What water heater should I buy? - Pro Grade vs. Box Store
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 4 апр 2024
- In this video, we delve into the age-old debate: Are water heaters from box stores truly the same as those from professional plumbing supply stores? To find out, we conducted a comprehensive comparison. We purchased an AO Smith water heater from a professional plumbing supply store and another from a box store, and then we meticulously examined each component, weighing them, and noting any differences.
Our journey began in Kansas City, where we obtained the AO Smith Pro Grade Heater from a plumbing supply store and enjoyed some famous barbecue. Next, we headed to Lowe's Home Improvement Store for the box store version, encountering some filming challenges due to store policies.
As we dissected the units, we discovered significant disparities. Despite claims that they are identical, our analysis revealed distinct variations in materials and construction. For instance, the pro-grade unit consistently weighed more, indicating potentially stronger materials. We observed differences in drain valves, control covers, burner assemblies, and more.
One notable finding was the presence of a metal cap on the back of the control valve in the box store unit, a feature previously absent and associated with frequent failures in older models. This change suggests manufacturers have made improvements, likely due to previous issues with box store units.
We examine the control valves, noting a slight difference in weight that indicates potential variations in internal components. Despite looking similar, these small differences can impact performance and longevity. We then move on to the anode rod, a crucial component for protecting the tank from corrosion. The pro-grade unit features a wider anode rod with a weld spot, indicating a magnesium material, known for better corrosion is protection compared to the aluminum rod in the box store unit.
Next, we weigh the empty tanks, revealing a substantial nine-pound difference between the two. While this might seem insignificant, it represents a significant percentage of the total weight and hints at the sturdier construction of the pro-grade unit.
To put their durability to the test, we pressurize both tanks until one fails. Despite exceeding their rated pressure, the pro-grade unit fails first, but in a controlled manner, with a weld seam cracking. On the other hand, the box store unit swells and eventually pops, indicating a potentially more dangerous failure mode due to the compromised glass lining.
Overall, this experiment highlights the importance of choosing a quality water heater, as the differences in construction can significantly impact performance and longevity. While box store units may offer cost savings upfront, the potential for early failure and safety concerns make professional-grade units a more reliable choice for long-term use.
If you're interested in learning more about the differences between these water heaters, including a detailed examination of their components and failure modes, watch the full video for a comprehensive analysis.
As always, thanks for watching! We aim to bring you plumbing videos in a way you’ve never seen before.
@lowes @HomeDepot @menards 
Хобби
![Latto - Sunday Service (feat. Megan Thee Stallion & Flo Milli) [Remix] (Official Video)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9gL0F1xIt2I/mqdefault.jpg)
The hole on the burner is to prevent condensation from accumulating on top the burner and snuffing out the flame when the burner is on in a cold tank. It also prevents rust on the burner.
Best explanation I've heard so far!
This a great video from a retired plumber thanks for doing it safe travels
Glad you enjoyed it
I didn't think an hour long video on plumbing would be as informative as this turned out to be. Great work guys. This is going to save a lot of people money and time if they pay attention.
Tldr: dont buy box store water heaters.
Thank you!
Good info. But for the life of me, I can’t understand why every maker of RUclips videos feels we must have mindless, repetitive “music” overtop of the narration. It serves no purpose, and gets to be very annoying after a few minutes. I guess everyone thinks it sounds more “professional.” At a minimum, it shouldn’t be as loud, imo.
I experienced a box store vs. buying from a local shop when buying my lawn tractor. I bought a Husqvarna lawn tractor from Home Depot. It has had nothing but issues, and it only has 17 hours on it. I took it in for service to a Husqvarna dealer, and he was showing me major differences between his that he sold and the one I bought from Home Depot. Same models. So I sold the one I bought from Home Depot and paid the additional 280 dollar differences, and I'm telling you there are no comparisons between the 2 Lawn tractors..
Yep!
How major were the differences ?
Agreed, but if you know anything about small engines, stick to Scag/Kubota/Exmark, etc. You rarely see landscapers use any of the junk Craftsman, Husqvarna, even Toro, they all use the same low quality parts and transmission.
The John Deere mowers from home Depot are crap. 2 years the transmission failed 5 years the motor failed. The John Deere store said the home Depot ones are crap.
@@--harry_ yep!
My supply house sent us to the AO Smith / State water heater manufacturing facility outside of Nashville. Which is massive. AO Smith / State owns the company that makes ALL the components for their water heaters. I asked this very question " what is the difference between pro and box store?" answer; The box store units are made in a different facility, in a different state with out sourced parts. They also have a different glass liners. Drop the Mic!
Yep!
A hardware store here has a display. They've got two Weber grills side by side. One they went and bought at Walmart, The other is the grade they sell. They've done the same thing you did. The first thing is how different the thickness of the sheet metal is. The one they sell weighs around 7 lb more if I remember correctly. Thicker steel on the side sticker burner heavier frame the works.
Very detailed and informative! I appreciate your effort. Probably explains why my Proline Plus Nautilus by American Water Heaters installed in 1992 is still working!!!
Exactly!
Good to hear. The proline plus Nautilus installed when I bought my house in '93 crapped out all over my laundry room floor after seven years.
@@weing :( I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I just got lucky with this. Not sure.
FANTASTIC job. That took a lot of hard work. Thank you.
Thank you very much!
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing. Now I have a strong selling point for pro grade tanks.
Love to hear it!
You guys put awesome effort into this. Love it
Glad you enjoyed it!
One of the best educational videos on RUclips. Earned a sub. Look forward to learning more.
Welcome aboard!
Agreed!
Your video showed up on my feed and was of interest to me as I just had a 5 year old Rheem water heater spring a leak. Damn plastic drain valve gave up the ghost. When it's time to replace, I will only go with a pro grade replacement. Your video taught me the difference between the two as I leaned toward made on the same line with different stickers. Thank you so much. Oh, and paying my plumber for his expertise saved me more as I would have replaced the drain valve with another plastic valve, and he instead put in a brass ball valve. Home owners don't know what they don't know. Smiles.
Thanks!
Great timing. I’m a home handyman and planning on replacing my 10 years old 50 gal tank. Thanks for the info
Glad to help!
I have been a general contractor for 33 years. I have only installed 3 tank water heaters in the last 20 years on my projects. Have installed over 100 Noritz tankless units. We had one heat exchanger leak in that time period. We had a replacement part from Noritz in 48 hours. (Was still under warranty)
Installed properly, and tankless units are pretty awesome.
Having a tank water heater in your home gives you access to 50 gallons or more of potable water in case of an emergency. Unless you're short on space, most plumbers I know prefer a tank unit.
@@giovannicampos7462 If you need an emergency water supply it's less expensive to install a"tempering" tank and a smaller high efficiency demand heater. Cheaper still is a supply of 1 gallon water jugs. Plumbers get paid by the hour. They make more money from servicing and replacing tank units than from less frequent work on higher quality, more expensive and durable demand units. Auto mechanics and dealers have similar attitudes about preferring ICE cars that have more mechanical maintenance needs ta BEVs. The newer tech has different support needs.
Great video! I am stoked to bring some light to my customers about our units vs box store units 🤙
That is awesome!
Excellent video. Learned so much and now know what to look for on quality.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks! I have a bunch of rentals that have gas water heaters. Coming up on 60 year old houses. I thought it was just Lowes. I bought a Kenmore heater and it's still in service. Not a moment's trouble. I bought a Lowes and I almost knew the repairman by his first name. Lots of trouble with the gas burner, control, and pressure valve. I bought a Home Depot unit for another house and it's also still in service. While it has never had a service call, it's tough to get it to fire up. I'll have to look up how long they've been in service. One I think is at 15 years. Probably time. I have a supply house near me. Great guys.
Thanks!
What an awesome video! What product comparison box vs. pro grade is next?
Thanks so much for your support of the Spirit of Opportunity and your local supply house at Kansas City Winnelson!
Who knows what we'll test next!
Rheem has two lines of gas tank water heaters, Performance which can be purchased at HD and like the one we have, a Professional model that was installed by a HVAC/Plumbing company. Also in the USA (not the world) there are other water heater manufactures like Haier who makes GE, Bosch, Rinnai (Japanese brand) plant in Georgia. Thanks for the comparison. You learn something everyday.
Yes we might do the Rheem line next!
@@SmedleyPlumbing I’d like to see the Rheem line. After watching your video, I researched the box store 50 gallon Rheem electric I bought at Home Depot. It does have a brass drain valve and magnesium anode rod, but I’m guessing they’ve cut some corners somewhere, and I’d like to know where.
I’m just a homeowner and didn’t realize the quality would be different based on where I bought until watching your video. I hope this one lasts, but now I know for the future.
@@GraingerProductions we considered that. But Rheem changes the name of their pro line to Ruud. So people works likely think they are two different heaters. That's why we did the AO vs. AO.
As a DIYer you have me looking for an upgrade kit for my box store water heater - so far I’ve sourced a better brass release valve and anode rod and I’ll probably just strap a bunch of hose clamps around the tank to keep it from puffing out. 😮😊
Ha! Or just buy a pro grade tank from a professional plumbing supplier.
Realized after watching a video on Anode Rod’s and the need to replace them 3-5 years. I had never replaced my water heater rod and so did some more research and ended up going with an electric protection anode rod. I have replaced it already however what is your take on these type of anode rod replacements? Even one plumber store talked to using this type of anode rode if they did the project.
I did replace the anode rod myself and from various video’s, I used a 1/2 inch impact socket and impact wrench. Purchased a Ryobi 1/2 inch impact wrench and sockets on sale and it worked like a charm. The anode rod was on very tight over the 10+ years not replaced. Took a few attempts with the impact wrench but it broke it loose and I had may be 6-8 inches left (wish I could attach a photo), it did its job for sacrificing but was due for replacement. Now I used the impact wrench so I didn’t mess up the water lines or twist the water tank by using a breaker bar, definitely the impact wrench was a good choice.
Nice video produced!!
Thanks!
Good stuff! Great job 👍 They have a different tank lining also.
Yes they do
Finally someone proving what I have been saying
I only buy from supply houses
Its a big investment an extra 100 150
10 yrs or 20 years
Aggravation and cost every 10 or 20
I'll take a little more for a lot more years
EVERY TIME
Thanks for this video
Good stuff!
dude this video totally helped the plumbing community
That's why we do it!
@@SmedleyPlumbing yeah dude that’s so awesome. I know it was probably expensive to make the video. Totally respect you guys. i watched a few commercials on purpose so hopefully it helps recoup some of your funds. I’ve recently started listening to The Void podcast as well. You guys have great advice, very entertaining, and it’s definitely helped me as an employee of a company producing more sales.
@@robertburns236 thanks man!
Great and insightful video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This video is really excellent. It is the video I was looking for with a detailed comparison. I’m a quality engineer married to a general contractor and evaluating our cost of materials. I wanted to understand if we are really getting better quality components at plumbing supply stores. Thanks so much!! Subscribing!
Thanks!
Great video, very informative. Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
My box store heater had a control box fail so I called the 800 number and got the run around for 1-3/4 hours. Finley I hung up and called the manufacturer and ask for the COO with in 5 minutes I was told I would have my part with in 24 hours delivered next day air.
We hear that all the time.
What is coo 🤔
@@jcaleca60 Maybe "Chief Operating Officer"?
Thanks for this video. I myself have had debates with people over the difference in quality between box stores and supply houses. However, the biggest issue for the home owner is not the couple of hundred dollar difference between the two. It's the 100 % markup in price that a plumber charges the homeowner. This doubles the price to the homeowner.
Good work isn't cheap. Cheap work isn't good.
@@SmedleyPlumbing just because someone is a “professional” doesn’t mean they do good work. My old water heater was installed by a “professional” (tag on the unit) and it was a hack job. I’m nervous about working on gas lines so when I remodeled my kitchen I had a plumber move my gas line and saw all my plumbing work under the sink and said my work was great and moving the gas line was easier then what I had done and I could have done it just fine.
@@TheOriginalLugnuts some people are definitely more capable than others that's for sure.
Fixin to buy one thanks for the info outstanding job
Glad to help!
Thank you. Very informative 👍
You are welcome!
Great job. Definitely a difference with the tank quality.
I think so too!
Wonderful video!
Thank you very much!
If you wanted to mount a pressure gauge on your heater where would you put it? On the hot outlet nipple?
Cold inlet. It will last longer.
Excellent. Thanks. The same rule of thumb goes for fixtures.
Yes it does!
Thank you for the video! Any opinions on electric anode rods? I am in Michigan, have city water, have a softner, on my 5th water tank in 20 years. I have come to conclusion that my anode rod needs servicing more often but no contractor locally has ever suggested this as a preventative maintenance step. I had had 2 ao smith, ge and bradford white. Only the ge was "box store".
On theory, electric anode rods work well. I haven't seen a correlation between electrin anodes and longer tank life though.
@@SmedleyPlumbing any direct experience with the corro protect? My mom had well water with the really bad sulfur bacteria smell, the corro protect solve that in 24 hours. I just wish I could find evidence to see if Corro protect does well in the long run. And works well with softened water.
@@JLLG2 honestly never heard of it
@@JLLG2sulfer smell at high temp that goes away is a bad sacrificial(zinc?) anode hence the term "sacrificial." Might have an inferior anode product tho so maybe a "pro grade" anode tho.
I would be curious about the thickness of the steel of the tanks. I expect that is where the weight difference is. The thinner steel would expand more under pressure, which is why you saw the differences in failure mode. So the box store model, with thinner lighter steel, expands and contracts more under pressure changes, breaking the glass lining. Once the glass is compromised the thickness of the steel doesn't matter much because corrosion of the steel is relatively fast.
We left with the same thoughts.
Excellent video, as always. Confirmed alot of what I suspected. Tell Austin he did a good job on the editing as well.
Thanks! Will do!
I needed a new 50gal tank and my plumber said he uses the pro grade A.O.Smith but if I wanted I could go to Lowes and buy one of there (Rheem, store brand , etc.) units and he would charge me the labor. I opted for the pro grade because if something went wrong under warranty I would have to handle it with Lowes but if it went wrong with the unit he put in, he would take care of it. Made it a very easy decision, Excellent installation.
Love it!
Great video well done,i learn a lot that i didn't know.
Glad it was helpful!
Wow great thank you now I know where to purchase my water heater 😊
Exactly!
The trick is that supply houses often won't sell to consumers. Buddy of mine needed a furnace relay and Winnelson would not sell him one because he wasn't a contractor. He was a trained tech in a related field working in million-dollar machines that have their own HVAC systems. But they wouldn't sell him the part. He had to get one off ebay or something. Supply houses can be very strict.
They put a lot of money and time in to this video great job guys 😊
Thanks!
That was awesome!
Glad you liked it!
Please consider doing more comprehensive comparison videos of box store vs plumbing supply store for faucets, toilets, and shower trim using units from the same brand.
We totally will!
Did both water heaters have the same warranty? The Lowe’s near me sells A O Smith water heaters with 6-year, 9-year or 12-year warranties.
Yes both tanks were 6-year warranty tanks.
I really would love to know about tankless water heaters.Who's the best just like you did this test
We can do that one in the future!
31:08 Great video, but I do have to give you a little bit of a hard time. The reason the socket got stuck was because it was a non impact rated socket and a 12 point. 🤠👍 Oh yeah, Texas BBQ.... 💯 😁
Yeah I like to break things. Lol. Texas BBQ isn't bad either!
Had a home owner change out a gas water heater because it had water coming out of the bottom, it was in an open garage and it was just condensation not running water or leaking anywhere.
Condensation can happen on the first burn or if the water heater is run completely out of hot water.
Thanks for doing this test! Kinda worries me that the T and P valve didn't release the pressure as thats it only reason for existence lol
We plugged the T&P port on both to focus the test on the tank only.
@SmedleyPlumbing ohh ok. Sorry I must have fast forwarded that part.
You like to live dangerously haha
@@fortunatedad7695 there's an element of safety that comes with compressed water versus compressed air.
Fabulous video, but I can not believe that you ran the pressure test with the tanks right next to the pickup truck. I understand they had water in them, but still you were using a gas to pressurize them. One of the reasons the pro one might have failed first is if there was some leak in the box store version. Even though they were fed by the same pipe, resistance in the pipe might have resulted in a lower effective pressure in the box store tank, especially with all the distortion in the pipes you observed.
Yeah one swelled while the other cracked a weld. I would much rather a tank crack a weld than swell and burst.
I think you should have weighed the tanks at the end without any insulation on them. Just to give an example of the thickness of the metal or how many pounds of that difference was the actual tank/glass thickness. Overall great video. Lots of good information. Get the camera, man a gimbal.
Thanks for the tip
Very nice video
Thanks
Great video. It put to bed a lot of myths about what you get. The sad part is the DIYer who did one water heater in his life will tell you they are still the same. Just like the sales person at the box store. Keep making the videos but we know some folks will still deny the facts to hold to their errant opinion. A certain comedian hit it on the head when he said “you can’t fix stupid”
Very true!
Good comparison. I will say the difference in the steel cover could be that one is shorter than the other. Takes a longer piece to follow the water heater than the gentle curve of the box store one.
Yes. But they are indeed different.
Bought a GE 30 gal electric from Home Depot 20 years ago, and the thermostat just failed this week. I figure 20 years was great service and it's time to retire the entire unit. I can do the job in an hour, milking it. Sadly, Home Depot no longer carries GE, so I'm gonna go with the AO Smith from Lowes this time. I was worried about the quality, but your video just convinced me that it would do the job just fine. Nothing personal, and I know everybody's gotta eat, but a licensed plumber would want $1500+ to do that job for me. Great video, and I thank you, even if it probably had the opposite effect you were hoping for. $900 per hour is more than anyone "needs" to make.
Gotta do what you gotta do!
I usually charge pretty high, but $1,500 isn't bad for a 30 gal
@@joeyyc8515, Hey I get it...but I can do the work myself so paying anything seems silly to me. Others aren't as fortunate and for them, I would recommend a good plumber for many reasons. So glad I didn't toss the old GE after all that though.....turns out the circuit breaker had an intermittent failure and once I replaced it......nice hot water. 😁 Tank looks good enough to go another 10 years easy and now I have an extra thermo. It may outlive me 🤣
I've got a 20 year old GE WATER Heater that I bought from Home Depot in 2004. It's electric and is still working just fine without any problems. It was made by Rheem.
If you keep the anode in good enough shape to prevent too much corrosion, either by adding a powered anode or replacing the disposable one every few years, a tank can go almost indefinitely aside from an occasional cheap element or thermostat replacement. You could likely replace the thermostat yourself for under $100. I replaced one of the elements and the anode on my now 25 year old water heater last year and plan on replacing the drain valve next time I flush it.
But did you take the heater back to Lowe’s? Pulled it out of the box like that
I should have!
Excellent presentation. Thank you. Love these types of comparisons. That said, they both look like nice units. It is nice to see that if you spend more for the Pro-Grade unit that you do get some upgrades. The Box Store units can be much more affordable especially if you have a veterans discount at the Box Store not to mention the savings if you install it yourself. This reminds me of comparing Toyota and Lexus - are they both the same basic vehicle made by the same company - yes, absolutely. Are they both a quality product - yes, absolutely. Is the Lexus "nicer" with some enhanced features if you have the extra money to spend - yes. Will the Toyota work and be a quality product if that is what your budget allows - certainly. Does a serviceman selling and installing equipment always want to maximize the sale and reduce service calls over the lifetime of a project - certainly.
Great points!
I worked for plumbing wholesale distributors and residential water heaters were always sold below cost because huge rebates were a big part of of the game. It’s like the franchised auto/truck dealership showing you their “invoice” and claiming that they are losing money, but they are definitely making some money.
Yep!
Great video learned a lot my water heater should be replaced it is 50 gal. Electric. I will be purchasing a pro grade I live near Toledo ohio . Can you recommend a pro store in this area. Thanks again.
Look into Winnelson or Ferguson.
i have a 45 gallon Rheem electric. it came from a box store, Lowes or Home Depot.
the yellow energy sticker has the year of 1994 printed on it. im not sure but i think it was bought in 1995 or 1996. i've replaced bottom heating element twice, the top one 3 or 4 times.
i know its getting time to replace it as it has some signs of corrosion around where the upper element screws in.
i've not been looking forward to buying a new heater, but after watching you vid, when i do i'll get it from a supply house.
i guess pushing 30 years with only 5~6 elements its been a good heater. i hope the next one is at least 2/3 as good.
i use to flush it every couple of years, its probably been 10~12 years since the last flush. i never got much sediment out of it.
edit; i forgot to mention, i adjusted both of the thermostats, running only the hot in my bath tub the temp is at 145 after about 5 minutes.
They very well may have been the same heaters back then. Not today though.
Does the Pro Grade unit have a longer warranty?
They both carry a 1 year labor and 6 year parts warranty. But the box store unit will be lucky to make it to the end of the warranty period.
Is there a difference between the pro and store bought hybrid water heaters that utilize a heat pump?
We don't know for sure. I would assume so but they also aren't very popular so it's possible they are the same.
One test that wasn’t encompassed in this comparison is how quickly does the pro model heat and recover compared to the box store? IOW, if there were no service issues over say 6 - 10 years, would the pro model save on energy costs?
That would be very difficult to calculate. The energy guide stickers are about useless when it comes to that too. They are notorious for being wildly inaccurate.
Did both units have the same warranty on the tanks ?
They do. But one will be lucky to make it to the warranty period and the other will easily surpass it.
Mitch getting shocked deserves a like and subscribe for sure
Little booger caught me by surprise! Lol
My guess the hole on the burner is for condensation when you first start up a unit in the water is very cold
Yeah that's what somebody else suggested and it makes perfect sense
Sure, the pro grade should be better, but as long as your relief valve is working properly, it'll never see that kind of pressure. I also notice Lowe's sells different AO Smith 40 gal tanks with 6, 9, or 12 year warranties. I wonder if the 12 year Lowe's heater is the same as the pro grade.
Relief valves fail closed all the time. It's a very common issue we see. Also, the thinner metal shows wear and stress much sooner. That's why we see so many box store tanks fail within a few years.
Around 1990 the company I worked for asked Bradford White the difference between water heaters with different warranty lengths, their answer was the price difference represented the increased cost of the longer warranty. No difference in construction. This was done to answer a customer question.
Pro grade is simply advertising logo for the wholesale house.
The big box stores will typically have a good better and best option for those water heaters, which of those three did the AO Smith from The Big Box store fall under? Not saying that there isn't a difference just wondering if you got the middle option or the highest option from The Big Box store if the comparisons wouldn't have been more similar
We compared two 6-year warranty units. The box stores typically have 9 and 12 year warranty options but we wanted to compare the most similar units as possible.
Why are these tanks swelling at all? Shouldn’t the overpressure valve open long before that happens?
We capped it to see which tank was stronger. But in reality, they fail closed quite often.
One thing I hate about control unit on my big box store water heater is the flashing light produced and beeping sound produced while operating. Not everyone's water heater sits in a garage. Some sit in a closet in living space. So that sounds and light pollution is unwelcome. The control was produced by Raytheon. My water heater is a different brand. Still I wonder if the pro grade units behave the same way.
Yeah water heaters are becoming less silent. You can hear electric water heaters sizzle and heat pump water heaters are noisy too.
Thank You!
You're welcome!
Could not get a vent kit fm AO Smith for "their" heater I bought fm bigbox.
This is my shocked face 😮
I wanted to see the inside of the tank and see what the steel gauge was.
We talked about why we didn't do that towards the end.
Still wanted to see it. I wanted to see the internal build too. @SmedleyPlumbing
@@TractorWrangler01 gives us something to do in a future video!
There are differences as you have shown. With that said, I have a 32 year old water heater from Lowe's. Water quality and maintenance have more to do with long-term use.
You probably have lower water pressure as well.
It's just like tires. The same exact model at WM has less plys than at a tire shop. If you look close, long number for the model is different but the big text is the same.
Yep
Your experiment compared one example of each heater which is a very small sample size. Is it possible that the installed heater components could depend upon what was available on the day of manufacture? Would a manufacture or manufacture rep would be willing to provide any insight to the difference in the product lines? (Especially if they saw your video.) It would be informative to know any differences in order to make an informed purchase decision. The Energy Guide labels are designed to be comparable and list assumptions such as cost of gas on the label and list the therms used annually. Differences between the labels need to be explained and not glossed over.
I look forward to your comparison video where you navigate these topics as well as ones you haven't thought of yet.
What is the effeciancy rating on both units. If they are the same the. We would know the pro model is better
The efficiency ratings are listed as being different but the efficiency ratings are notorious for being wildly inaccurate and unreliable.
Will a plumbing supply store sell a prograde water heater to a homeowner/do it yourselfer? Are they only sold to plumbers?
Most will. Only a few only sell to plumbers.
How did it take so long for someone to finally come out with a clear and detailed comparison video?!? Thank you so much for taking the time and making the $ investment to review these products side by side. Fortunately I'm not in the market for a hot water heater, but now I see why pro grade is better. With that part settled... I'd be curious to see whats the difference between pro grade models. What makes a Bradford White so special?
The biggest thing that makes Bradford so special is they don't distribute through box stores. Only professional plumbing supply stores for Bradford.
You should do another video with the other brands to see if they follow the same strategy.
We might do one for Rheem units
14:22 those holes higher up on the dip tube are for preventing siphoning. otherwise there's the possibility of someone's water heater running dry unintentionally and that will pretty much ruin it as I'm sure you know
This is true
Thanks!
Thanks!
There are more than three companies that make tank hot water heaters.
GSW is a big name in Canada. Located in Fergus, Ontario.
Been in business for 150 years
Residential units?
GE and American Standard makes water heaters
@@JK-qe6qq Rheem makes both GE heaters and American Standard heaters.
Fun Video ! Try a Hydrostatic Pressure Test next time , I use that method to test tanks for leaks!! Its cheap and easy !
I'm listening....
Really enjoyed your video thanks for all of the good information . I like all the wonderful information on the comments about all of the differences.. that being said though I think the main thing that we have to look at and not go in the Weeds about is that when you pay more money you expect more for it and even though you pay more for it it isn't necessarily better. In general it used to be that the higher dollar item you bought it was a better product for more money. Today I would dispute that because it's not always the case and I think the buyer should be where and look around before they make any purchase and understand that the big box stores have to make money in some fashion and they make it by buying it in quantity and getting a contract for the cheapest possible one. When you're poor you got to buy the cheap one because that's all there's there that you can afford at best . Was very glad of you touching on the anode rod . I fit that exactly we just replaced a water heater and we are on a well and there must be some amount of sulfur and the magnesium rod in it is making the water stink like rotten eggs . And the same thing about it causing your warranty to be voided if you take the rod out so you're forced to live with the stinking water? That sucks as far as the Box Store is not letting people know about that. Thank you for everything
Yeah when you don't have the funds, you gotta do what you need to to make it happen. But when you have the funds, it's always better to go with the pro grade.
Energy guide are way different between the two Box store $227 and Pro $ 320. But box store saving you more money per year. Why?
The energy guide ratings are wildly inaccurate.
That energy guide is the government lying to you.
I really liked the video, just one thing that was nagging at me was the box store was the 100 model IE the bottom end unit, could you do the same but for the higher end units? IE the 300, 500, and 900? I'd like a video that doesn't just bring in the lowest end and compare it to a pro unit. If even the 500 and 900 still lack the better tank, diverter, control, safety and drain then ill be convinced.
The idea was to compare the same warranty tanks. 6-year versus 6-year. We would have gotten heat for giving the box door unit and competitive advantage by comparing their 9-year or 12-year tank to the 6-year pro grade tank.
@@SmedleyPlumbing thanks, that's a good reason to do so.
What's a good site to buy a water heater?
Shipping would bankrupt you. Just buy one from your local plumbing supplier.
The expansion tank is only really needed if the supply has a backflow preventer. If one is turning off the water supply, a faucet hot water valve can be opened to prevent positive or negative pressure in the water tank. Commercial properties are more likely to have a backflow preventer on the building supply, but irrigation water generally needs a backflow preventer valve. More jurisdictions are adding requirements for backflow preventers for residential properties, and they definitely need an expansion tank. But, not everyone needs one.
Code requires them on all applications now since the presence of a backflow preventer is more likely than not.
Does Lowe’s sell a prograde water heater
No. You'd need to go to a professional plumbing supply store.
What about air source hot water heat pump?! Also, what about Corro-Protec electric anode rod.
I like the heat pump water years in the right environment. The jury is still out on the powered anode rods. In theory they work, but I don't see units with a powered anode rod outlasting traditional units in the real world.
I can see there is no bias or media-type hype here? All in all, other than the Watts safety valve on the box store tank, which I trusted forever, and the brass ball flush valve and magnesium sacrificial rod on the pro tank which are musts for me, there is no difference in my eyes. I've seen the A.O. Smith manufacturing line at work. Is the brass ball valve and magnesium rod worth $150.00 more?
Is the massive weight difference of the tanks alone and the fact the box store tank swelled enough to pop the jacket that tells me more than anything.
Also, I noticed that the energy efficient is different from one heater to the other one was 300 and another one was 200. I noticed that right off the bat when you talk about the heaters.
Yeah those numbers are very inaccurate. They guess at your energy rates and your usage. We never trust those.
@@SmedleyPlumbing I thought those numbers were "normalized" ??? Otherwise, they would be useless? I agree with the OP that those look like subtly different water heaters! I would be curious to see a close-up of both stickers?
Didn’t get to watch closely and didn’t see the mythbusters episode, but if you use all air pressure things get a whole lot more exciting and dangerous with all air(gas). I assumed you used air to pressurize the water which is a ton safer. Also loved the video for what I did get to watch and hear(working) and seems super unbiased from my view.
That was the goal!
@@SmedleyPlumbing I was trying to cover all my bases, sometimes people beat up commenters pretty bad if something isn’t clear lol.
I have a Sears Kenmore Electric Water Heater with Roto-Swirl feature. Original Warranty was 9 years. I installed it 24 years ago and it is still in service. I have not had to replace a thermostat or an element. I really miss Sears!
24 year ago, the box store units very well may have been the same heaters. Not today though.
Are they the same serial number or model number heater ?
They are not
What was the purchase price for Joe consumer for each tank?
We talk about that within the first few minutes fnthe video.
@@SmedleyPlumbing don’t know how I missed it but I would pay extra for the better materials, good video thanks
Does someone have the model numbers for the heaters that he is comparing?
They are the off the shelf 6-year warranty 40 gallon gas heaters from Lowes and Winnelson.
The Rheem water heater i bought from home depot only lasted 4 years before it started leaking.
Very common unfortunately
Many things were same, the drain valve was a big difference, this is about $20 more. This test showed me that the metal of the body of the tank is where your 9 lbs. difference in weight was. However the top, bottom and tube seemed to be thinner, and were the same for both. I have been in a water heater manufacturing plant, everything uses automatic welding machines. I was surprised on how many tanks were pulled off with leaks and had to be hand welded and retested. Testing was with air and then using a water line to spot leaks. The leaks were usually at a weld seam, like where the failure was. I have a builder grade water heater in my home, it’s a State Select 50 gallon, natural gas, that was new with the tract home I had built in 2003, makes the water heater, 20 years old. The only thing that’s different in my water than most others is my water temperature setting, it’s making water about 120 degrees hot. Most people have their tanks set too hot, and this causes the heater to fail a lot sooner. When you’re taking a shower you don’t use hot water that’s 150 degrees, you only need it to be a little hotter than your body temperature of 98 degrees, say 102-3 degrees. The more people you have the higher the temperature needed. Washers today don’t use a lot of hot water, so it’s not needed there either.
PS: Info…..I live in a Chicago suburb, I do have Lake Michigan water (7.5 gains hardness). I was in this industry for 36 years and am currently retired. AO Smith bought State Stove, years ago.😅
Your builders grade is still better than the box store grade.
If you’re going to be increasing pressure that high I would strongly recommend wearing some sort of protective face/head gear.
I see my comment was Immediately deleted when I compared your proper methodical analysis to the liars in the medical pharma unscientific methodologies. Why is that? Algorithms of gUgal? Or channel producer?
It's not deleted. But safety third!