Box store vs supply house water heaters

[GON]

Interesting video comparing big box store to supply house water heaters from same manufacturer.

Some comments from the video:

• there are essentially only three manufacturers of water heaters in the world, the names are just relabeled (AO Smith, Rheem, and I forgot the third already)
• the video producer is a professional plumber, he is not unbiased in wanting the supply house water heater to be better
• some of the differences are irrelevant, like a plastic or brass drain valve (both should be replaced by a real drain valve when installing a water heater)
• some differences are notable
• burners are almost identical, and difference may simply be what burner was installed in what date
• ten pound difference in weight between the two perceived identical units
• anode rods are different, supply house magnesium (better), box store aluminum (only better to address smelly hot water)
• tanks empty (all components removed) have a weight difference, supply house tank weighs nine pounds/ seven percent heavier
• during a pressure test, the supply house water heater withstood more pressure than the box store water heater before blowing up (both performed poorly in this test)
• video is worth watching just for an education in water heater builds (I concede those with ADHD won't be able to sit through the video)
• yes there are a difference in this example between box store and supply house water heater. Not sure this finding is universal, and I suspect many times the difference is primarily a label and a different marketing material in the outside shipping box

You may ask who buys a spare hot water heater? Especially since I live less than two miles from Lowes and Home Depot. My loss in confidence in dealing with plumbers has made me want to have the exact same water heater as a spare, that would require zero modifications to piping, exhaust, safety, etc-- as the currently installed water heater. Something a installer if I am working out of the US can't screw up. A recent trend I am seeing is service technicians for home repairs making things worse after they left, to include to different sprinkler repair technicians.

Supplementally- google/YouTube algorithms are beyond mind blowing, almost scary as they essentially read my mind. I have been looking to buy a spare AO Smith pro line 50 gallon natural gas water heater, in case my home unit failed. I have been studying the big box store exact model to see if they are the same. I only identified the drain valve and relief valve differences. I never told a sole or did a search on the difference, yet this video showed up on the top of my YouTube home page.

 

[grasscutter]

I don't need to watch the video. I already know big box water heaters are junk.

The best place to buy one is the appliance parts house.

 

[Hall]

I have been studying the big box store exact model to see if they are the same.

How have you been "studying" this ? If you typed anything related into a Google search box, that's how they know. If you have been browsing Lowes, Home Depot, water heater makers, etc websites, that's how they know too.

Interesting video comparing big box store to supply house water heaters

1) Can you or I walk into a plumbing supply house and buy anything ? Some industries, i.e. HVAC, usually only sell to actual contractors.
2) What is the price difference for the "same" units at Lowes vs a supply house ? They often don't want to deal with the general public, having to answer "how do I install this?", "what parts do I need?", and charge full MSRP to steer people away. If I could order what I want online and do a "will call" and the price is reasonable, I'd be happy to buy from a supply house. I can't justify paying $2000 for a water heater there - no matter how much "better" it might be - vs $600-800 at the big box stores.

 

[walterjay]

In my area you can walk into most supply houses and purchase a water heater for about the same money as big box.

Big box stores are wiling to sacrifice quality for profit. I know this because a manufacturer told me that they wanted his product and they wanted it at a price point. They told the manufacturer what they would pay. Do what you must to get it there but be "the same". Basically provide the warranty and leave us off the hook. By the way this was not a water heater manufacturer.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Plumbers love to say how much better the supply house is. They have no actual stats. So many variables. Ive seen big box WHs last 10+ years and supply house WHs fail well before that, also the opposite. Ive also seen copper Ts fail as well as last longer than Ive been alive. What does that mean?

Also, life hack. Get a $40 business license in your town if you want to be able to shop with the big dogs. They often never ask again so it's a 1 time fee. Just let it expire

 

[Nukeman7]

To be honest, the video surprised me with how many differences there were between the box store and supply house water heaters. Especially considering that the "pro" unit was only ~$120 more than the Lowe's unit. While my bottom end GE (Rheem) electric water from Home Depot is still going strong after 16 years, I will certainly explore a supply house grade water heater when the time comes for a replacement.

The only thing that disappointed me about the video is that only one sample of each water heater was examined. A sample of one is not statistically or scientifically valid; however, the differences were eye opening enough to be convincing.

 

[GON]

The only thing that disappointed me about the video is that only one sample of each water heater was examined. A sample of one is not statistically or scientifically valid; however, the differences were eye opening enough to be convincing.

Very good point. As the video producer has a desire to have supply house heater "rate better", there is no way to know if these two water heaters were "cherry picked", and the vast majority of box store and supply house water heaters are more similar.

 

[SC Maintenance]

How have you been "studying" this ? If you typed anything related into a Google search box, that's how they know. If you have been browsing Lowes, Home Depot, water heater makers, etc websites, that's how they know too.

1) Can you or I walk into a plumbing supply house and buy anything ? Some industries, i.e. HVAC, usually only sell to actual contractors.
2) What is the price difference for the "same" units at Lowes vs a supply house ? They often don't want to deal with the general public, having to answer "how do I install this?", "what parts do I need?", and charge full MSRP to steer people away. If I could order what I want online and do a "will call" and the price is reasonable, I'd be happy to buy from a supply house. I can't justify paying $2000 for a water heater there - no matter how much "better" it might be - vs $600-800 at the big box stores.

Likely depends on if you have any independants left. Johnstone and Fergusson do not sell to the public. I believe those are the two biggest now?

Honestly after now having a tankless gas hot water heater I don't think I could ever go back to a tank.

 

[gman2304]

My State brand 50 gallon natural gas water heater was installed in March of 2006. I purchased it at HD and it’s been doing great for almost 20 years.

 

[pghvolvo]

I don't know but I have a supply house Gas Rheem heater in my house with a 2009 build date and it's still going strong with zero issues. I did replace the anode rod around two years ago and I snake the tank for sediment every five years. A new tank would run me at least $1100-$1200. I'm hoping to possibly get another 8 years out of this one. You want something to last spend a couple bucks more and the professional unit.

 

[Nukeman7]

Likely depends on if you have any independants left. Johnstone and Fergusson do not sell to the public. I believe those are the two biggest now?

It might be location specific, but Ferguson Enterprises sells to the public and has a showroom in my area. Ironically, they just built a modern 32 acre corporate headquarter campus in 2018 that is now being demolished after being sold to construct a mega-Costco Warehouse Club. Half of Ferguson's HQ staff permanently transitioned to work-from-home during the pandemic so many of the buildings went unoccupied.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Likely depends on if you have any independants left. Johnstone and Fergusson do not sell to the public. I believe those are the two biggest now?

Honestly after now having a tankless gas hot water heater I don't think I could ever go back to a tank.

I mentioned it earlier. Buy a business license in your city if you really want the privilege of shopping at the supply houses. You could probably just give the city or school district name and pay cash. They really don't care

 

[gman2304]

I made a run to Ferguson a few weeks ago for a 45 degree fitting and 4 feet of pvc drain pipe. I’ve been buying from them for years and our local Ferguson doesn’t seem to mind who they sell to. YMMV

 

[AZjeff]

there is no way to know if these two water heaters were "cherry picked",

How would one cherry pick the "best" water heater in a box, in this case the worst box store example and best supply house example to get the result desired?

I watched this video a while ago. The pro grade tank failed the pressure test first BTW if you didn't watch the whole video but he makes excuses for it @ 55:00 and makes a wrong assumption the box store tank was going to explode. The supply house tank was definitely higher quality but as many have attested in this thread box store tanks do perform and last quite well.

 

[GON]

How would one cherry pick the "best" water heater in a box, in this case the worst box store example and best supply house example to get the result desired?

I watched this video a while ago. The pro grade tank failed the pressure test first BTW if you didn't watch the whole video but he makes excuses for it @ 55:00 and makes a wrong assumption the box store tank was going to explode. The supply house tank was definitely higher quality but as many have attested in this thread box store tanks do perform and last quite well.

I did watch the entire video, IIRC what I saw was both failed earlier than desirable, the box store failed first, the supply house failed a close second, but the way the supply house unit failed was a bigger risk to safety.

In the case of the video, the difference between the two water heaters was more than a label. There may in fact be other examples where the label may be the only measurable difference. If he had gone with units only having a label as the difference, he would not have achieved the perceived desired outcome of buying from a plumber provides a better water heater than buying from a box store.

On a MACRO level, one always has to ask, "is the mission of the video to influence, or to inform".

 

[User_19876]

My State brand 50 gallon natural gas water heater was installed in March of 2006. I purchased it at HD and it’s been doing great for almost 20 years.

Our State just failed. Manufactured 05/2004, installed 01/2006. We replaced it with an American Water Heaters unit labeled Johnson City/AO Smith. It was $1850 at the supply house. A comparable Lowe’s unit would’ve been about $1500. We’ll see if it is worth the extra money.

 

[loneryder]

It might be location specific, but Ferguson Enterprises sells to the public and has a showroom in my area. Ironically, they just built a modern 32 acre corporate headquarter campus in 2018 that is now being demolished after being sold to construct a mega-Costco Warehouse Club. Half of Ferguson's HQ staff permanently transitioned to work-from-home during the pandemic so many of the buildings went unoccupied.

Where in Va.?

 

[loneryder]

I was always told that the difference in pricing was for better warranties. If you go in a big box store, they will have 3 different “quality “ heaters. The only difference in them is price and warranty.

 

[Lubener]

I don't buy into any of this. HWT manufacturers likely do not have multiple assembly lines for the actual internal tank manufacturing, one for box stores and one for pro plumbing parts stores. The tanks are the same but the only notable differences between good-better and best HWT's are $$$, different labeling, warranty, amount of insulation, type of anode rod and the number of anode rods within the tanks.

 

[User_19876]

I was always told that the difference in pricing was for better warranties. If you go in a big box store, they will have 3 different “quality “ heaters. The only difference in them is price and warranty.

I only got a six year warranty on my "pro" unit. That's the longest available. They had twelve year units at Lowe's. Two different plumbers told me to get the unit from the supply house. I have no idea whether I made the right decision or not. Time will tell.