Water Heater: Is self-cleaning ok? Install cost?

The better models at Home Depot (GE) and Lowes (Whirlpool) are "self-cleaning". Is that worth getting or is it sort of a gimmick?

Also, Lowes quoted $285 for installation with a $300 water heater. Home Depot had a sign saying that installation would be $625. Say what?

So I called HD to find out why the much higher install cost. After going over the particulars, I was quoted $845 for a 50 gal or $792 for a 40. I really only need 40 although I have a 50 now.

I don't know what Lowes will actually cost for the real install of course, but I'll grill them later.

I do realize that it would be cheaper to use a private plumber, and I called my plumber first. But getting him to come over is always tough. He might be here tonight but clearly is not going to make it. This can't really wait very long.

The advantage to HD or Lowes is that they both say that if I order before noon, it gets installed that day.

HD did say that the water heater was guaranteed for as long as I live in the home. Parts or replacement and labor. Nice, but I probably won't still be here in 15 years.

Oh, neither quote includes the permit needed here in NYC and I have no idea how much that is.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Reply to
dgk
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I priced water heaters a few years back through various sources, and my heating contractor turned out to have the best deal. I know it sounds absolutely insane that this could be the case, but you might want to expand your universe beyond the two stores you mentioned.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Thanks Joe. Especially since I just read the reviews on the Whirlpool Flame Guard. I have never read such bad reviews on a product in my life. No kidding. It must have a thermocouple made of plastic. One fails after another. And they claim that the 12 year warranty includes replacing a part once? After it fails every few months? It CAN'T be that bad, can it?

No, no, not for me. I realize that mostly the folks that write in are the ones that have something to complain about, but reading one review after another is too much for me.

I'll call the plumber again tomorrow. For now, the cold water intake is shut (as I mentioned in another post). If I have to, I shower at the gym. I might as well get something out of my membership (besides a staph infection - another good reason not to go to the gym). If he can't get it done, I pick one out of the phone book. That's how I got him in the first place.

Reply to
dgk

NYC? The only self cleaning needed, as far as I know, is in areas where there is limestone dissolved in the hard water.

I heard that NYC has one of the best fresh water system in USA. Almost no Limestone (which is why acid rain is so damaging to the NYC water collection basin upstate.) Gimmick? Not in many Mid West cities where water is hard and loaded with minerals. Pittsburgh is one example where it would be useful.

Seriously, Licensed plumber for NYC, or inside any major city.

Phil

Reply to
Phil-In-Mich.

It's true. People who slam it have never seen the reservoirs, which are gorgeous and quite well protected.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

True to a point. Now it seems that development upstate is going to require us to build a billion dollar filtration plant.

Reply to
dgk

Why would that be insane?

Do you think everyone has become that clueless that because big box stores have enough money to create the illusion that they are less expensive and experts on everything that it is true?

Reply to
George

And all you need to do is taste it to confirm how good it really is unless you happen to believe water can only come out of a designer bottle.

Reply to
George

I was being sarcastic, George. The OP mentioned only the two big box stores for buying the heater itself. It's as if some people never wonder where water heaters were purchased before those stores existed.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I am only a few hours from NYC and we used to have a similar water system with pristine protected reservoirs and great tasting water. Eventually the big money developers got their envelopes to the right places and they started developing the land around the reservoirs. One of the sheeny developers overflowed their sewage treatment plant by connecting more than double the homes it was designed for which led to a giardia outbreak which was officially caused by "beavers". Then they had to build mega expensive filtration plants and now we have the most expensive water in the US.

Reply to
George

I understand the sarcasm and that was what I was doing too. It seems most people think that big box is the be all/do all/end all for everything because of the mindshare they were able to purchase by constantly telling everyone that they are "experts" etc.

Reply to
George

well my experience has been the big box thanks to their buying power tend to cost less, but everyone should check prices as needed

Reply to
hallerb

The buying power thing is only theoretical for some product categories. Major appliances are an example. Back in the early 1980s, a couple of large buying groups formed to serve small independent appliance dealers, who can now access wholesale pricing that's as sharp as what HD, Sears & Lowe's get.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

The filtration plant is only for the small Croton part of the system (East of Hudson River) in Westchester county where development has been out of control. The much larger Catskill/Delaware part of the system (West of Hudson) just got another 10 year exemption from the nationwide filtration requirement for surface water. Still, as pointed out the required plant, is costing billions.

Reply to
Marilyn & Bob

Out of curiosity, is there a reason you wouldn't install it yourself? I assume you mean an electric unit - I have done a couple, and with a borrowed handcart to move things around, the process mainly consists of removing electrical and water connectors and re-attaching them to the new tank. The first one I did required the wiring and plumbing, which was more demanding. Replacing them is pretty easy with common household tools.

Perhaps the disposal of the old tank is an issue - can't do curbside recycle or such? It just sounds like a lot of money for installing a simple device.

Also, I am wondering why NYC would require a permit for changing a household applicance? Never heard of such a thing before.

Reply to
Mamba

I read of a taste study of "bottled waters" once. NYC water was one of the highest rated.

Bob

Reply to
Bob F

Time for a laugh - watch how Penn & Teller harpoon the bottled water industry.

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During the last two minutes, they're selling overpriced bottled water to restaurant patrons with unbelievable bullshit stories. The patrons say they taste interesting differences. Meanwhile, another guy is outside the restaurant filling the bottles from the same garden hose. Hilarious.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

But big box stores also have big expenses. They spend millions on advertising each week to tell us how great they are. Then home depot paid their ex leader $245 *million* as compensation for the last five years he worked there.

Smaller local shops have buying co-ops to get good pricing.

If you buy from the home depot they box up the money and send it to Atlanta while paying their associates (your neighbors and maybe friends) crappy wages and rewarding their top people with mega salaries.

I know the guy who owns one of our local appliance shops. He is active in the community and gives back to it. He also pays his employees wages they can live on and still has good pricing.

Reply to
George

There is a spring fed water reservoir near here that became polluted and was taken out of service. There is a nearby bottling plant that judging buy the dozens of Walmart trucks that are always there seems to bottle exclusively for Walmart. Each day there are tankers that shuttle back and forth bringing water from the polluted spring fed lake to the bottling plant. Presumably this is so they can print "spring fed water" on the labels.

Reply to
George

Natural gas. Since I've never worked with gas connectors before, there is a certain fear of blowing myself and family and neigbhors into the next world. It really seems quite simple but obviously won't be. Still, it looks like I might try it. I just got a quote from a reputable plumber of $975 for the heater and installation. Say what? One cold water pipe, one hot water pipe, and one gas pipe.

The old one can be left on the curb. The permit is only needed if a contractor is doing the work, a homeowner can do it without.

Reply to
dgk

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