Hot Water Tanks
Updated July 7, 2019
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As of the above date, Alba Plumbing is recommending either Rheem or John Wood for natural gas hot water tanks. Bradford White was our recommended tank for many years but lately they have had so many issues that we strongly recommend going with another brand.
Bradford White tanks are having a lot of issues with gas valves and the actual tank itself leaking. The biggest issue with Bradford White is that they have not been honouring their warranty. Alba Plumbing's main supplier has actually stopped selling Bradford White products because of warranty issues
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Buying a Hot Water Tank
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You can buy a hot water tank at the big box stores for sometimes hundreds of dollars less than you could through a plumber. In the end it's your decision but it's a really bad idea. Box store tanks are cheap for a reason. Brand's like "Best" which is sold at Rona are using components (gas valve) from the early 2000's!! You would never buy a 15-20 year old fridge, TV or microwave and this is no different.
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Aside from being poor quality tanks the main reason why you wan't your plumber to provide the tank is Warranty. If your tank prematurly kicks the bucket and you need your tank repaired or replaced under warranty you are gonna be out of luck if you went with a cheap tank. You could end up being without hot water for days while you try and deal with the warranty yourself. If you buy a tank though a plumber your tank's getting replaced that day. The supplier deals with the warranty and all the plumber does is pick up a new tank.
