Are There Differences in Water Heaters that Plumbers Install vs. Big Box Stores?

Yes. The water heater brands sold by the largest home improvement stores are not made in the same factories as their professional plumber-grade counterparts. Licensed plumbers do NOT purchase these water heaters primarily due to quality concerns, warranty-related issues, and of course price.

Below are some of the major differences between retail and professional-grade water heaters.

• Tank Manufacturing Process: There are significant quality differences in the tank wall-lining process of retail water heaters. The wall lining helps shield the inside of the metal tank from the negative effects of water, which is an important longevity consideration. The overall quality of components is lower as well, including the self-sacrificing anode rod(s). Like the lining, anode rods are in place to help prolong the life of the tank and differentiate the various models.
• Plastic vs. Brass Drain Spouts: The most obvious visible difference is the plastic threaded drain spouts that are found on the home improvement big box retail water heaters. These odd plastic contraptions are poorly designed and often leak. In professional-grade brands and models, the drain spouts are constructed of solid brass.
• Gas Control Valves: A faulty gas control valve replacement is the most expensive repair that can be done on any tank water heater. On retail water heaters, these valves have a poor history and an unusually high failure rate in comparison to any of the brands offered by plumbing wholesalers to professional plumbers.
• Repair Part Availability: Repair parts for retail store water heater models are not stocked or sold by any of the plumbing wholesale suppliers. That means once a problem is diagnosed, the repair part must be shipped in—leaving you without hot water for another 2-3 days. A pro-grade water heater can be repaired the same day or, worst case, the next day if the part is not already stocked on the truck like they are in the “warehouse on wheels” Earl’s Plumbing trucks.
• Warranty Issues: If a retail water heater develops a leak under warranty, the process of securing a replacement is extremely difficult and frustrating. In contrast, in the very rare event that one of our water heaters develops a leak under warranty, we have that heater already on our truck or in our shop. We just pop the new one in and manage the paperwork through our supplier—no standing in line at the customer service counter, no phone calls to the manufacturer, and no authorization required!