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Started By
Message
In the market for a water heater
Posted on 6/30/26 at 10:53 am
Posted on 6/30/26 at 10:53 am
So my WH is 20 years old, rusty as shite, can barely hold on for 2 showers in a row and now there’s water forming at the bottom of my pan.
I have no desire to fight with it or sink any money into it. I’m just going to pony up and get a new water heater.
Lowe’s has a bunch of AO smith water heaters that are in my price range. My only questions are am I making a mistake buying this brand? And is there any difference worth paying for between the 100 series and the 300/500 series. The 100 seems super basic. The 300/500 get WiFi connectivity and have additional warranties and seem to be more efficient?
If this is a shite brand id like some recommendations elsewhere please! Otherwise just trying to hone in on a specific model to have delivered.
I have no desire to fight with it or sink any money into it. I’m just going to pony up and get a new water heater.
Lowe’s has a bunch of AO smith water heaters that are in my price range. My only questions are am I making a mistake buying this brand? And is there any difference worth paying for between the 100 series and the 300/500 series. The 100 seems super basic. The 300/500 get WiFi connectivity and have additional warranties and seem to be more efficient?
If this is a shite brand id like some recommendations elsewhere please! Otherwise just trying to hone in on a specific model to have delivered.
8
Posted on 6/30/26 at 11:12 am to jlovel7
quote:no idea on the brand but I can promise you that you don’t want or need that
The 300/500 get WiFi connectivity
Posted on 6/30/26 at 11:20 am to cgrand
Not that I was looking for a wifi enabled one, but I did think its pretty neat to be able to put it in "vacation mode" to reduce the heat and then be able to turn it back into normal mode from your phone before coming home. Mine also have some various modes for different energy efficiencies. Also some of them have leak detectors etc.
But yes in general I wouldn't pay extra just for a wifi version. It's not like you need to change the temp of the water heater all the time
But yes in general I wouldn't pay extra just for a wifi version. It's not like you need to change the temp of the water heater all the time
Posted on 6/30/26 at 11:33 am to jlovel7
Home depot rheems are better than Lowe's aosmiths. Bradford white is probably my favorite
Posted on 6/30/26 at 12:34 pm to CartmansMom
quote:
Bradford white is probably my favorite
These, from a local plumbing/mechanical supply shop, are far better than what HD and Lowe's sells off the shelf. A Rheem Professional Classic from a supply shop will be better than the nearly identical model that Home Depot sells, minor differences but still in the places you would rather have solid metal than plastic anyway. That said, the last four water heaters I've replaced in the last several years have been box store units and I put basic Bradford Whites in their place with zero issues. Like AC units, the care and quality of the installation is a huge factor, everything level, secure, to code, and triple-checked.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 12:51 pm to Clames
That use to be the case for rheem but I was told by a rheem supply house they now exactly the same as what home Depot has. A lot of rheem suppliers are up in arms about this because of the price difference.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 1:34 pm to Puffoluffagus
quote:
Not that I was looking for a wifi enabled one, but I did think its pretty neat to be able to put it in "vacation mode" to reduce the heat and then be able to turn it back into normal mode from your phone before coming home. Mine also have some various modes for different energy efficiencies. Also some of them have leak detectors etc. But yes in general I wouldn't pay extra just for a wifi version. It's not like you need to change the temp of the water heater all the time
Should not have even mentioned WiFi probably. But like you I did notice all of the features above listed and were curious if they’re worth it. I think if I can set it to heat less water or whatever on vacation and it’s more efficient overtime even without that, I would spend more money on a better model. + the extra warranty.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:33 pm to jlovel7
Electric or gas?
I've installed 2 Bradford Whites in the last couple of years after the old ones started leaking.
The old ones were AO Smith and they been going strong since 2009. Still have one left up there running.
Both Bradford's my son got me a very, very good deal on. One of his close friends family owns a plumbing supply.
I've installed 2 Bradford Whites in the last couple of years after the old ones started leaking.
The old ones were AO Smith and they been going strong since 2009. Still have one left up there running.
Both Bradford's my son got me a very, very good deal on. One of his close friends family owns a plumbing supply.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:38 pm to jlovel7
you mean a Hot water heater?
Posted on 6/30/26 at 2:47 pm to jlovel7
Get a regular (no wifi extras) AO or Rheem. Change the plastic drain valve at the bottom to brass before you install and your set. 100yrs worth of plumbers in my immediate family for reference.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 3:21 pm to jlovel7
Just replaced my AO Smiths after 20 years with 2 new AO Smith 100 Signature 40g from Lowes. No difference between AOS and Rheem from HD.
Posted on 6/30/26 at 6:38 pm to jlovel7
I have an AO Smith that is 22 years old. We built the house and that is what the plumbing contractor used. I had to replace an element a few months ago, but it still works good. That is just my experience.
Posted on 7/1/26 at 1:45 pm to bbvdd
quote:
Electric or gas? I've installed 2 Bradford Whites in the last couple of years after the old ones started leaking. The old ones were AO Smith and they been going strong since 2009. Still have one left up there running. Both Bradford's my son got me a very, very good deal on. One of his close friends family owns a plumbing supply.
Electric. I just went ahead and ordered the AO smith 500 series with leak prevention and water shutoff from Lowe’s. I’m going to replace the drain valve with a brass one. Upgrading from 4500 to 5500 kWh (yes it is already on a 30 amp breaker).
I found a Bradford white at a local supply store that clearly is well built and simple but I wanted the higher kWh and the vacation mode as well as leak detection and shutoff. There’s also a 12 year warranty. Hopefully I don’t regret that. All in all about $1200 for the unit and fittings shipped and taxed.
I’ll be installing it tonight so wish me luck!
Posted on 7/1/26 at 2:27 pm to SETH6180
quote:
Change the plastic drain valve at the bottom to brass before you install and your set.
Great advice. I had a plastic piece of shite valve pop off. Luckily I was home, heard it happen and shut off the water quickly. Had a geyser spraying in my attic, would have been a disaster if I wasn’t home.
Posted on 7/1/26 at 3:32 pm to Grifola
Yep, I've seen it. I've often seen them stop opening all together or break off when you try and open them to drain. Good move to change it right away.
Posted on 7/1/26 at 3:47 pm to SETH6180
quote:
Yep, I've seen it. I've often seen them stop opening all together or break off when you try and open them to drain. Good move to change it right away.
Is it a very typical piece or are they model specific?
Posted on 7/2/26 at 4:09 am to jlovel7
Very typical, 3/4”NPT. Get a quarter turn brass valve with male thread that you’d see on an out door garden hose set up and your golden.
Posted on 7/2/26 at 9:42 am to jlovel7
This reminds me that I need to flush mine
Posted on 7/2/26 at 10:03 am to SETH6180
Awesome sounds good. The brass fitting won’t be here until the weekend and the water heater got here yesterday. I couldn’t wait so I installed the water heater and it appears to be running great. The app seems to be working too which was the biggest complaint for this model.
It says to drain it in 6 months and then yearly after that so I will just install the brass drain at that 6 month drain. I’m sure the plastic will hold well enough until then.
Took my first hot shower with it and so far so good! Shark bit fittings are a life saver to make it easier to work with existing copper. I had just enough pipe before the next fitting to make a sharkbite work. I may rework the piping a bit as it had to bend the flex fittings to their absolute max to get it to fit in my space.
Hopefully now my wife and I can take back to back showers without one going cold
It says to drain it in 6 months and then yearly after that so I will just install the brass drain at that 6 month drain. I’m sure the plastic will hold well enough until then.
Took my first hot shower with it and so far so good! Shark bit fittings are a life saver to make it easier to work with existing copper. I had just enough pipe before the next fitting to make a sharkbite work. I may rework the piping a bit as it had to bend the flex fittings to their absolute max to get it to fit in my space.
Hopefully now my wife and I can take back to back showers without one going cold
Posted on 7/2/26 at 10:19 am to jlovel7
I'm sure your plastic one will be fine for a while. I have a fairly old GE with a plastic valve and it works fine. I think it's 15-20 years old.
This post was edited on 7/2/26 at 10:20 am
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