Home Depot return policy

That would be nice, but it appears they are replacing what was defective and if you read most any warranty, that is the best you can hope for.

I have to say something. After reading all these helpful responses, I hope that the next time I have a failed item that it fails in the warranty period and the store is so happy and cooperative to just give my money back, After 5 years there probably is no direct replacement. I think you should take the store manager out for a nice steak dinner.

No, it was serious. It was within warranty.

Warranty: : "a usually written guarantee of the integrity of a product and of the maker's responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts"

Now, yes, I am aware that lawyers have been nibbling away at bits of this for quite a while through ever more complex fine print. But there reaches a point where the implied promise becomes a joke. And, at that point, sellers should not be describing their worthless bit of drivel as a "warranty". Let them invent some new marketing speak to describe the thing -- "non-binding customer assurance certificate" sounds pretty darn good to me ;-)

Just for the record, the last sentence here is, I'm certain, wrong: "If the tank leaks or fails with any ?Old Design? gas water heater and it still has a tank warranty, then the homeowner can replace the the water heater replaced under warranty. The homeowner will have to pay for installation and an upgrade charge for the ?New Design? water heater. The good new in this scenario is that with the upgrade charge, the the water heater?s warranty will extend another six (6) years."

He doens't mean *another* 6 years. He means 6 years from the time of installation, which is definitely less than 6 years from the first installation or it woudln't be covered by the guarantee at all, maybe as little as one month afterwards. So it's not 6 years and another 6 years but 6 years and whatever it gets extended to.

I'd expect one of two things to happen. A new unit, or my money back. Replacement price aside, you did get six years of use of a water heater for free. Since you went back to HD, you took what they offered but I wonder if you went directly to the manufacturer if things would be different.

Natural gas, 29 galons.

I know that many of us who frequent here do or should know where your are but............

What jurisdiction do you live in?

What are the warranty requirements there?

What does your local/state/province/ federal law say about warranties?

Inquiring minds want to know.