stated he could not get out until 7/12/020. Yesterday evening, 7/11/2020 I heard water noise coming from my media room and upon further inspection I noticed water coming from the ceiling. My carpet, walls, furniture, media equipment were wet. I then went into the attic only to find my water heater had leaked. I was confused as to why a water heater that was 2 years old would not function as it was new. I have had to call out a company to control the water damage and prevent any further damage. In addition, I and my children and dog have to find a hotel to stay. I am disappointed to say the least that this has happened. I dont understand why the builder chose to use a company that would not give its customers quality products.
I was upsold this Bradford White (50) Water Heater Model # MI5036FBN, 02/09. The unit just went out, and its still under warranty. The same plumbing company (Yes Plumbing) charges me a service fee ($79) to evaluate it. They determined the water tank is no good, and its under warranty; the warranty replacement fee is $1,000. They have got to be crazy. The purpose of my purchasing this supposedly top of the line water heater recommended by your company with lovely warranty, and now they don’t want to honor it unless I’m paying $1,000. They are crooks. Whether the water heater was a bad unit or not, honor your warranty claims and services agreement. Who pays $1,400 for a unit to have to pay $1,000 for warranty swap out? Companies are supposed to stand behind the product they sell! I will be contacting Bradford White Company after this.
We installed a commercial grade expensive water heater when the restaurant was built four years ago, the heater started leaking past week. We called two different plumbers and they both are saying that the tank is rotten from inside and therefore leaking, there is no way to fix it and needs to be replaced. They are estimating the cost to be between $4500-$8500. When you buy such an expensive high quality water heater, you expect it last at least 10-15 years. I would like to request a new replacement water heater at no cost, I will pay for the labor which could be anywhere from 1000-1500 dollars. Thanks.
My home is only 2 yrs old and Im having to replace my 40 gallons gas water heater, REALLY? From reading the reviews it seems like we all have something in common. We purchased a piece of garbage! Apparently it has been leaking for some time now but by the grace of God the drip pan has contained the water and theres no water damage (unfortunately the unit is upstairs). Its still under warranty but I really would like to install a better brand. Ive contacted the Plumbers that installed the water heater though the Builders and theyre going to replace it but Ill have to foot out the labor which is $350. Buyer beware! Complaints have been made since the early 2000s and this company has yet to better the quality of their product.
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.
Bradford White water heater leaked after 3 yr, replaced by warranty but labor was $600.00. The product was a lemon when installed. My email to warranty division was useless. I would like an email address to the president of this company.
3 years and 360 days, we had installed a 40 gallon gas water heater and it started leaking from the bottom. Called company who installed it. They came out and told me it is a total tank failure. The water heater is still under warranty but the cost of installation is again on me. I do not want nor will I have another Bradford White in my house. I refuse. Bradford-White will not give me another warranty on their own product and I am afraid to put another in my home. I thought living in Michigan Id buy a Michigan made product. Bad choice and Bradford-White was not my first choice but I could not find a company that carried my first choice. So the kicker is the company that did the install no longer carries Bradford-White, and for a good reason, but they now carry the brand I originally wanted. Ironic. Never again a Bradford-White product.
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.
Less than 2 years ago I had a Bradford White water installed by my plumber. Yesterday (12/28/15) the burner went kaplooie (technical talk for stopped working). I called my plumber who said he needed the part. I then call Bradford White and confirmed that the heater was still under warranty. However, they had stopped manufacturing that model and had no spare parts. I called the distributor and they had no parts. I called Bradford White with my tale of woe. They told me that they understood and felt very badly about my predicament, and would especially manufacture the part. I should get it in several weeks. I went up the ladder and finally found someone who said they could make the part and ship it promptly. I should have it by Friday, New Years Day. I suggested that it might be better to replace the whole heater rather than manufacture the part specially and make me wait an unconscionably long time, and pay a plumber holiday rates to come out on a holiday, New Years weekend. They told me, No!! Thus I have an obsolete water heaters that is still under warranty.
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.
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.
Had my local Plumber install a Bradford White hot water heater knowing it was American Made and assumed it was of higher quality. 17 Months later it was rusted out and leaking due to an internal leak. Naturally Bradford White authorized a new replacement. But the cost of replacement labor was not covered. As far as Im concerned there is no excuse for an internal leak in a unit this new. Clearly a manufacturing or material defect. I bought what I thought was a top of the line product only to find out that the quality was the same or less than other manufacturers and the company doesnt stand behind its product. Very disappointed.
My tank quit producing hot water. I called a plumber who replaced the valve. Two weeks later, the tank has no hot water. Plumber returned and replaced the valve again. Third time around, the plumber assured me he replaced Bradford White tanks and that they would authorize it; they were an excellent tank. This is not true. They refused. I contacted Bradford White personally and Amy ** at BW sent out a BW-certified plumber who told me my problem was a little plastic piece that had been broken - wrong. Three days later, I have no water. BW was contacted again; plumber returned to inform me that he missed that my tank was installed incorrectly and that my tank is ruined and I will need a new one. Apparently (although the warranty book DOES NOT SHOW ANY SUCH THING), I should have an expansion tank converter placed on it. Bradford White says this is a plumber problem and I am out of luck. I will not be replacing this tank with a BW and have turned the matter over to my attorney.
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???
This unit was just in service for over 3 years when the gas controller failed. About 6 months later, the tank developed a leak where the flame was impinging on the bottom. Because of new government energy regulations, this unit is supposed not available anymore and Im going to have to pay $50-100 more for the equivalent replacement. While under warranty, failures like this before the unit is even 4 years old is unacceptable. Not to mention that I have to pay a plumber to fix them.
In 2016, I purchased and had my plumbing company install a brand new Bradford White Hot Water Heater Tank 50 Gal Hydrojet Model#RE350T6. Water leaked all over and damage my condo unit. The water was coming from the bottom of the tank. The cause unknown. The Plumbing company just told me Just faulty unit. I paid the full price, no discount.
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.
We switched from an older, gas powered water heater when we did a renovation. The water heater wasnt malfunctioning, we just wanted something more efficient. We got a Bradford White direct vent water heater. In the space of one year we have had to replace a sensor twice and replace an entire module as well (the control box on the front). Our old water heater was set it and forget it - this one is set it and pray...
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.
My husband and I have lived in our home for about 14 yrs now. It is a 2 family. We kept one old water heater, but replaced ours when purchasing the home. Needless to say, the old one which I would imagine had to be about 20+ years old is the one that was changed. So we were told by our plumber to purchase a Bradford White. The first one didnt even work, I should have run at that point, and went to another manufacturer. We did get another Bradford White put in for it to only break after 7 years. I called their warranty department to get absolutely nowhere. We paid a lot of money for this product, and honestly if we knew it had the longevity of 7 yrs we could have gotten a cheaper product, or had gone to our local Appliance Home Store. Seriously, if you ever come across this product do not buy it. I believe this manufacturer should have at least helped the customer out perhaps even discount a new one. Now wouldnt that make a lot of sense.... Well nothing folks, nothing. Rest assure we purchased another product from another manufacturer. Also, my plumber is no longer using Bradford White!
We built our home and went with a leading manufacturer - Bradford White. Today we are replacing it (and NOT with another of the same manufacturer!). The inside container busted, imploded - whatever you want to call it. Seems to me that there are enough people out there with products going bad that were manufactured during the same time period that would cause a recall of Bradford White Hot water heaters. Bad! Very Bad! I didnt select to have an attorney contact me however if there is more people that would generate a greater repercussion to Bradford White - then definitely contact me!
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?
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 had two Bradford White water heaters that one after 1 1/2 years and one after 3 years, produced dark rusty water. They were not leaking yet. Our plumber went to Ferguson plumbing with no results to even have the factory representative call him. My husband called Bradford White home office. He got the runaround. Dont believe their 6 year Warranty. We purchased two new water heaters brand name RUUD. These have a 12 year warranty.
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.
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.
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?
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!
Eco Defender HOt water heater U140T6FRN - For last 3 months, pilot light goes out periodically. Easy to relight, but a pain. Unit is 6 years old. Two years ago a plumber replaced the whole controller. After reading these posts, Im going to do all the DIY stuff I feel comfortable with, and, if that doesnt work, Im buying a new one -- obviously not Bradford White. The next plumber coming out on this matter will be bringing a new water heater. Period. Thanks to all for posting your complaints and issues. If BW does not read and take to heart these complaints, theyre not a business. Theyre just some kind of ** up revenue stream.
16 years working and still going.... I am looking to replace my current 40 gallon hot water tank Model #MI40T6EN12 to prove the age, because of a possible dip tube deterioration issue, and this only started after a plumber put in a new copper pipe from the tank to our kitchen in 2015. So nothing has been confirmed yet by a plumber but they tell me once the dip tube breaks away it’s only a matter of time. Yet we still have hot water. I wish I knew where this product is sold in the Cleveland, Ohio are because I would definitely purchase another.
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.
My 14-month old Bradford White Hot Water Tank, model M240S8DS-INCPP, had a defect in the drain valve. The valve blew apart, and left me with a water damage claim. The local supplier says there have been 2 other failures on the same model tank since the beginning of the year. Is this a known defect?
Purchased Bradford White 5years - 358 days ago, model m265r6ds-1ncww. Install and all repairs done by licensed plumbers. Its an electric water heater. Actually service life has been semi OK since we live in an area with very hard water and water treatment depends on regularly supplying expensive salt to conditioning unit. We are on well water. So I recognize it can cause some build issues over time.However contractor quality unit installed when I built house in 1994 lasted 14 years and was only replaced due to heating unit and wifes desire for larger capacity heater. So six years for the Bradford White seems like a short life for heating element and thermostat set (comes as two t-stat set). When it went out 3 days ago I called plumber this morning after original calls went unanswered by first plumbing co. This plumber was able to arrive today and quickly found the issue. Wed had a short period of very hot water followed by the failure of the heating element so he suspected faulty t-stat set. $230 later it was fixed and I asked him about warranty from Bradford White. He basically told me I could pursue it but he felt they wouldnt pay anything and he didnt have time to take my failed parts to the wholesaler which is what BWs warranty policy requires. I emailed and phoned BW and was basically told the plumber would have to take the parts to the wholesaler. Well, he isnt going to take his $100/hr. time and truck to get me an adjustment for parts that cost about $50 and I dont blame him. I told the BW people that and got the old story about well thats the policy. After some further exchange they said I could call the plumber and find out who he got the BW parts from and then I could call BW back and let them know....At that point I cut the conversation off as it was clear they werent going to do squat unless I jumped through all their hoops which are well designed to foil any attempt to get satisfaction under warranty.In summary, they won because it simply wasnt worth my time to jump through all their obfuscating hoops to get a warranty claim paid. Of course they dont cover any of the expensive part...the labor of replacement. They act like it was my fault, their part went bad before the warranty expired so I should bear the cost of labor for replacement. What fricken planet do these people live on?? Based on comparison with original heater, I would rate the BW product below average and their warranty as the worst Ive ever seen. The wholesaler for this area, Western States, gets such bad reviews I didnt ever bother to contact them as people with much worse problems are getting nowhere or worse screwed by BWs process. NEVER AGAIN BRADFORD WHITE! Just tell the truth that you will fight warranty claims with every ounce of effort you can muster. What goes around comes around. Below average product in my experience and non existent warranty even though they claim to have one.
Less than 3 year old Bradford Whites Defender water heater already leaks. Previous water heater lasted 15 years. The water heater is covered under warranty for a replacement; however different upgraded model = more money (out of my pocket) due to Federal Regulatory changes and the cost of labor is coming out of my pocket as well. Extremely poor customer service and products. Made in America... Its no wonder so many buy foreign these days. They should be ashamed.
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 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.
I purchased my first home back in 6/2010. 6 months later my water heater was leaking and my home warranty ended up replacing with brand new Bradford and white water heater which I came out of pocket 275 for. I was told the unit comes with 6 year warranty. On 8/27/15 the gas was shut off temporarily then pilot would not light. Had plumber come out to light pilot but was told valve would need to be replaced and they would confirm warranty. Bradford informed plumber that unit was no longer under warranty because Bradford had unit as a replacement and rolled over warranty of original unit from a different company.Bradford would not honor the 6 year warranty of the new unit which I feel is unacceptable especially when they are aware of the faulty valve on these particular units. I will continue to expose this unethical business practice until there is a resolution or correction made. My children and I have been without hot water for a few months now while I continue to get the run around.
Installed a BW 40 gal gas water heater. It worked okay for a couple of months, then extremely hot water for a couple of months, then little hot water, etc. Turns out to be the thermostat that my supplier said was a major problem with those units. The real issue is that technical support at Bradford White is non-existent. First, you can never get through to speak to someone. So, I used the option to email and received a reply telling me to contact a plumber. Of course, the voice message while you wait forever says they are highly trained and dedicated and would walk you through the problem. If a company wont back up their product and wont provide customer support, what good are they? No more Bradford White for me!
I bought a new B. White tank, and gas flow valve, which were defective within 1 month of purchase. B White is trying to charge me $450.00 repairs to replace gas valve.
$1500.00 unit leaking in tank seams 2 months after warranty over, NO HELP offered by company. Purchased for $1500.00 Bradford White Defender 50 gal tank 8/28/2009 Model # M1TW50S6FSX Serial # FG12138580 from Wayne J Pisanchyn Plumbing & Heating Clarks Summit, PA. Unit is leaking 12/2015. Warranty was over 2 MONTHS ago. Warranty dept mgr Amy @ Bradford White corp. offered nothing. She was very robotic and unsympathetic. Amy was very glib and informed me that she was the TEAM LEADER for the warranty dept and no else could help me. The unit was maintained and is leaking in the SEAMS of the tank. It is obviously defective. Both plumber & manufacturer offered nothing substantial. I will have to pay another $1500.00 for another unit. NO DISCOUNT or EXCEPTION in warranty. My previous basic hot water heater lasted 15 yrs +. I will be sharing my Bradford White corp. experience online for any potential consumers to be advised that $1500.00 every 6 yrs is unreasonable for a water heater. Bradford White corp is not interested in happy customers and manufacturing QUALITY products, they are only interested in their bottom line and following their warranty rules to the letter.
Had a Bradford White Corporation 40-gallon gas water heater model #MI403S6FBN professionally installed in my residence on August 10, 2009. Labor, materials and tax were a total of $672.34, and it had a 6-year warranty. About two and a half months out of warranty, it has suddenly leaked all of its water out from near the bottom of the unit within a very short time period. This time it will cost me about $1,000.00 to have it replaced. Obviously, I am very dissatisfied with the experience.
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!!
New water heater installed in September 2019 and was leaking water just 18 months later. A licensed plumber discovered that due to the leaking the pilot light would not stay lit. Had it not still been under warranty for replacement I would not have never purchased another Bradford White.
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 have been installing Bradford White water heaters for over 18 years. They’re by far the best tank type water heater for your money. I’ve also installed all the other top brands like reem and AO Smith. They’re decent as well but Bradford’s in my opinion are the best. Most Bradford whites that I replace are near 20 years old and being replaced as a cautionary reason rather than leaking. I’m no Bradford rep but I see some negative reviews and felt I needed to speak up on their exceptionally higher quality product. As far as someone saying “their pilot kept going out”. That’s most likely and air flow issue or condition of the surroundings. Because I’ve had AO Smith and reems do that same thing from lack of combustible air. Keep in mind your newer heater has more safety features that may require more air flow than your older, not as safe heater. That’s why “you’ve never had that problem with the old heater”. Take it from a pro. Bradford is the best tank type water heater on the market.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
We bought our house in 2019 and the contractor who built the house installed a nice Bradford White hybrid water heater. This water heater ran great with no issues until the day before Christmas Eve of 2021. My wife noticed that the water in her shower was not very hot. I came home from work that night to check it out and noticed that the water heater seemed to have no power. The fancy panel/motherboard was black and would not reset with the reset button. I had to stay home from work on Christmas Eve day and first called Bradford White which had a recorded message that they were closed for the holidays. I then called a local company to come and take a look at it. They stated they did not service our area.Three phone calls later and a company said they would come look at it, which they did. However, they could not do anything. They did state we had power to the water heater, but they could not do anything else. I had to call another company from a town an hour away and had to pay a $350 service charge for them to come out. They came out and looked everything over. This service man had a lot of experience and stated that the motherboard in the water heater was dead and needed to be replaced. However, he stated it was cheaper to replace the water heater than order a motherboard. Well, we needed hot water, so this nice service man went back into town to get another water heater, came all the way back out and replaced our water heater with a Rheem. Needless to say, our total bill was $2,800.Fast forward to after the Christmas holiday, I called Bradford White and spoke to a customer service agent named Jada. She worked with me on the phone, seemed very nice and stated they would do what they could to help reimburse the cost of the water heater as it was under a 10 year warranty. She stated she would call back the next day. She did call back the next day and stated they were still working on it. Since this time, I have not heard from her or the company and I have called three times, left three messages, with no response. This company does not stand behind the guaranteed warranty. I still have yet to hear from this company for any reimbursement at all. I would have even been happy with some of the cost in reimbursement. Do not buy from Bradford White. They do not help their customers or stand by their guaranteed warranty.
We own a mobile home park and rent homes. One of the homes had a Bradford White 30 gallon water heater. Our plumbing company, Horizon Enterprises, determined that the water heater was defective. Bradford White diagnosed the problem over the phone and slowly sent some parts. These did not repair the water heater. When the plumbing company reported this Bradford White refused to further honor their warranty. We will never purchase their product again.
I purchased water heater in 2008 that failed under warranty a few years later. The company agreed to replace it under warranty free of charge with the exception of labor. This newer unit is now having issues and I paid for the repair of two thermostats because it assumed the remaining warranty of the original failed unit, and no longer has a warranty. Customer service informed me that they may have been willing to offer a discount on price of repair if I would have called them before it was completed. Not available though after the repair. It is difficult to understand how the newer unit does not also have an original warranty. Now penalized twice for one failed unit and one that is also malfunctioning after a few years. I will not purchase this brand again and will be very clear about when a warranty starts and ends when I purchase a replacement.
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.
My BW water heater stopped working after 18 month, 6 month after the end of the warranty. Now I need to pay for the parts and labor, God knows how much. What else can I say? I have no hot water and Im very upset.
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.
Our trusted installers, Snell & Son Heating and Air Conditioning, said this is the only brand they install and recommended it. It never quite worked right providing warm (not hot water) after 5 minutes of showering. The valve broke and cost us $689 to replace, 6 months after the warranty expired. Including labor, the charge was going to be $915. The new valve WV8840A1001 only has a 1-year warranty. We made a mistake installing this heater and increased that mistake by trying to fix it.
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.
I purchased a 75 gal. BW water heater and it had to be replaced after 5 years. Warranty was good for 6 years so they replaced the heater but it still cost me $500 for the service. The new one has now leaked after 4 years and they will not replace it because the original purchase was more than 6 yrs ago. Two hot water heater both leaking within 5 years. I would say this company has a quality issue.
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.
I purchased a hot water heater and it was installed June 14, 2014. Two months later It lost the heat. The pilot light was difficult to work. The plumber who sold it to me came... got it started and in about 3 or 4 months it stopped again, in November at Thanksgiving time it quit again. The plumber started it again then in Dec at Christmas time it quit again. The plumber replaced the starting equipment and it lasted until February 19, 2015 then stopped again. I bought and paid for a hot water heater. I am not at all satisfied with this and would like to hear from you just how I get out of this mess.
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 to replace my water heater @ 4 years ago (that one had served me well for 14 years, never an issue) and the company I was dealing with only used Bradford White which I had never heard of before. Well it failed after only 4 years in September of this year. I was shocked and disgusted. I had paid extra for a 12 year warranty and with them based in Michigan I was lulled into thinking I was purchasing a quality product. The original company replaced the water heater which I grudgingly consented to because they said the only way the warranty would be honored would be to get another Bradford White. However I had to pay the labor cost of $330 plus the cleanup I endured is priceless in my hours and effort. Timing was atrocious as well (was to leave on a trip that week so that was a negative shadow) so all in all an awful experience and huge disappointment! The installer found no cause except that the Bradford White water heater of only 4 years was defective! I thought innocently that when Bradford White was aware of this they would compensate me for the labor costs. I called in October and got a front line employee who told me, “Well it does not work that way, meaning I should be happy that it was replaced. I said, “well what about this concept, that you produce a quality product that will last longer than 4 years. I would have been happier with that. Now my warranty does not revert back to 12 years, it is only 8 with the deduction of the 4 years. I kept going up the chain and ended up speaking with Dustin Bowerman who is the CEO. Initially he seemed nice and concerned and had me send photos, personal info, model/serial #s but then responded back that they do not want to set a precedent. The water heater failing was bad enough but to waste my time with the false hope that they would offer some compensation was I thought especially cruel. He stated that they are an Employee Owned Business which based on my personal experience they are #1 certainly not the Customer so stay away. Go with a cheaper product and if there is failure you are not as committed financially! Here was my response to Mr. Bowerman but never got one word back which was not surprising.I have no confidence in your product after my one and it remains to be seen negative experience. I went out of my way to give you and your company the opportunity to turn the awful and unexpected experience into a fading memory which would not dictate my future purchasing choices but you have failed terribly. I would have appreciated you not wasting anymore of my time truly when we spoke Dustin if you planned on using the dont want to set a precedent rule. I sent you a lot of personal information so very form to say the least. No wonder I am in the minority and price is the primary focus because there is no loyalty in either direction so thank you Dustin for creating my present and future cynicism on how employee run businesses do business! The employees are first and foremost number one and the customer is expendable as well as the quality controls to produce a reliable and sound product.. Shameful but I cannot dictate your conscience, only you can. Thank you for stepping upon my kindness so now you are in the minority.”Never heard back from Mr. Dustin Bowerman and it has been a month so if I had to do all over again I would have Run from Bradford White! Unfortunately this USA company does not inspire or contribute to confidence in their product nor customer service.
My house came with a Bradford White gas water heater with an electric blower that has a 6 yr warranty. Yesterday the water heater broke and water went all over the basement floor and needs to be replaced. The water heater is 6 yr and 11 months old. This puts it conveniently outside the 6 year warranty. When I called the company I was told sorry, it is out of warranty they (Bradford White Corp) will not do anything. They said water heaters are designed to last 10 years+, industry standard is only 6 yr warranty, and they would do nothing about their products failure. Additionally I was told Since its out of warranty they (Bradford White Corp) wont do anything, but we will sell me a new water heater AT FULL PRICE. I called the plumber who was going to install the new one and told them I did not want a Bradford water heater put back in, and was told b/c of size and space issue with my house Im stuck with getting a Bradford. This post and others Im leaving is to warn any other soon to be water heater buyers NOT to get a Bradford White Water heater b/c they do not stand by their product, have poor customer service, and have products that conveniently break when the warranty is up. If anyone wants to contact me to discuss, you can email me at **. Beware of Bradford White products!
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.
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???
I installed a Bradford White hot water heater in my sister house on December of 2009. The factory supply nipples moved inward causing the soldered couplings to leak. Of course BW is denying any water heater malfunction. Just trying to get the word out for future buyers. I have pictures also.
Purchased and installed a Bradford White water heater on 12/3/2020 and found out on 1/11/2021 (had to call a plumber) that we had a bad part (T&P valve), the plumber purchased a new valve and installed it for $350. When I contacted the Bradford White warranty department I found out (like other reviews stated) they will not deal with the actual consumer who paid all original costs plus repair cost, they will only deal with the contracted plumber through the supplier (Ferguson, as an example). So I am out $350 for something that should have been covered by Bradford White, this is not right!
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.
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.
My Bradford White 50 gallon water heater sprung a leak and flooded my basement in August of 2016. It had only lasted 14 months, it was installed in June of 2015, Bradford White gave me a new water heater, but I had to pay a plumber 300 dollars to remove the leaking unit and install the new unit. I was stuck with cleaning up the mess in the basement too. I called the corporate offices on three separate occasions and spoke to someone in consumer affairs. I was promised each time that they would look into the matter and return my call. As of October 2017 I still havent heard from them, I believe I should be reimbursed for the labor cost, a water heater that breaks down in 14 months is a joke, they obviously sell junk and dont believe in customer service. Never again will I deal with Bradford White!
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.
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.
I installed lots of Bradford White heaters as a licensed plumber, but in the past 5 years this company has gone to the trash heap! I have had nothing but problems with their electric and gas heaters. I recently put in a 50 gallon electric in a customers home. In 3 weeks the element on this unit leaked all over the customers basement and did a lot of damage! Bradford said they would give me a new heater and pay for my time to install it. Great! NOT!!! they have given me nothing! And they are not responding to my customers request to make a claim for the damages caused by this garbage??? They have made promises and delivered nothing! Lies and deception. What kind of a company would do this??? Off to the court system we go! And all they had to do was follow up, and make the claim.
We had the Bradford White gas 50-gallon water heater installed 3.5 years ago. The previous one lasted for almost 11 years. It started leaking over the past weekend. I contacted the plumber and they found that the problem causing the leaks was due to the faulty temperature control vault. I always have to make many adjustment on the vault in order to get the correct water temperature each time after we returned from vacations. Its either too hot or not hot enough. Gave it a slight touch and it changes the temperature unpredictably. The tank was still under the 6-year warranty but the labor warranty was over in 3 years. I contacted the company and ask them to cover the labor cost because the problem was caused by a faulty device that it was first installed. They refused to take any responsibilities and stated that the labor cost was the responsibility of the customer.
I bought four of these recently for a residential complex. One of the water-heater anodes was severely corroded fresh out-of-the-box from the manufacturing plant. The water heater produced gas in my water lines. The manufacturer describes this phenomena when anaerobic bacteria produces sulfate that reacts with their magnesium anode to produce hydrogen sulfate, a flammable gas. Their workaround is to change the anode from magnesium to aluminum-zinc alloy to minimize the phenomena. This is assuming that your water supply is contaminated. But my other three units are feed by the same main water line and did not do this. There must be a problem within their plant, because others (if you google thoroughly) have complained about the same problem from Bradford White water heaters for years. I will never again advocate buying their units. I have been using GE/Rheem for years purchased from the big box stores without issues.
We recently purchased a home with a previously installed Bradford White Defender gas water heater. The water heater was installed in the second floor attic space above the kitchen. We were not happy with this, because my husband works in the plumbing industry and these are notorious for breaking. We made plans to expand the washroom and bring the water heater down to the main level, to avoid any problems. We had the washroom addition done, and were just planning to move the water heater the next weekend. Literally, the next day, October 21, the thermal couple blew and flooded the kitchen. I dont know how long the water was running, we were home, but I was sick in bed, one son was sleeping, (he works nights) and the other is blind. When we found it, there was water pouring through a hole in the ceiling, and inches of water on the kitchen floor, it was even coming out the exterior joints in the slab. Fortunately, I had a very large threshold on the kitchen door which kept it contained to that area. A restoration company came out and treated the entire area and left fans and dehumidifiers to dry it out. I now need new sheetrock, insulation, cabinets, flooring, and part of the appliances. Water also seeped into the upstairs bedroom and bathroom, but that was minor compared to downstairs, and I have already corrected it at my own expense. I filed an insurance claim, but the adjuster has not gotten back with me as to whether they are going to cover it or not. He did state that mine was the third that week for this same issue.Images show defective part versus a new part. (The bottom one is not mine, I didnt think to photograph mine before it went in.) The water heater was still within the warranty period, so Bradford White covered the new part, but there was no compensation for the installation. We are thinking the water heater was about 2 years old, during which one year the house was vacant, and the other, it was occupied by an elderly disabled man. In other words, very little usage, it should have been good for years. My pressure is set at 40. (Extra low, just until we can replace the water line; not because its bad, but because we dont know.) Theres really nothing we could have done to prevent this.In my dealings with the supplier, I have found that the defective part was manufactured by Honeywell. The problem came from a little plastic piece that protruded from the box into the unit. Mine was split right in two allowing water to just flow out. The supplier thought that Bradford White might be in litigation with Honeywell, and that my flood might be covered under their insurance, but I suppose that would require a lawsuit on my part. I did notice on the replacement part that the plastic piece has been replaced by a metal piece, so hopefully this will not happen again. I would also hope that they would have stopped selling heaters manufactured with that plastic part inside. There really should be a recall on these water heaters.
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.
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.
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.
We had A B-W 50 gal. water heater installed when we built our home in 2001. It started leaking and was replaced in July 2013 by another B-W 50 gal. water heater. In Sep 2017, the replacement started leaking. A call to B-W requesting the heater be replaced under warranty was a joke. They wanted me to buy another B-W heater and when they had a chance to inspect mine they would issue a refund. So they will only warrant the heater if you buy another one from them. Why would anyone buy one of their water heaters, when they only last four years? I submitted an email to B-W and they promised to get back to me in 48 hours. Its been over a week now, I dont think its going to happen. Their warranty and their word are worthless. I urge you to avoid their products as I will in the future.
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.
My RG240T6N 40 gallon gas water heater was installed only 3 months ago and Ive been far from satisfied with it. It has a Honeywell electronic-type gas control valve. The manual says the LOW setting runs approximately 55 degrees fahrenheit. Well, not mine. Not by a long shot! When my water heater is set on the lowest setting, the hot water coming out of my faucet is appearingly scorching hot. I called Bradfords tech support and he was far from sympathetic. He told me there was nothing else I could do to adjust the gas valve and he was there to support licensed contractors and not homeowner me. He said I had to hire a licensed plumber to look at it before Bradford White would even consider doing anything for me. He never even asked me which model I have and said hes never had anyone complain of this issue. I then volunteered my model number and he answered extremely dismissively. He was extremely standoffish and I told him this experience is driving me to never purchase Bradford White again. He said if that was my decision, so be it. My previous Reliance water heater was still working after 18 years of perfect service. I was wrong to think a new Bradford White would serve me well. I was just as wrong to think I could get any satisfaction from calling them.
This water heater lasted a lot longer than most I have read about 7 years but it cracked and cannot be repaired. We have never had to replace a water heater in such a short time. Not a good brand. Will buy a different.
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?
I purchased my first Bradford White Gas Hot water heater in 2008, 4 years later (2012) the tank rusted out. It was replaced under warranty and I had to pay 369.00 in labor. Now, in 2016 the warranty tank has rusted out! Both tanks lasted 4 years!! There is no warranty for the second rusted out tank because they back date the warranty to the initial purchase. I will never buy a Bradford White tank again!! My garage has been flooded twice and both tanks lasted only 4 years!!!
I had a Bradford White hot water tank replaced after two years while under warranty. Unfortunately, after the plumbers reinstallation costs, I was out about the same amount as with the original installation. However the main problem concerns the temperature regulation. The temperature is too hot so I barely move the regulating valve and the temperature is too cool. Upon moving the regulator a minimal amount, the temperature is too hot. It is impossible to get a standard temperature. I would never recommend a Bradford White hot water heater.
Our plumber installed a Bradford White Water Heater in our condo in 2013. It has to be replaced today (5 years). Labor is not covered, there is a $125 surcharge because of a federal standard that made newer water heaters more efficient but cost more, so I have to pick up the difference. I called BW and they basically told me too bad, I have no choice. The average water heater lasts 12.5 years, BW certainly lowers that average. Choose anything else.
Licensed plumber installed BW Eco-Magnum Series w/Hydro jet 75 gal water heater on August 2016. Failed this week April 2020. Two pinhole leaks on lower sidewall approximately 6 from bottom, near the vent holes left of the Honeywell temperature regulator. The leaks were right at the weld areas. The insulation was completely soaked. Did not last 5 years even after routine flushes. Either tank defect or possible issues with the Honeywell regulator that may have overheated the unit. There was an attempted class action lawsuit regarding the Honeywell regulator. Water pressure valve and water pressure checks out. Plumber coming to replace on Monday April 6, 2020.
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.
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.
In October 2010, I had the small 5 gallon electric water heater under my kitchen sink replaced with a new Bradford White water heater. The work was done by professional plumbers, who have an excellent reputation. Over the next few months, I noticed that my electric bills were higher than normal and couldnt find the cause - now I suspect it was the water heater, since the bills went back down in May.I went on a trip to Oregon to visit family in mid-March and was supposed to come back home to Montana, the end of May. Less than a month after I left, my water heater exploded! It was discovered April 19 and water to the house was immediately turned off, but not before flooding my kitchen with 76,800 gallons of water. Nobody touched anything, except to have the water to the house turned off and the breaker to the water heater/kitchen turned off to avoid fire and electrocution danger. I also had pictures taken. After a week or so of trying to get advice from attorneys and insurance, I contacted the plumbers, who came out immediately to assess the situation. I was instructed to touch nothing till the water heater people inspected. The water heater people (either Bradford White or distributor, Western States Sales) didn’t send someone till mid-June. Again, I was told to touch nothing till they finished their investigation. I argued with them, telling them that mold was growing and would continue to get worse if it wasn’t cleaned up immediately. Due to kitchen damage, mold, no water etc., I was unable to return home the end of May as planned. My house was, and remains, unliveable. In June, Western States Sales sent me a Bradford White water heater claim form to fill out. In mid-July, Bradford White finally sent a shipping label to the plumbers, instructing them to pick up the water heater from my house and send to them for inspection. Bradford White finally finished their inspection of the water heater in mid-August and determined that it was a water pressure issue due to a surge in the water system. This is a lie. I have a letter from the town stating that there was no surge in the system. My other much older and larger water heater had no problems, the neighbors had no problems and the school that is a block away and monitors their pressure constantly showed no surge.I had repeatedly tried to explain to everyone that I want to go home and that the mold continues to get worse every day. I kept telling them that the worse it gets, the longer it will take to clean up and the more it will cost. I have repeatedly explained how much of an inconvenience this has been and that I really want to return to my own home. For the most part, my emails and phone calls were ignored by Western States Sales. They have stalled and caused this to drag on unnecessarily. I don’t know if it was just them or if it was Bradford White telling them to stall it. I do know that there was something defective that caused the water heater to explode and that is definitely on Bradford White. This should have been handled/investigated back in May (should have taken no more than 2 weeks), and clean-up and repairs should have been completed for me to return home by the end of June, at the very latest.I am a disabled widow on social security and as it stands now, I have a house that I am still making mortgage payments on, but cannot live in. It is a total loss, due to mold and structural problems from the water sitting in the crawlspace. I cannot sell the house; it will have to be torn down. I still have no place to live and can’t afford to rent a place, while I am still making mortgage and utility payments. If I quit making mortgage payments, it will ruin my credit and I won’t be able to find a decent place to rent.Since it seemed clear to me that it was a defective product and still under warranty, I didn’t contact my homeowners insurance. I trusted/expected that it would be dealt with in a timely, professional manner. After all, Bradford White is a reputable company, right? Yeah, sure. In the end, when the investigation was finally finished, I contacted my homeowners insurance, only to be told that they won’t cover anything, because it wasn’t cleaned up immediately and that’s why the mold and structural damage occurred. I have kept a detailed log/journal of everything that happened, complete with letters, emails and notes from all phone calls, but it hasn’t done me a bit of good. The lawyers don’t seem to be interested, because there was no personal injury.In my opinion, the fault for the whole thing lies first with Bradford White for the defective water heater, which exploded, did major damage to my kitchen and caused the water to enter my house. Secondly, with Western States Sales for dragging this out, their delays caused mold and structural problems. Lastly, in the end, Bradford White lied about the unit being defective. Back in May, the cost of repair and clean up would have been between $5,000 and $10,000. Here I am, nearly a year later, the house is a total loss, I cannot afford to fix it, have no insurance coverage to fix it, I am homeless and bouncing from one family member’s house to another’s, sleeping on the couch, no privacy or comfort and no life of my own. The upset and stress has affected my health and nearly ruined family relationships. The big companies have no concern for the problems they cause people, just to save a few bucks. I wish they could be held accountable for a change. They all acted like a water heater exploding was totally unheard of, it had never happened before that they knew, but yet there was a specific claim form for it - go figure. If I could give a negative 5 rating, I would!
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.
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