Can you buy your own water heater?

Can you buy your own water heater?

A: Of course you can, they are readily available at basically every hardware store.

But…..can I get it professionally installed?

A: Most plumbers around Longmont, CO say no, but I say yes. It isn’t my favorite way of doing it, but I am willing to give you numbers for installation without a heater attached to it.

Now should you?

There is debate in amongst plumbers to the answer “Are the water heaters you can buy cheaper at Home Depot or Lowes made with cheaper parts or are they the same exact thing and just mass produced for the savings?

A: I think it is a little of both. The hardware store water heaters do have some visible plastic parts where the plumbing supply house versions that I buy for my customers have brass. I’m thinking of the drain port here. But Home Depot and Lowes sell a LOT of water heaters, so certainly there is something to be said for mass production. I could buy my water heaters at Home Depot or Lowes too and pass that savings onto my customers, but I choose not to. Replacement parts on big box heaters are not stocked locally, and although it feels like the customer service at our local stores here is excellent, the warranties water heaters deal with are backed by the manufacturer and dealing with them via a big box store is tedious.

What about the 6, 9, 12 year warranty deals at the hardware store?

I always tell my customers to buy where they see value. I have never much been one for the added on insurance policies offered on just about everything, so I don’t get drawn to the 6, 9, 12 year water heaters. But if you do, then go for it. I don’t actually know if the 6, 9, and 12 year versions are different or if they are just built in insurance policies.

HOWEVER, I am happy to give you installation numbers for the parts that go around the heater and my labor and I will work with any brand of heater that you like.

Give me call at 970-389-2285 and we can chat about your needs.