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Bradford White Water Heaters
Bradford White designs, engineers and builds water heating, space heating, combination heating and storage solutions for residential, commercial, & industrial applications.
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Bradford White Water Heaters
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We have a 75 Gal Bradford White hot water heater that is just at the end of its warranty (6 years)... We started experiencing very yellow - almost brown hot water. Had numerous discussions with Bradford White reps here in Canada. Their solution was a new anode rod which I had installed (not covered under warranty). When I read my warranty it clearly states they do not cover rust or coloured water!! I have also heard from a number of plumbers that the new anode rod will work only for approx 6 months to a year. I have checked other water heaters and they have longer warranties and cover yellow/brown water issues. When I replace this unit - will NOT purchase another Bradford White!
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.
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.
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!
There are only 2 adults at this location. No problems until we would go more than 2 days with no use of hot water. Had strong sulfur smell. Neighbor suggested pouring bleach down well head. Cleaned smell after 2 days. Worked a couple of times. Now, after 7 years stinks all the time. Read that the problem is the anode. Why should this happen? Makes no sense to me. Out of warranty 1 yr ago. A 50-gallon tank for 2 people should last more than 7 years w/o repair. Not happy. Would not recommend.
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.
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.
My heater was installed right around 10 years. Water sometimes hot, sometimes cold for a while. Now its leaking at the top. Called the rep, she asked for warranty card. But I only have receipt and installed label for 10 warranty info that prove I paid for it. She said thats the policy, could not do anything.
Had my Bradford White 50 gallon gas water heater installed in 2013. Here we are in the middle of August, 2017 and I walk out into my garage this morning to leave for work and find my garage flooded. No, wasnt the pressure relief valve, seems the tank let loose. The temp setting was not all the way up and the tank had been flushed a minimum of four times over the past four years. I cannot believe they were made so cheap that it only last 4 years. Sad! Manufactured: Feb 14, 2013 Warranty Length: Tank 6 years Parts 6 years.
40 gal MI403S6FBN - All 40 gallons emptied into our finished basement. Considering that the water heater is 4 years old, this should never have happened. Will never buy Bradford White again. And will make sure to advise friends and family of the same.
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!
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!
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 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!!
Purchased an 80 gallon hot water heater for an apartment building. It continuously overheated to dangerous temperatures. The distributor sent out to inspect and repair. No luck. Still overheated. They then sent out a consultant who sent us on a wild goose chase to install an expansion tank at my expense. No luck. They then sent out a company rep. He blamed it on a non-existent waterline leak. Now a month has gone by and no hot water. I asked for a replacement. They said no. I finally ordered another brand at my expense. ALL OK. They picked up the defective unit. I never heard from them again. Stay away from this company. They are masters of stonewalling the customer with no support.
We had the Bradford White gas 40 gallon hot water heater B/Wmitw40s6fbn installed 3.5 years ago after being surprised that the prior Bradford White unit lasted over 13 years. I thought we would have the same luck, but it started leaking from the side somewhere and leaking down the unit after 3.5 years. The pilot light seemed to also be going on and off a lot. Luckily my wife, Melinda discovered it leaking and cleaned up the puddle before it went into our finished half of the basement and into my office. My 3 sons, 13, 15 and 18 as well as Mindy and I had to do without hot water for a few days as it happened during February vacation and we were going skiing. We returned on the weekend so had to take showers at the country club for a few days. The plumber said that Bradford White would charge $140 for the new tank for shipping and the fact that it was a newer and better model. It looked exactly the same as the other unit. Plus it cost me $300 in labor to replace it. I will keep a close eye on this one after reading all the negative reviews. It seems as though Bradford White have done a 180 since we bought the last one 17 years ago when it was with our newly purchased home. It is made in the U.S. so I cant blame it for being made in China! There is obviously a defect with this 40 gallon tank.
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 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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
The top part of the tank leaked and corroded the whole thing. The insulation on the inside was shot with moisture! A very high price for only seven years old! Not happy, we have to buy another one so darn soon!
I have installed and serviced Bradford White Water Heaters for over 32 Years. I find the posts from dissatisfied consumers to be offensive and unfounded. First of all, consumers are not supposed to be allowed to even purchase BW Water Heaters. That would be the fault of the local distributors for being the proverbial ** in the marketplace (willing to sell to anyone, for a slightly larger price). For the water heaters that failed prematurely, I have many questions that not one of the posts I read even addressed. What was the water pressure? More than the allowed 80psi maximum by residential plumbing code? Was there a PRV present on the main water line serving the home? (this creates a closed-loop system) Was there an expansion tank present on the installation of the water heater? (required if it is a closed-loop system) What is the water quality being delivered to the heater? (this will have profound impact on the life of ANY water heater and its anode rod) Was there a water softener installed in the home? (this will have profound impact on the life of ANY water heater and its anode rod) What was the incoming gas pressure? (can cause a premature failure of gas control valve)What I have found servicing ALL makes of water heaters over all of these years is that THESE FACTORS MATTER! If you dont know how to check these things or dont have the tools or the inclination, stop installing water heaters. The reason the manufacturer wants to refer you to an actual plumber is because you need one to check all of these things PRIOR to installing a water heater and addressing any & ALL underlying issues you may or may not have. As far as not resetting the warranty period?? Who does that? NO manufacturer does that! As a matter of fact, nobody in their right mind would even suggest that a manufacturer or any dealer would reset the warranty. A warranty that is indefinite is called a Lifetime Warranty and you pay for those, Upfront. No one wrecks their car and then buys the insurance to cover it, its the other way around. As far as what Licensed Plumbers charge, I believe some charge too much. By that I mean, if you are not going to back up your sale & installation of a given product with the support your customers deserve, then you should be the cheapest plumber on the market. As far as consumers buying a contractor grade product and wanting a professional to install it, I say to all licensed plumbers... Walk away. These people are not your customers, nor do you want them as customers. Let that person get it installed themselves by a Handy Manny and then complain about the product because it doesnt work right. Consumers beware: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Stop trying to cut corners, the rounded edges can cut or hurt you too! I do not prize the word cheap. It is not a badge of honor... it is a symbol of despair. Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for cheap men; cheap men make for a cheap country. - William McKinley
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.
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?
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.
Had a top of the line Bradford White high efficiency propane water heater installed in our new construction home in 2006. Model M1TW505S6FSX. Within 2 years we had a huge water leak, our installer came and replaced it and said it had an internal crack. Today, now 2014, water heater is spraying water out from the top. Warranty starts from original install, even though it was a faulty product. No assistance offered from company. Spent too much $$ on this water heater for these problems.
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.
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.
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 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.
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!!!
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 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.
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!!!
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.
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.
Our BW 40 Gal. natural gas water heater has taken care of our family of 7 for 12 years so far. I have not had to do any repairs or call a tech in that time. So I have been very happy with it so far. The reason for the review was because I was surprised at all the negative reviews and wanted to share that I have had a totally opposite experience. Has the company changed? Why all the negative reviews? Hot water heaters are not that complicated. Yes my pilot light has gone out a few times in the last 12 years, but I dont think it is anything to complain about. It sounds like a lot of the complaints are dealing with the company. I have had no experience in that area, because I have had no need to contact them.
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.
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.
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???
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.
Would not buy this brand again. Since I got this BW HW heater 1.5 years ago, the temp control has been terrible. Its either way too hot or not hot enough. Move it just a scootch, and it changes unpredictably. I had the installer check it and they said nothing they can do. Very annoying. Either I have to have way too hot water, and be paying to have it way too hot, or not hot enough. Terrible quality.
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.
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!
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!
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 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.
Good news! Bradford White replaced my water heater. Luckily the six-year warranty still had three months left. I still believe it should have lasted longer, but at least, I didnt have to pay the $2,400 Roto-Rooter wanted. My total out of pocket amount was $454.
$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.
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.
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.
The Bradford White Gas Power Vent water heater failed without warning overnight causing extensive flooding and water damage to a finished basement. Water heater was almost 10 years old. Should be built with a safety water cut off valve that ceases water supply to water heater if incoming water rate is greater than exiting flow.
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.
Bradford White is a waste of money and time. I moved into my home in 2005 with a Bradford White water tank already installed. Since then, I have replaced the water tank 4 times. The original tank lasted approximately 6 years, the second tank lasted approximately 6 years, then the third tank only lasted one year and 9 months. The biggest issue I have with the 3rd tank is it was rusting and rotting out which the plumber said all the rust was running through the pipes of my entire house! This could and perhaps have caused damage to my plumbing. Not only was this a HUGE inconvenience to me AND my plumber, I still HAD to pay $375.00!Bradford White is completely responsible but yet claims they are NOT 100% responsible after 1 year. Since their slogan is “BUILT TO BE THE BEST”, they should stand behind their product for more than 1 year. My plumber suggests to consider a Rheem once this tank craps out. DO NOT PURCHASE A BRADFORD WHITE! Their products and poor workmanship is not worth your valuable time and money!
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!
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.
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.
Failed in less than 1 year in a residential home with only 2 senior citizens using hot water. The mode RE380T6 was supposed to have a 6 year warranty. The only way theyll honor a warranty is for parts exchange only and your plumber has to deal with the paperwork at the distributor. Try calling a plumber and telling him to deal with this and see when hell come. So lets say the parts are $50 and the plumber charges you $200 to do the install. In other words, the warranty is useless and in order to get the water heater fixed timely you have to pay the $250. Ill never buy anything from Bradford again.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Six years ago, I purchased and had installed a 50 gallon Bradford White electric hot water heater. After 2 1/2 years it shorted out and caught fire. BW replaced it under warranty. This weekend 3 1/2 years later the tank on the replacement gave out (replacements are not covered by warranties). My instructions to our plumber was to get me a new new one as long as it wasnt a Bradford White.
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.
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.
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.
After debating whether or not I wanted to have a tankless water heater installed I finally decided to replace my old water heater with another Bradford White. Great water heater. Tankless would have been nice but I plan on moving in 5 to 8 years and just dont know if Ill see the return on my investment.
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.
Bradford-White mod# MI40T5LN10 - I must say that after reading previous reviews on BW hot water heater I just stood up and jumped for joy. I have two gas BW heaters and have not had not one issue with them. OH BTW both are 22 yrs old... yep thats correct... the original heaters that came with the house. A few weeks ago the gas company had to shut off gas to do some repairs and they re-lit both. We went on trip and didnt notice before we left but one heater wasnt heating. Today the gas company came back out to re-light. It stayed on. Now we wait and see if it was a faulty fire up the first time or if the thermocouple is out and needs replacement. But, really whatever. 22 yrs... Been happy happy happy!!!
Bradford White has to be the worst water heater in existence. A terrible product! Ive had 3 Bradford White electric water heaters in 10 years. It seems like its the only water heater that plumbers carry and I think its because they know they wont last and can make money constantly replacing them. Anyways I had a 15 year old Rheem replaced with a Bradford White. Within two years it started leaking. The water heater was under warranty, but installation costs werent, so I had to pay to have it replaced. This one lasted about 2 years before it started to leak too. Same story - under warranty, but had to pay to have it installed.Next water heater lasted 6 years before water started pouring out of the bottom heating element door. This water heater is no longer under warranty and I cant find any plumber who doesnt carry anything besides Bradford White. Why would a plumbing company carry such an inferior product unless they plan to make money on service calls? Avoid these water heaters at all cost!!!!
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 have several single family rental homes, located with the same 25 mile geographical area. Three of the water heaters have required replacement of the Natural Gas Control Kit when the units hit the 6.5 to 8 year age. The cost of the kit is on average 189.00 plus tax. This cost does not include installation. This is a parts failure with Bradford White 40 gal gas water heaters. The company stated this an isolated problem, after looking through reviews, Bradford White should be aware of the problem by now; its not an isolated problem.
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.
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 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 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 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!!!
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.
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.
The internal breaker cuts power after a couple uses if there is hot water in the hot water tank and doesnt reset for days, weeks, months. Worst purchase of my life. Screws dont even work when accessing the reset and temperature dials.
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...


