GE Water Heaters

We are tenants and our landlord installed a 2004 GE SmartWater water heater (40 gal. gas) shortly before we started renting. The night before Thanksgiving we heard a loud pop and noticed a smell coming out of the water heater. Eventually, through a service call, we discovered that the combustion shutoff assembly has a glass bulb that pops when it overheats. GE requires that you call them for replacement parts, so we did and they said they'd send a complimentary replacement. They sent it to California accidentally and we were without water about a week. Now, just 6 weeks later, the same exact thing again--and we had had the plumber thoroughly clean the unit to ensure everything was ventilating properly and heat wasn't building up. So it wasn't that.

This time GE said that "due to government regulations", which they couldn't specify over the phone, they couldn't send out a second unit. I said, "Tou mean for free?" and they said, "No, we can't send one out at all." They said, more or less, that we or the plumber must be doing something wrong and that we would have to get a new water heater--at our own expense. This seems ridiculous to me, and the most affordable options in my area are Kenmore or A.O. Smith--and those both seem to get plenty of complaints too. I'm glad I don't own a home yet.

On Friday, December 30, 2011, I went to take a shower, and there was no hot water. My water heater was installed on 9/11/2008. It is just a little over 3 years old, with a 6 year warranty. I have a timer on the water heater, so I went to check the timer. It was off, so I manually turned it on, and waited 15-20 minutes. Still there was no hot water. I called the 800 number for GE, and the customer service rep had me checking the water heater, to see if it was getting power. Then she had me check the ohms on the upper heating element, and told me the element was bad, and that she would send me a new one overnight, on Saturday.

She never had me check the lower element. I received the part, and replaced it myself. When I got home from my family on 1/1/2012, there was still no hot water. I read something online about the reset button, so I pressed the reset button, and that seemed to work. I thought everything was okay. Well, this morning, 1/5/2012, only 4 days later, there was no hot water! I am really ** off! I have a product with a 6 year warranty, that barely works properly after 3 years. My old water heater worked for 17 years without problems. They don't make them like they used to. They make **!

We bought a GE electric water heater 2 years ago (Model PE50T09AAH, serial # GE 0809B35492). We found it was leaky just before the New Year's Day of 2012. We called GE and they said they would send us a part for replacement. First of all, we have not received the part yet (almost 4 days) and we have had no hot water for 4 days in this cold winter. I can't believe GE made such a poor quality product and had no responsibility for its customers. I have to say we are not going to buy any GE products in the future.

We have a GE water heater that is only three years old. On November 16, 2011, after having no hot water, we were told that the thermocoupler was bad. GE sent us a new part that we had to pay to have installed. It is now December 28, just barely a month later and again, no hot water. When we call the 800# and ask for a supervisor, we get a run around "oh you'll be on hold for a long time" on and on. They offer no reasonable explanations and act as though we should know how to take the unit apart and fix it while they "walk us through it". After reading this blog, this screams class action lawsuit! I cannot believe the inferior quality of the unit and the pathetic customer service. I will never purchase anymore GE products whatsoever. I have never been so livid with a company.

My water heater stopped working sometime Wednesday night 12/21/12. The plumbers that I spoke with told me that I needed a new burner assembly; this is a common defect in this model water heater. The water heater is less than 2 years old and under warranty. They would not send me the part until a plumber came out to troubleshoot and then called GE to order the part. I could not get anyone until sometime later today, too late to order the part. The soonest I can get the bad part is Saturday. Because of the holiday, four nights of my family's Hanukkah celebration is ruined. The service provider is closed on Saturday and the earliest that I will have hot water again is Monday 12/26. GE would not provide any other more timely solution.

The Drain plug blew out the side of tank, flooding bedrooms, bathroom and the hallway and causing damage to ceilings, light fixtures, carpeting and hardwood floor. I bought it from Home Depot two weeks prior and it was installed by their installation people. When it busted, we called Home Depot and they said they would submit a claim. Home Depot claims department called today and says we don't have a claim against them as it is a manufacture problem not theirs. They said we need to contact GE to put in the claim with them.

The heater has been a piece of crap from day one with knobs falling off. The heater is not giving hot water for hours and then the water would be very hot. We complained to Home Depot about the second day we had it and they talked to the plumbers who said we needed a bigger unit. So we have been waiting to get the bigger one, which won't be available until December 14. Meanwhile, we get an explosion of water running down from our ceiling!

We will pursue this with GE as instructed by Home Depot, but I'm sure we will have a fight on our hands. Meanwhile, we can't go without a hot water tank as well as having soggy carpets and hardwood popping up. So we will have to call our homeowners insurance and get these things taken care of. What are we supposed to do? This is unreal!

My water heater was built on 5/2011. Recently, the water heater seemed like it would run out of hot water quickly. I checked reset switch and sure enough, it had tripped. Later that night, we used the faucet and the hot water came out with a blast almost like steam then after a few seconds it was normal. Tonight, November 27, again no hot water, and reset was tripped again. This time I checked for continuity and voltage, and all checked out good. After hitting reset, upper heating element came on but when the lower element came on, it started making a loud popping noise, then came smoke and water from the wire terminals on the heating element. After shutting off power and water supply, I drained the tank and removed heating element and found outer casing had ruptured.

Buy a Bradford Smith water heater. I have a BS Propane which was in this new home I purchased over 10 years ago and it is still working perfectly, no problems at all. Yes, it may cost a little more, but theres on issues, you get hot water all the time. Never buy Hotpoint or GE, they're all hunk of junk.

We remodeled our home in January 2011, and installed a 65-gallon electric water heater. Within 6 months, we replaced the heating element, then it went out again. GE wouldn't service our area and I went to Home Depot who gave us another one kindly, and dealt with GE for us. But now, it is November 2011, and the water heater is not functioning yet again! I don't understand why GE hasn't been put under a class-action law suit after reading all these posts concerning the problems.

I bought a 12 year GE SmartWater water heater, model number SG50T12AVH00 and serial number GELN207543141, that was manufactured less than 4 years ago. Two weeks ago, I noticed rust around the bottom seam. On Tuesday morning, the drip pan was full. We can assume that water had flowed out of the outlet already. I dried it all up with a shop vacuum and rags. Two days later, the pan was half full. The person I called said that before they would do anything, I would have to do a 'leak test' which was basically what I had already done by having to vacuum out the water.

When I complained, he stated that hot water heaters have condensation and leak naturally all the time (Do they just think that women are stupid or do they tell this to everyone?). Never have I had one do that. So, I asked if there is only a cup of water after the 2 hour test. Yes, that would be the natural leak and condensation. How about a lawsuit? GE can pay for my hot water heater from a competitor.

I purchased a GE water heater in 2009. In April of 2011, it quit working. I contacted Home Depot which is where we purchased it, and they referred us to the GE Rheem customer service. They sent the part and we paid to have it put in. It is now October of 2011, and something else has gone out. I contacted customer service again. They sent out a different part. After having it installed, there's still no hot water, and at this point we have gone without for three days. When we called again, they were instructing us to do something else on the unit, and sending another part. My husband then asked to speak to supervisor. He was put on hold, then the same rep came on the line and said now, they would replace the whole water heater, but we would have to return it to Home Depot, and of course pay to have it put in. What a piece of crap these water heaters are!

After researching comments about these units, I am wondering if it would be better to buy another brand and have it installed. If I get the same piece of junk, I will probably be in the same boat with all the parts going out soon! I can't believe that GE would put out such a bad product. The part we received was made in Mexico....hmm! It's part of the reason, I am sure. So that being said, I am heading for my video camera and will be placing a video on YouTube to try and warn other consumers of this situation. Someone needs to hold these companies responsible. I believe I have a lemon and should be provided a new unit and a service person to install it. I will not be buying GE again, nor will I purchase at Home Depot again. Signed, Disappointed, Disgusted and Dirty.

This is an update on my complaint earlier on our defective GE hot water heater we bought today and GE told us we would have to wait until Monday to have it fixed. My husband then went to Home Depot, where we had bought it this morning and talked with the head manager, Shawn, and he sent us a new one within minutes. They took the other one and placed the new one. My husband hooked it up and it is working. He spent his whole day off waiting for resolution and after having a plumber at our home, and trying to get it done through GE, the Home Depot made it right! Way to go Home Depot!

Very sad day. I bought new water heater today (Friday, Sept. 30, 2011) at Home Depot and my husband, who had replaced many hot water heater in his day, could not get the water heater to light. I called a plumber who came out and said the part on water heater is defective, which we had suspected. I called GE who said they would not pay the plumber we called and that we would have to wait until Monday when they send their representative out. No hot water for four days? And we have out of town company. Bad, bad business practice. This plumber we called has been sent to residences by GE in the past! Sticker on hot water heater says to not take the water heater back to Home Depot.

I bought a GE water heater at the end of 2010. I installed it myself and it took me a week to light the pilot. I wanted to return it, but I figured perhaps it was just me. I had GE customer support trying to help me light it over the phone and it finally lit up.

Well, just under a year, my water heater no longer heats the water (no pilot light). I tried to start it up again with the piezo electric starter until my fingers turned raw (yes, it really did turn raw) and I walked away not being able to light it.

I asked Home Depot about warranty and they said I can return it but only for another GE water heater.

This is the worst water heater I've ever had and I do property management on almost half a dozen properties, so that's saying a lot about the Quality of GE water heaters. Do not buy a GE water heater.

I bought the GE 50 Gallon high efficiency water heater (made by Rheem) at Home Depot. It came with a 12 year warranty. Since my builder model lasted 8 years, I decided that, with this sort of "Quality", I wouldn't need the Home Depot full replacement warranty. This was not the case as the unit failed (tank leaked) in 4 years. It had very poor quality in my view. The warranty covered replacing the water heater but not the removal/reinstall which runs about the same as the water heater cost and much higher then the initial installation charge - by twice.

I bought a GE water heater in November 2010 from Home Depot. It included a one year parts and labor warranty and an extended warranty of parts only for 6 years. After 7 months, my water heater goes out.

I called Home Depot who referred me to the GE warranty department. GE states that they will reimburse up to $250 to replace it, but it must be an authorized plumber. When I asked who is authorized to do the work, they referred me back to Home Depot. I again called Home Depot who referred me to an 800-number. I called that number and got a phone number to a Home Depot contracted plumber who gave me a bid of $550 which would mean that I would have to pay and extra $300 out-of-pocket for a water heater that should have never gone bad. I called Home Depot to speak to the manager. The manage refused to take my calls or help me out. I feel that I was swindled

I have bought a brand new GE water heater to replace my 10 year old EWH because the tank rusted out and leaked. The first one I installed lasted for about 2 weeks. I took it back to Home Depot and was replaced by another GE EWH and now just broke again after another 2 weeks. The problem is the Home Depot only carries GE EWH I have never had good experiences with GE appliances

I purchased a "GE High-Efficiency Washer on 11/23/10 (it is still under warranty) My complaint is that it does not wash the clothes clean. They don't look clean and they don't small clean. The water level does not change there is only a small amount of water no matter what size the load of clothes you put into the washer. There is not enough water to allow the clothes to swish around in the washer to get them clean. According to the quick reference guide that came with the washer, it should have 3 water levels; a small load, large load and super load. It has a diagram that shows how high the water level will be to the short agitator. But like I stated before the water level does not change. I called the company with this complaint. I spoke with (Anna, a consumer rep. for GE.

She told me that the only thing she could do was to offer me another washer with a discount. I would pay $399.00 and she would have someone to come and remove the one I have. I declined her offer. I called back and made an appointment for a repair man to come out to see if there was something wrong with the washer that could be fixed even if he could adjust the water level. One 6/8/11 the repair man came to check out the washer. He look at it and told me that this washer only has the one water level. I went and got my guick reference guide and showed it to him. He said "I don't know why they keep giving those things out it does not go with this model". I said well that is false advertising. Because I am expecting the same results that I see on the paper work that came with the model.

Debora.

We are a property management firm. Every GE gas hot water tank that we have had installed since 2006 has been nothing but problems with their flame smart guard. We will no longer buy or have installed GE gas hot water tanks. You basically have to replace the whole burner assembly if the thermocouple acts up.

I purchased a GE hot water heater in 2008 with a 12-year warranty, only to find out it does not cover labor beyond the 1st year. One week after I purchased it, it blew out the thermostat. I have had to have 3 major repairs in the 1st year. I requested a replacement, but it was denied. On the 2nd year, it blew a breaker and an element. Labor was not covered, but parts were sent.

Now, both elements are burnt out again. Multiple calls were made and transferred to multiple people, departments, and states, each with another contact and all have info on the unit. Persistence paid off; they finally agreed to replace the unit. I was given a number, but my model number is no longer made (2 years). So I paid for the unit and was given a store credit.

I also got approval for $50 on labor cost, but labor was $255.00 (this time). And almost the same last year, the unit cost is $349.00. I looked on a website, and there have been multiple complaints on GE units. They should not be able to sell and should be responsible for faulty products.

I purchased a water heater in 10/2010 from Home Depot. The device was working until 02/27/2011. I called the **** listed on the manual, a representative troubleshot with me. He told me that I needed to purchase a machine that will check resistance. I went to purchase the machine, it was $50. I called back troubleshot again. I was told someone will call me to schedule an appointment to get service. I waited a week, no one returned my call. I called again the 800 # . They told me someone will call me back to schedule an appointment for service.

I finally received a call a week later from *******. They informed me someone will come on Monday 03/07/2011. My wife did not work that day to wait for a tech to arrive; tech did not arrive or called. I called again, they informed me they will be at my house 03/08/2011. I took the day off from work; nobody showed once again. I called several times. Their response was, "We will call you back." 3 weeks later, they informed me someone will come today 03/17/2011 and once again nobody showed.

My 75 gallon water heater stopped heating. I checked the pilot light, which was out and would not stay lit. I replaced the thermocouple but pilot would still go out when I let go of it. I've read all of the complaints about the bad service, etc. and figured that when I call GE, I would get the runaround. I called this morning, Sunday at 9:10AM, and the phone was answered immediately. No wait. The GE representative was courteous and asked my serial number, verified my unit and I told her what had happened. She immediately got my shipping info and said on Monday, they would send out a gas control overnight. I am very satisfied with the service and response of GE. I don't think that the gas control should fail within a 2-year period. But the service and warranty, I will consider buying another GE product.

We purchased a 40-gallon electric hot water heater at Home Depot on 12/22/2009 to be installed for a master bath addition. The unit was installed on 1/13/2010. I was told by the sales rep that it would be sufficient to heat my whirlpool tub. I had maybe three semi-hot baths then summer came and I didn't use the tub. This fall we couldn't even take two 10-minute showers back to back.

I called a plumber who checked the heating elements and temperature only to find everything was working properly. I called Home Depot who advised me to call the manufacturer. So I called the number on the tank only to be told no one could look at it since the sale date was over a year ago and even though we bought the nine-year warranty it was only good for the tank. When I told the lady what the problem was, she told me that 40-gallon tank only puts out 28 gallon of hot water. I asked why then was it called 40-gallon and she told me it holds 40 gallon of water but only heats 28 gallons. She also told me it would definitely not fill my tub. So I called Home Depot back and the best they could do was to give me a discount on another heater.

This is in my opinion is a total ripoff. If it says it's a 40-gallon tank, it should produce that much. And funny how the sales rep didn't even know this. I wouldn't recommend this hot water tank to anyone! We went to another store and bought a new 40-gallon tank that puts out 53 gallons of hot water. Imagine that! Costly lesson learned!

I purchased a GE 50 gal. gas hot water heater from Home Depot on 11/21/10. After installing it, I discovered that I could not light the pilot light to fire the unit up. It is a sealed unit and uses a piezo electric-ignition to light the pilot. I saw that there was no spark. I returned to Home Depot the next morning and they gave me a new piezo electric-ignition. Again, there was no spark at the pilot. I called the GE hotline. The rep told me that they would have a tech contact me either that day or tomorrow. Here it is the evening of the 23rd and no one has contacted me.

I went to their website to check on the status and found that it requires a confirmation number which I never received from the rep. Needless to say, I have removed the unit and will be returning it to the Home Depot and then will find another store to purchase a hot water heater. I have a number of GE products, but I will never buy another one again.

I went to a rental property to check a leak in the garage. I found that the water heater (G.E. ) was leaking very badly. After inspection of the unit, I determined that the tank had busted. I took the model & serial number and contacted G.E. with the number listed on the water heater. The water heater was purchased in mid-2006 and had a 5-year tank warranty. G.E told me that it was under warranty and that all I had to do was to take the old unit out and take it to Home Depot & give them the serial number, which was now claim number for the warranty.

I called Home Depot and should have known I was in for the runaround after I spent 15 minutes on hold waiting for plumbing to pick up. I called on my cell phone and talked to a manager at customer service and explained that I was on hold on my other line. She put me on hold a 2nd time and after 15 minutes, she came back on & said she couldn't find anyone to help me, so she would try. I explained that I was having a plumber bring in the old water heater and to pick up a new one and gave her the serial/reference number so they could have it waiting (because plumbers are not cheap by the hour).

When my plumber got there, he called me and said that H.D was only willing to give me $150 (store credit) for the old unit (G.E. policy) and that I could purchase a new G.E. water heater for $400 plus. I tried to explain that G.E. had told me it was under warranty & that H.D. would give me a replacement. She told me that was not going to happen. I told my plumber to go somewhere else to purchase a water heater & just bring me the store credit card.

I called G.E. back and after wading through their automated system, and as soon as I started to explain what had happened, I was mysteriously disconnected. I called back and asked to speak to a supervisor. I finally got one, and explained the whole situation. I was told that that was H.D. return policy. I said I am not concerned about H.D. return policy. I had a G.E. water heater under G.E. warranty. Then came the bombshell. If H.D. does not have the exact model that you originally purchased, they will only give you a $150 store credit toward the purchase of a new one.

Here is the kicker. I have been replacing water heaters for over 28 years, and almost all water heater models are changed every 2 years. So G.E. knows that unless you are one of the luckiest people in the world & have a mom & pop hardware store, who happens to have some 4 or 5 year old water heaters in stock, your 5, 6, 7 or 9-year warranty is only good for 2! This is a scam! (Can you say class action?) Yes, they do say in their warranty that you have to exchange it with the same model, but they know the odds of that are less than winning the lottery. I buy 60-70 appliances and 8-10 water heaters a year, but you can bet your life that none will be G.E. and none will be purchased from Home Depot in the future.

I've never had so many problems with a water heater! Do not buy a 50 gal. water heater from GE unless you like trouble. They do send parts but do not last! I was warned about them but never listened. If you buy from Home Depot, you can't return!

I own Duplexes and have had to replace several water heaters and bought the new G.E. water heaters from Home Depot. I have had to return 3 of them because when a tenant moves and the utilities are turned off and I turn the utilities on to redo the apt. the heater will not light. I just had a G.E repair man come to the premises for another heater that is 9 months old and will not light and he said he could not repair it because it is connected with flexible water lines. I ask what does that have to do with the water heater not lighting and he would not agree to anything. Finally, I told him to get off my property. I will take the heater back to Home Depot. I am finding that their product is worthless.

I also had a problem with a washing machine and their maintenance man came out and looked at it and said it would cost $400 to fix it. Well ,you can buy a new one for $400.00.

I think General Electric products are just getting worse and worse. I am done with them.

I called for service within the first year of warranty. I was told that they would have someone "take a look at it" in three weeks! It was January in Idaho. What am I supposed to do? Wait three weeks and have the family take ice-cold showers? Then when I had bought a new Bradford White (great water heater) and had three weeks, they said they didn't have any record of me calling. **! I will never buy another GE product again.

November 16, 2009, I had a new electric water heater installed from Home Depot's team. It is a GE Model #GE40T06AAG01.

This morning (8/3/2010) when my family went to take morning showers, there was little or no hot water. Not so bad since it is summertime in Florida but "where's the hot water"? I found that the circuit breaker for the water heater had tripped, so I reset it and went about my business. Then the more I thought about it, the more concerned I became about that breaker tripping. So I turned it off again and proceeded to inspect the wiring on the water heater. The wiring job done by the installer was okay but when I looked at the factory wiring of the upper heating element, I could see why the breaker blew. The black wire was stretched across the blue wire that connected to the heating element.

The blue wire had an excess of insulation skinned back and where the black wire crossed the blue wire. Eventually the insulation on the black wire burned through causing a short. This is a potential fire-causing hazard. I don't know if anyone has reported this but I am now and it should be known by all who have these GE Electric water heaters that this problem should at least be inspected to ensure no one loses a life because of this faulty wiring. In my case, since I was on the ball and somewhat in the know of what to look for, the only problem was I had to tape the wiring and re-connect a couple of wires. I thank heaven that I had the ability to recognize and repair this potential life-threatening situation myself.

I purchased a 50-gallon GE electric hot water heater with a 12-year warranty on 9-1-08. Today it stopped making hot water. I called and they said I would have to call a technician at my cost, or if I could put a meter on it, and with telephone in hand, tell them the results. My husband went to get the meter and the hot water heater blew its top; water was all over. I called back and they told me they would send me new connections or to use Teflon tape, then I would still have to put a meter on it, and then they would send me the part. Labor is not covered.

I explained that it would leave me with no hot water. I explained it needed a new controller. She said, "Again, not till you have a meter in hand, test it with me on the phone." The unit blew with such force that it expanded the PVC pipes so I have to replace all of them to even turn the electric back to the unit. I also went to purchase a controller. My problem is it was a good amount of money to purchase the 12-year warranty, and I have no satisfaction.

I got stuck with a new GE smart water pilot less hot water tank. I purchased this in 2004 and in 2005. It needed a new pilot unit. In 2006, it needed a new gas valve unit. In 2008, it needed an ignitor packet. In 2009, it needed a new ignitor. It now needs a new heating packet/gas valve packet. GE has been a nightmare to deal with. Home Depot is not much better. The company who did the repairs while the unit was under warranty is no longer in business. I am not told I should buy a new hot water tank because hot water tanks are only to last 6 years. This is crazy.

I thought hot water tanks that one pay $1000 to purchase and install should last much longer. GE is not in the business of manufacturing products or in customer service. I do not plan to ever again purchase another GE appliance. Each call to GE has taken at least two hours of dealing with morons. I am out numerous hours of aggravation and a total cost of roughly $2400, which includes replacing the hot water tank.

We (my husband and myself) bought a 40 gallon General Electric Hotwater tank in December,2000.(a 12 year warrenty). we had to replace it in October,2008 because the bottom was leaking water. A private plumbing firm went to Home Depot with the defective tank, exchanged it for a new one , charing us for labor only. This current tank is leaking after only 18 months in our home. Serial number is GELN0808A09484. the model number is SC40T12AVH00 i dont feel we should have to pay labor costs on a new tank because of the faulty tank. Our kitchen carpet is wet, ruined. Tile in family room where the hot water unit is located is starting to pop up

We live in a home that we bought new 11 years ago. After the first 8 years, our GE water heater exploded and damaged a lot of our finished basement. At that time, we were 3 days away from leaving for 2 weeks overseas. We arranged to have a new water heater installed through Home Depot. We decided to go with one that was slightly larger so as to accommodate our home better. We then had to file a home owner's insurance policy claim for the extensive damage done to our home.

The new water heater had a 12-year warranty, but lasted only 2.5 years before gradually losing the power to continue to heat water. During this time, I noticed that there was some water coming out of the base of the water heater. This water accumulated in an adjoining storage area and damaged some of our personal property. I once again contacted Home Depot to inquire about this and follow up about the "warranty". I was told that they could arrange to get us a replacement water heater exchange and we would have the additional cost of installation! We had the water heater replaced as soon as the plumber reported that it was indeed defective. He was instructed to leave it on the premises with us.

Upon speaking to the GE/Rheem rep. I was told that our home owner's insurance would probably want to inspect the defective water heater when we file our loss with our insurance company! I told them that due to the product being defective, I did not believe that my homeowner's insurance policy should have to pay for their defective product! That was the signal to me that they don't intend to own up to their defective products and just want to pass along the damage to my insurance company and therefore, I get to pay higher premiums in the future!

The battle was on. I insisted that they inspect the defective water heater and they decided that they would dig their heels in and tell me that I would have to take responsibility to return it to them! They had no intention of coming to the property and once again, they reiterated that I should file an insurance claim with my homeowner's insurance! Eventually they agreed to ship the 60 gallon water heater via FedEx freight, but I would have to find a box to box it up and send it out in.

We did not ask them to fix unreasonable amounts for the art work lost, we minimized as much as we could and got estimates to have them professionally restored. In the meantime, the insurance company for GE / Rheem finally decided that they would come to my home to inspect the area and the damaged items. They concluded that the items were damaged by the water heater but that they were waiting for the official report from GE/Rheem's inspection dept. where we sent the defective water heater.

Today, about 3 months from when this all started, the insurance company for GE / Rheem claims that the water heater had water corrode it from above and that is why it failed - not their problem! What? There is nothing above that area that has water and nothing "from above" has water damage! I feel rheemed by Rheem and GE! I wish I had not replaced that defective water heater with what will most certainly be another fiasco with their products in another few short years!

Please, there has to be other people dealing with this sort of thing and we are all taking the brunt of GE / Rheem not taking responsibility for their defective products. Is this just like Toyota denying responsibility? Is this what large companies do now? They produce garbage products and let the consumer deal with the fallout? Our basement storage area suffered from the water leak, which resulted from the defective water heater. I lost a number of items, most precious of which are paintings, pastels, and sketches from an artist that I believe is on the cusp of being discovered.

During cold front in Florida, the water stopped. This happened before but when warmed up it worked. This time, I waited for warm up and there's no water. It's only Ice I get.

I had a technician out and said this is a problem with GE. This is GE problem that they have had. I need to have GE replace the problem since it was their fault. I was told to have it replaced by the manufacturers. The technician was not involved but does GE defect.

This had happened before when warmed up worked. Not this time. The Ice works fine. Please contact me to take care of this manufacturer problem. Please help, I am disabled have had GE recall before and it was not fun. Thanks

I purchased H2O heater in 2004 (Model #FG1J5040T3N0V Serial # 0247103499) and had to replace the thermocouple within the first 6 months. I called GE and was told to buy a replacement thermocouple from Lowe's and then send in the receipt to GE with an explanation what I did and they would reimburse me for the part. I did and yes they reimbursed me for the part. They also sent me a plastic mesh screen assembly to go around the base of the water heater to keep dirt and debris out of the finer screen below the burner area.

Yesterday the thermocouple went out again and I went to Lowe's to get a new one but now they have a no cost replacement assembly that includes everything but the burner plate. The new part includes the manifold door, pilot tube, thermocouple, and a new thermal switch to turn off the heater it the combustion chamber over heats.

I have also had a lot of trouble with deposits inside the H2O heater and was told by GE to drain the heater, pour 1 gallon of vinegar into the water intake pipe and let it set for about 4 hours and then flush. I have never had to do this with a H2O before. I will never buy a GE H2O heater again as well as any other appliance again. I lost one complete day without water, auto gas to find the replacement part, and time to replace the defective part. At least I have not had to put out any money like other people have.

I purchased a GE water heater with a 9-year warranty and it just failed in its 7th year, 3/2010. The assistant manager (claiming to be the General mgr) tells me that the warranty states in big bold letters, "9 year warranty for parts and material" really means that all you get is your money back! What happened to the warranty?

When I ask to see that policy in writing, they of course could not produce it. It obviously not worth repairing so GE will not even try. And they stand by their policy that they are only responsible for returning my money. Yeah now, that it cost twice as much to replace. Meanwhile, while fighting this issue, I'm left with no hot water and a flooded bedroom and garage.

I have a Reliance 501 LP. It was in my house when I purchased it in 1999. It has never ever given me a problem. I was going to purchase a new reliance for my guest house on the same property that has a GE water heater in it, that only lasted 9 years. But after reading the reviews of the problems people are having with reliance and not getting help, I think I will keep looking. One thing's for sure, the GE pilot went out several times and now, the tank is leaking. I think GE has a cheap product. The GE has a 6-year warranty as does the Reliance I am currently looking at. The GE at Home Depot is $368.00 and the reliance is $432.00 at true value.

We bought a 40-gallon heater from Home Depot about 3 years ago. After I installed it, it took over a half hour to keep the burner going. The pilot would stay on but when the thermostat was turned from pilot to heat, the burner would fire up and then go out within seconds.

Tonight, I'm having the same issue and I'm ready to find the nearest GE dealer and deliver via their window. After reading all these complaints, I would like to know if anyone has ever received a replacement heater.

I purchased a new GE "Smart" natural gas water heater at Home Depot, July 2007. It is February 2010 and the water heater spews out rusty water after usage for one bath. It has stained the inside of my dishwasher, tub and now I can't wash clothes in hot water either. I called GE today and was asked if I have replaced the "anode". I claimed I had not. I was asked if I had flushed the water heater with bleach. I told them I had not. I inquired if replacing anodes and bleach flushing was common in water heaters less than three years old. I was told it was and included in the care and use guide. I was informed I could call a plumber to replace the anode.

However, since I do not have the height clearance to do a straight pull out, the water heater will have to be completely disconnected to perform this and would cost about half the original price of the heater. I find it sad that GE no longer will stand by their products and further that clearly their products lack quality. I'll end up wasting a total day replacing this anode and hope to get a few more years out of a water heater with a 10 yr warranty that apparently was only good for 2 and a half years. What a total piece of junk combined with completely apathetic customer service.

We had the same problem as some of the those posting here on the GE 40-Gal Water Heater that we bought from Home Depot. The water heater was purchased in April 2007. The water heater has 6-year warranty for its part. The hot water stopped one morning, and the contractor charged $200 just to diagnose the problem in the water heater. The problem was with the gas valve, and we called GE Customer service. As expected, they informed they will not cover the labor and only the part which they informed will be shipped next day.

We got the shipment the next day, and the plumber started installing. After an hour, it was found that a missing part was not shipped with the original package. The call was made again to GE, and the supervisor we spoke promised the part will be shipped the following day. However, it was not. Unfortunately, this was a weekend, and the shipment will not reach us until 2 days later.

We were already out of water for 4 days. We also had a 3-year-old baby who was sick and needed attention in the middle of all this. We were very frustrated by the back and forth telephone calls. Also, we had to pay the contractor / plumber for all 3 days of their service and labor. We would not be needing the labor if it was not for a faulty gas valve which was supposed to work for 6 years.

After a lot of phone conversation, GE offered (they thought they are doing a favor to me) a new water heater but declined the installation and labor fees. The labor and installation came around $800 with which we could as well go and buy a different brand and install it. We were just stunned with no option and now waiting for the parts to arrive.

This was one bad experience, and we would never buy another GE product. I am not able to understand why GE is not responsible for all the labor. This was their faulty gas valve which is under warranty. I wouldn't be needing any one, if it didn't break.

April 2009, I purchased a 40 gallon water heater for my daughter and on January 25 the heating element would no longer come on. I notified customer service where they sent someone to her home and stated something was wrong but they were unsure. They sent another repairman the next day who told me that my gas pressure was too low to get heating element to work. I had a plumber and a heating and air person as well as the gas company personnel to state to me that there was no pressure problem and that the problem was in the water heater.

The technician argue and was very rude. While attempting to tell him their findings, he told me not to over talk him and he knows what he's doing. The pressure reading he was talking about was also done by the others and pressure was find entering control valve, yet according to both customer service and their contractor the problem was in gas line. Not wanting to fight anymore, I went to Lowe's and bought a whirlpool water heater and with no changes other than water heaters. The tenant now has hot water. This was the second one purchased in one year.

When I spoke to the technicians this morning (Dec 29), they said they would schedule me within the next few days. I have been out of hot water for over a week including time with guests over Christmas. I will never buy another GE product or anything from Home Depot.

I purchased a 50 gal water heater in February 2009 I woke up on Nov.24 with no hot water, called my furnace tech who installed the unit and reported the problem, he told me it sounds like a thermo coupeling problem and that he is an oil man. I called my plumber who had just tested and upgraded my gas supply pipes in the house to meet Coned's new regulations he also said it sounds like a thermo coupeling issue, he instructed me as to shut off the gas supply to the heater for 10 minutes then follow the lighting procedure. I followed his instructions and got the water heater lit,

woke up thismorning with the same problem, called GE service center was RUDELY scoled to have the gas company come out to check gas pressure; have venting checked for blockage and check sorrounding space for clearance. Called coned got the runaround to check stove and to call a plumber. Checked stove good gas flow, called coned again operator was rude but I convinced him to send out rtechnician.

Technician arrived and checked pressure stated perssure is "8 inches H20 without fluctiation". Stated most homes in this area is 6 inches H20. Of cource mine is higher because when I bought the house back in January of this year coned wouldnt turn on the gas until I had a Licensed plumber pressure check the system at a cost of $1,500.00. After which coned informed me that I had to upgrade the meter (a bigger one of course) and pipes due to new regulations because the house was unoccupied for over one year.

The cost of the upgrade was $2,000.00 dollars, JUST TO GET GAS TURNED ON. This was very painful because I bought a FIXER UPPER as that is all I could afford. Back to GE, it is now 9:05 PM and they are closed, this is Thanksgiving eve, I expect about fifteen family members tomorrow, this is going to be interesting. I'll try again on Friday and contact the Attorney General of New York to file a complaint. I only wished I had read these horror stories prior to purchasing. I cannot afford another water heater or plumber to charge to conclude a defective water heater.

Two week old GE hot water heater-40 gal- goes to "sleep" each night so when I get up to take a shower before work I have NO hot water. With installation it cost $750 and I have NO hot water unless I get up 30 minutes early and turn the faucet on for a few minues to wake it up. There is NOTHING in the manual that indicates this is normal and all I getis a hard time from "customer service".Supposedly I have a 9 year warranty. What a joke!

Did so but they were closed then. Called back the next day and waited 20 min. on hold to speak to someone. Then were told we'd have to undo the tubing call back again. Why didn't they tell us that the 1st time? Joy refused to try to send anyone out and was rude. We called back again waited 10 more minutes. Got Shirley on the line and she was very helpful and pleasant.

I spoke with the person and explained that my GE Hot Water Heater Pilot kept going out and that eight months ago the sent me a thermostat control for it. I had to pay for two service calls from my Public Utilities (gas) company to service the unit and they took out the internal burner and cleaned the burner compartment. I am manually relighting the heater every couple hours now and I have children to care for. I was told that I had a problem with the air mixture in the area where the water heater is installed. I explained that it has been inspected and approved by the Fire Department and Building Departments as well as the Gas & Electric Public Utilities Company. GE Rep. (Dawn) was very aggresive and told me that there was no problem with the unit and I needed to have the room it was in tested for the air mixture, but would send me a Thermocouple to have changed. I said that this was another repair I had to absorb and that this is over $280.00 I have had to incur do to a problematic hot water heater. I asked to have the unit replaced and was refused. I advised her that the warantee was in affect, but the rep. refused.

A little over 4 years ago, we bought a GE 50 gallon water heater from HD with 12 yr warranty. Paid a fortune to have Home Depot install it. Well, just this past weekend, we had no hot water. Went and tried to light pilot following directions exactly. Would not stay lit. Called 800 number on Sunday but GE was closed. We are a faimily of 5 who all work and have lives and needed to take showers for Monday. We tried the cold water bit but that did not work so we called our local Heating and Cooling person who told us that the little glass vile was busted and the water heater was no longer good. That they couldn't repair it and we needed a new unit.

We called GE on Monday and were given runaround. Wouldn't not give time as to when someone would be able to see what was wrong with unit. Well, we called our local guy and told him to replace unit thinking we could get some credit after reading what a bomb these heaters are. I called Home Depot and told them of what had happened. The gentleman I spoke with actually felt sorry for us and said if we could get authorization from GE, they would gladly return unit and give us credit.

I called GE only to get run around. When I told them we replaced the unit already, they said there was nothing they would do. They said they didn't know if the unit was actually bad, after all, how would I know, and that the unit might have been able to be repaired. When I told him of all the things I've read on this unit, the complaints, and what the repair person had said, he basically said to bad. He did let it slip that if we reinstalled it he could have someone out to confirm what I had told him.

When I told him fine, I'll reinstall the unit so he could have someone out, he hemmed and hawwed and said they didn't want to put us through all that. I told him no problem, I just want something to be done and for a refund. He then changed his whole tune and said the warranty was not valid because we already replaced the unit.

I asked to speak with manager and after being put on hold forever, I was told one would call me back. Well, one did after about 2 hours only the background noise was so loud, like he was at a party or something, I couldn't even hear him. After screeming in the phone and him asking 4 times if I was who I was, I hung up on him. I figure it was bad enough that I couldn't hear him but he couldn't even hear himself! We will never buy anything from GE again!

Getting the new unit cost us 800.00 that were did not plan on spending. When we bought the original unit and had it installed for a grand total of 1250.00, we thought we would have a solid water heater that would last us for 10-15 years at least, much like the last one we replaced that lasted 20 years! GE products stink!

I bought a 40 gallon PowerVent water tank from Home Depot on 4/16/2008. The installation from home depot was flawless, and the tank worked well up until one month ago. One specific morning, I went to shower before work and there was no hot water. I went to see the tank and "error lighting" was evident, noting "ignition failure". I simply turned the unit off then back on, and it ignited. Three days later, the same issue happened. This occurred approximately every 3-4 nights for s month in which i would have to manually ignite the heater (one year old).

On 5/6/09, the pilot would not light at all. I called GE immediately. I was told to get the gas company to inspect the heater for the gas pressure. This was dont that day. I returned their call, but only to get some smart mouth on the other line telling me I needed to fax over the original receipt and other "pertinent" info in order for them to CONSIDER helping me out. Keep in mind I have two children, both under two, that I need to feed and bathe.

I faxed the info as requested promptly, in which I was told that I would get a call back. The call never came. I called an independent contractor who "wouldn't touch" the unti because "GE is the absolute worst to deal with" and the tank "is a piece of [expletive]". He stated it was definetely the regulator box on the front.

It was then inferred that basically I was SOL, with a ONE YEAR OLD $700 TANK. I was then HUNG UP ON when I expressed my displeasure (I did NOT use profanity or name calling). When I called back, I spoke with a manager who was disgustingly rude and condescending. She basically told me to get the contractor from 31 miles away (who they said would not come) or get new parts (whcih they would not send until I paid another contractor or plumber to look at).

Never in my life have I been treated so unprofessionally or more dispicable. It is now 4 days out, and I'm gonna have to pay for a new water tank just so my kids get baths, clean clothes, and food.

Purchase a new GE 50 gallon natural gas water heater. Since instlation on 3-10-2009 water pressure has been greatly reduced. Showers have about 40% less pressure and the washing maching, which is furthest from the heater, has lost about 70% of pressure on the hot water side. GE phone techs (kids) state the unit was improperly installed and was not GE's problem.

Due to the lower pressure, and less hot water, it is noticable when showering, more hot water is called for to maintain a desireable tempture. With three young children, only two may shower before bed. With the old heater, all three could shower, one after the other. Much time is lost when washing clothes as the lower pressure take three times as long to fill the tub due to low water pressure. when you have six loads to wash, your day is pretty much shot as you are enslaved to the washers new slower pace of getting the job done.

I purchased a GE 40 gallon natural gas water heater with a 9 year warranty in March 2001.I have never had a problem with it until January of 2009. The tank started to leak, so I called the 800 number to GE. The technician instructed me to check this and that. He then informed me that the water on my floor must be caused by condensation(I've never had a problem with condensation before).I am not a plumber,so I accepted his reasoning. Two weeks later the leak got worse.

I called GE agin and told them that the tank was indeed leaking. O.K. water heater is still under warranty, just pull it out, take back to home depot, get replacement water heater and re-install, right? Nope. Apparently the federal government in July 2003 ordered all water heaters to be manufactured with a safety feature that cuts all gas to pilot light and burner in case of flammable vapors being in close proximaty to water heater. O.K. GE must comply with the government mandate, water heater price goes up due to added safety features.I am thinking that I will have to pay approximately $50.00-$75.00 for this upgraded water heater.

I contacted the local Home Depot where I originally purchased the water heater in 2001, current price of a 40 gallon tall natural gas water heater is $478.00. My original purchase price was $219.00. GE is forcing me to pay the difference which is $259.00, $40.00 more than I originally paid for the water heater. I bickered a little, trying to state my claim that I should only have to pay the difference in price of $219.00 and whatever the water heater was priced at in July of 2003 when the government mandate went into effect.

I don't believe I should have to pay the the price of inflation when my warranty states that GE will replace my water heater upon falure of tank, not give me a credit of original price towards towards purchase of another GE water heater. I am willing to pay the added cost due to the government mandate, but I don't believe I should have to pay the added 5 1/2 years worth of inflation. I will no longer Purchase anything from Home Depot, or anything with the GE brand name.

I am being forced to pay a strong arm tax in order for the warranty to cover my water heater.Besides the $259.00 out of my pocket, I also have damage to my basement due to me not having the extra money to replace water heater until after approximately three weeks time has elapsed.

I purchased a GE gas water heater @ six years ago. It has a 9 year warranty on it. One day the pilot light went out and I could not get it to stay lit so I called a gas service company to come and look at it. They said the water heat needed to be replaced, as it was leaking water, which was causing the pilot lighter to go out. I called GE and was told I had to do a bunch of tests on it before they would authorize a replacement. I obviously could not do this so I had to call the gas service company to come to my house a second time and satisfy all of GE's requirements. I was told that they were able to get it lit but didn't think it would stay lit once I used any large amount of hot water. (I live alone and use hot water but not so much that it would over tax the unit.)

A week and a half later, I ran the dishwasher and the pilot light went out again. I called GE and told them that the unit was defective. They told me it was not and I just needed to do what the service company did to get it back on again. I told them this was ridiculous, as I'm not a gas expert and it was only going to keep going out, as the service expert said it would do. i told them it was leaking and needed to be replaced. They told it I needed to have the venting checked. I told them all of this had been checked by the service company and there was nothing wrong with the venting. I told them I was not going to pay for another service call, as I could have bought a new unit with the money I had paid them to tell GE I have a defective unit!

The GE Rep refused to do anything more for me. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was rudely told that one would call me back. That was 5 hours ago and I'm guessing I'm not going to hear back from anyone at GE. In the meantime, I'm unable to live in my house, as I have no hot water to take a shower or wash clothes or dishes, etc... My guess is this is GE's practice. They give you the run around and refuse to replace their products when defective. They assume people need hot water at some point, and will just give up and go away. From other consumer comments, I can see that I'm not the only one with the same problem with my water heater and that GE treats it's customers horribly!

Oh yes, one more thing-I bought a new GE water softner when I bought the water heater and that has never worked! I had service repair people look at it and was stold this was a defective unit as well. Since I didn't have my receipt, I never tried to return it. I just live without soft water. This can be done but having no hot water is another story. If I had the time and money, I would sue GE for breach of warranty breach. However at this point, I need to focus on buying and getting a new water heater installed ASAP and having a defective one removed. I can hardly wait to see what that's going to cost me, on top of what I've already paid in service charges!

I've been unable to live in my house, as I have no hot water, and have had to pay a service company twice, not to mention what I am going to have to pay for a new water heater to be installed and the old one to be removed. It will definitely not be a GE product!

I purchased a GE waterheater from Home Depot on January 9, 2009. After only a month the heater stopped working. I complained to GE but to no avail. This was the second GE waterheater that failed on me in three years. Utterly frustrated with GE, I phoned Home Depot to see if I could return the heater. I spoke with a manager who assured me that I could bring the heater back and get a refund. The following day, relying on the Home Depot manager's word that I would get a refund, I purchased a replacement heater and a plumber came to install the new heater and help me return the malfunctioning GE waterheater back to Home Depot.

When I got to Home Depot the manage with whom I spoke the morning before was not there and the evening manager flatly refused to accept the return and also refused to contact the manger who had promised to accept my return. The evening manager rudely refused to allow me to finish stating my case and simply walked away from me in the store summarily dismissing me. Just the morning before I had been so horribly frustrated and dissapointed by GE's dismal customer service and when I spoke to the morning manager I expressed my gratitude for his understanding and fair mindeness. I told him how refreshing it was to speak with a company representative who cared about its customers in light of the horrid experience with GE. What a difference a day makes. What a miserable way to make a buck.

I purchased a worthless waterheater from GE at an expense of $500 plus installation. Now, relying on a Home Depot manager's word I purchased a second water heater at an expense of $500 plus installation.

I purchased a GE waterheater three years ago and it failed. While it was still under warranty it began to leak and the pilot would not remain lit. I phoned a plumber who came to the conclusion it should be replaced. GE declined to replace choosing instead to call it a maintenance issue. I purchased a new GE waterheate on January 9, 2009. On Februay 10th the pilot went out and I was unable to relight it.

I phoned the Gas Company and they sent out a technician but he was unable to relight it. I contacted GE and afte a series of questions the person with whom I spoke first decided it was a venting problem and then decided that water must have gotten into it. The heater is in an alcove/close in the back of the house but it is an enclosed structure with a door. I had mentioned to the person I spoke with that there were venting holes approx. one inch in diamete across the bottom and top of the door in response to her comment about a venting problem.

During the conversation I mentioned it had been raining in Southern CA and she then determined that rain must have gotten in so GE would not do anything about the matter. She actually made the statement: We are not honoring warranties in CA because of the rain. I was baffled. I asked spoke with another person at GE who then said that nothing could be done because of flooding. There was not flood!

The waterheater alcove is on a raised foundation. It rained over the enclosed, roofed, alcove with a door. That is it. They would not even send someone out to make the determination of what in fact the problem might be. They just arbitrarily decided it was a rain or flood issue and told me to call my homeowners insurance company.

1) called 11-15-08 blower bearings gong out-On hold for 32 minutes... Customer care said not parts avail...no idea when they will be in... call back...Ask for supervisor...on hold forever...

3)I Called 12-8-08 called if parts were in yet... they said no..told me to call and check later...no idea on when parts would be back in stock. Asked for supervisor...on hold for ever....

4) 2-2-09 Water heater went out of service....Lots of hot water needed for that day... Oh yea looks... like that my problem!

I am in the customer service business and I have never seen such unprofessional on phone customer care. Poor policies and information given to customer. All in all... Bad customer care attitudes...easy to understand why USA made products lack quality and service and why this perception is top of mind of most consumers. I had thought GE would be different... WRONG. First the hold times are huge. If you ask for a supervisor they put you on hold for ever...until you drop off- looks like a policy!

I would have never thought that HOME DEPOT would have partnered with such a poor service organization... I will now place my future purchases into another retailer...Perhaps an "MADE IN... " might provide a better experience! Clearly there is little concern for the customer experience after the sale.

I have little to no confidence in anyone getting back to me regarding this... but I will be more than willing to share my experience on every social network possible! There are choices out there... and at this point Home Depot need to check out who they are doing business with.....

From a once very loyal Home Depot shopper and home owner....

We purchased a GE 40 gallon hot water tank from Home Depot in May 08. It has a 1 year warrenty from GE. After 7 months you can no longer even wash dishes without running out of hot water. After calling GE I was told we have a plumbing issue and there was nothing else they would do. I have bought my last GE product. We build this house and never had a problem with plumbing before.

Purchased GE gas hot water heater Apr '08 and it has never worked. I've probably talked to every technical person they employ with no results. I've paid for a water heater that hasn't worked from day one and added plumbing bills to that cost with no satsifactory answers from GE. I'm at my wits end, I've consulted an attorney but the cost of suing would be higher than purchasing a new water heater. Buyer beware when purchasing appliances with the GE logo.

I have a water softener that we have had an ongoing problem with that is now a little over one month past warranty. I have had a difficult time getting any assistance without being repeated told that my unit is no long under warranty therefore it is now my problem (minus the electronic parts.) We had service issues starting in May 2008 which took over one month to resolve. A technician from Florida Delta Mechanical was sent out, he diagnosed the problem (errors 1 and 3 flashing). He ordered the controller/computer, came back and installed it. He stated that was "not familiar with water softeners."

After he left, the unit ran for approximately 24 hours and then the same errors reoccurred. This time they ordered the motor. It was shipped directly to me. They were unable to come out to install the unit for about a week, so they told me to have my husband install it, which he did. I spoke with a representative toward the end of June from GE who called me to follow up- at that point to I told the representative that we were not satisfied with the service, explained what had happened, and also that the unit was continuing to work, but would intermittently flash the same error codes as before, but would reset after being unplugged.

Sometimes it would work for 72 hours up to about a week, then the same errors occurred. Now, we are still getting the same errors, but the unit is not resetting. The unit will complete a full cycle, but within 24 hours it comes up with the same errors. We have done all the maintenance, changed filters, kept the until protected, etc. but it has never functioned as it should have. I understand that it is "out of warranty," but my concern is that perhaps we have received a unit that is a "lemon." I have called the service companies in my area and spoken with them. We have gone over the entire machine, errors, and what it should/shouldn't be doing. According to them, it "doesn't make sense." Obviously the motor and controller are working, but something causes them to short out.

All the wires and connections have been checked, etc. I appreciate that GE covers the electronics, but this seems to be an ongoing issue. I'm not in a position to be able to afford to pay for a service technician to come out and look at it and see the same thing that I see. I don't want to have to keep replacing the same parts over and over again. We purchased this water softener based on our previous experiences with GE products and thinking that we were purchasing something that would last for a number of years and something that GE would stand behind. I don't feel that this is the case. The replacement parts that were installed 4 months ago have gone bad- how many more times will this happen? We purchased this in good faith with GE and have been sadly disappointed. In addition, the first time the unit was inoperable for over a month before it was fixed- causing hard water damage to my appliances, sinks, toilets, etc. It took me a long time to get rid of the hard water and I'm right back in the same boat again. If there is something you can do to help, I would really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

I purchased a GE hot water heater from this store about 3 years ago. GE claims that there is a 6 year warranty for the unit/parts and I got a claim number from GE etc. I was instructed by GE that I need to return the defective unit back to Home Depot and they will exchange it for the same product. It will be an even exchange. Per Jim (according to him, he is the store manager), I am not able to return it. I have to first purchase (BUY) a new hot water heater and then I can return the defective unit. When GE gives them the credit, then they can give me the credit back for the unit. I had both GE and Jim at home depot on the phone together and GE is stating that I should get the even exchange, but they cannot do anything about what ever home depot wants to do. I am at my witts end becuase now I have to have the installer/plummer charging me double to have me return the defective unit back to home depot.

2nd issue - I had a different plummer come and check out my unit to make sure that it was the hot water heater and nothing else and he siad it was because he put the snake through to make sure nothing was stuck etc. I explained all this to both GE and Home Depot. Home Depot suggested that I go through plumming. I informed them that I had already gotten the approval from GE and they agreed on the even exchange. They sent a man to come look at my heater. He did ntohing but (while standing up) look at the water in the pan under my water heater, then he claims that it is indeed broken and proceeds to charge me for that. According to B's plumming, it is procedure. Why? My independent plummer already informed me that it was the water heater.

I am a single mom and I am being taken advantage of. I now have to pay more than $1000 to get somebody to do this for me, get a new heater etc., but I don't think it is right that I am being jipped out off my warranty. I am paying several times more than what the heater is worth. GE sold me sub standard product which lasted me only 3 years, they are washing their hands off the warranty and now I am stuck. PLEASE HELP!!

After trying to contact GE right away I was not successful till Monday 07/14/2008 3:30 PM. Spoke to a man named G. and provided him with the Model Number (PG50T09AVH00) as well as the serial number (GELN0508Z11453) Mr. G. told me to do something which according to the manual only a qualified technician is supposed to do based on Page 21 from the Use and care Manual (Part Number AP14329 03/07)...what I was told to do I could not do it anyways as the screws were similar to the Allen wrenches but in a star shape... I don't have such tools, nor the knowledge to tamper with it.

On 07/17/2008 10:00 AM I spoke with another technician named Carmen and told her that I didn't do anything as I didn't feel right doing something that only a professional can do. She provided me with a reference number 1601296. In addition, she told me that they were going to send some local technician to take care of the problem someone from Corliss And Son Mechanical and that they were supposed to contact me within 24 hours. After the 24 hours no one from Corliss and Son Mechanical called me so I called back GE at 1-800- (On 07/17/2008 3:30 PM) was on hold for about one hour... there were no signs of any available technician so I decided to call them the next day. During the same day I called Corliss And Son Mechanical... No answer either, Left them a message with my contact information as well as reference number.

On 07/18/2008 Called GE at 1-800-431-1549 and Spoke this time with a man called Jeff at 8:11 AM and basically told him that their technician did not even reply back... It was then decided to give Corliss And Son Mechanical another chance to contact me. If not, then and only then according to Jeff I could get any Qualified Plumber to take care of the problem.

07/19/2008 11:32 AM: Decided to call GE at 1-800-431-1549... but they were experiencing a high quality volume so I tried another number 1-800-626-2005 to be specific. I spoke to Kelly but could not help me out at all so I had to retry the 1-800-... but was told that they were having some issues with their lines... Therefore I decide to go on line. Sent them an email with my concerns.. but till this very day I have not heard or had any form of reply... My family at this point is suffering from the lack of hot water (Sanitary reasons...ie., Dishes, Laundry,shower, etc)also registered the product on line.

07/21/2008 6:28 AM: Spoke to a man called Jorge and told me to go ahead and get any Licensed Plumber. Provided me with with a warranty claim number: A0913.

07/22/2008 4:49PM: Researched several Plumbers... AV Plumbing agreed to take the job and their phone number is 661-533-1234. At the time I spoke to Kathy and provided her with all the basic information (i.e, Model, serial number, GE's telephone number, Warranty claim number, as well as reference number, etc)told me to wait till confirming everything and if approved then will send a Plumber in between 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

07/23/2008 3:30 PM: The Plumber from AV Plumbing came and worked on the unit he did pulled everything out cleaned the burner with a brush , cleaned the flame arrestor, and vacuumed the unit. In addition, he did replace the Thermocouple as well as the Gas valve; Also inspected the the vent cap on the roof... but in spite of it all the burner kept on failing, that is to say that it would not stay lit (Smothering)

07/25/2008 2:03 PM: Called GE as based on the Plumber Instructions he needed new and original parts. Was on hold for almost half an hour and a man called Jose answered but the line was disconnected.

Called them back at 3:00 PM spoke to a man with a little bit of attitude called Jose. upon explaining to him what had happened he was in a preaching mode telling me and demanding from me to do something to the unit myself... which was to remove the burner and do something else.. I tried to explain at this point to the man that I lacked the tooling as well as the knowledge to tamper with the unit. At this point I demanded to speak to a supervisor as I could no longer take his attitude and unwillingness to cooperate with me. After almost half an hour on hold he Supervisor answered her name was Laura... I explained everything to her and said that at this point all that my family wanted is an operational water heater and asked from her if it was possible for them just to send another water heater.. but refused as she said that they have to go follow the same procedures that I already went through to begin with... (Looping the problem). She also explained that the Plumber from AV pl;umbing was not supposed to change the gas valve nor the Thermocouple... that he was supposed to call them in order to follow their instructions. Thus Laura told me to call AV Plumbing and to tell them to give them a call in order to arrange having the plumber to communicate with them and see what resolution to the problem they could come up with.

I heard nothing from anyone at this point. So, I decided to leave a mesage to AV plumbing to see what was the status.

07/26/2008 8:00 AM: Sharon from AV Plumbing replied to my inquiries and told me that GE only wanted to cover one hour of the Plumber's Labor and that it didn't guarantee that even if the plumber followed GE's Instructions the water heater would work. At this point I decided just to return the unit. tried to call GE but no answer... My family as well as myself are very frustrated...

I still have the receipt from the Home Depot. The Unit cost was $439 dollars. The Home Depot's location is W. Avenue P Palmdale, California, 93551.

I want to return the unit but based on my experiences with GE I think that they are going to give me a very hard time and they will try anything to convince me to get stuck with a lemon.

I just wanted a water heater, tried to be civilized with GE but they don't want to Please advice what should I Do... I want to report them to the consumer affairs for their bad attitude and unprofessional manner of conducting business. My family is not provided with hot water which is essential for a good Hygiene.. I have a small daughter which is getting sick from showering her with cold water. In addition, we have to do laundry only with cold water and the dishes are being washed with cold water as well.. and if I do some yard work at home I have to wash my hands with cold water and I'm very concerned with passing germs to my family.

I asked my plumber to purchase an electric hot water heater for me and install it in my home, and on May 2, 2008 he did so. After the installation it was discovered that the unit was not heating up and most likely defective. I then requested that my plumber un-install the water heater and return it to the store where he purchased it. At that point he informed me that once it had been installed it was under warranty, and I would have to contact GE to do the troubleshooting and repair on the faulty unit.

I contacted GE technical support and complaint dept. several times about the problem I was having with the heater 5/2, 5/3, 5/5 & 5/6. At this point I had a brand new heater that didnt work, paid the electrician for his work; I owed the plumber for the cost of the hot water heater, delivery, installation and labor. GE gave me the name of one of their service technicians: A1 Plumbing/ Al Hague, who was supposed to call me, but never did.

I called to make a second complaint for needing service -- they then referred me to College Air, Plumbing and Heating. At no time did GE tell me that I would have to pay the contractor for service or labor. College Air contacted me on May 6, 2008 and asked what the problem was with the hot water heater unit, I told him it was not heating up and in the interim of my first call it was leaking water from the base and had partially flooded the cellar. He said that they would get back to me, and did not do so until he called to tell me that he was almost at my home and had my new heater on his truck and he wanted $250.00 in cash or else I wasnt going to have any hot water.

I went on to protest stating that my new heater was under a 6 year warranty which covered 1 year in home service on parts and labor so I shouldnt have to pay a dime more. I informed him that I had to pay my electrician and plumber for the original installation only 4 days prior to this on a new hot water heater. He asked me do you want it fixed or not I said yes I want it fixed. He told me that I should be happy to be getting a brand new heater, and he didnt have time to waste to troubleshoot replacement parts. At that point I was at work and his strong armed tactics got the best of me and forced me to call my Son and my Cousin to borrow money from them so that I could have the installation done. This is the closest thing to extortion that I can imagine. Here I am paying for two installations of two hot water heaters in less than a week.

I want GE to reimburse me the $250.00 that I shelled out to those Creeps from College Air, Plumbing and Heating as my former and current Hot Water Heaters are under warranty for parts and labor. I also intend to contact the Better Business Bureau about this horrible experience Ive had. What happened was totally reprehensible.

Paid for appliance that was under warranty. I want GE to reimburse me my $250.00 I had to pay to Sears.

Their subcontractor's work required two visits from code inspector to approve. He charged for work not specified in advance (it was OK, he just didn't lay it out like they said he would). When I went to claim an energy rebate, I learned it wasn't efficient enough. Called them. Got bounced around to rude people in a local store. They said "it's the most efficient we sell." Wasn't built by GE anyway, but by Rheem under contract.

Two years later, it sprung a leak on a Friday evening. Called the 800 number,had to guess which pick to choose. Finally a person said she'd transfer me to the GE warranty line. She clicked off. The hotline was closed! Found another GE water heater service number. Rude man answered, impolite, sounded like he was aroused from a drunken stupor. Just wanted info, not helpful. Said they'd ship a part if needed, but I had to hire a plumber to diagnose.

Decided to cut my losses. Called local gas and electric utility. Within 24 hours I had a fine new AO Smith water heater, courteously installed.

No more purchases from Home Depot. They don't care about their customers. Aggravation.

I have a GE water heater purchased in May of 2005. It has a 6 year warranty and it started leaking two weeks ago. The warranty hot line insisted it was condensation causing the leak ( they made me perform a silly test shutting off the water supply ) although it hadn't leaked in 3 years. Three days later the condensation put out the pilot light and I was unable to relight it. As always, I had to get a new water heater on Mothers Day and install it. This unit is manufactured for GE by Rheem.

I had to purchase a new water heater and install it. It cost $350.00 to replace the unit plus my time and inconvenience.

I am the current owner of four GE appliances in my home. I have your water heater, refrigerator and two dishwashers. I am old enough to remember the time when the name General Electric was synonymous with a quality product. I bought first from home depot an electric water heater with a generous warranty. It was precisely because of the warranty that I did buy this water heater. After approximately one year it gave out (our old one lasted 20 years). I called and was assured that this was under warranty. Someone came out to look at it and said we need to replace it. All we needed to do was bring in the old one and get a new one. My husband is in his mid 70s. There was no way we could strap it to our car and haul it in. We got a new water heater and had to pay the service person $250.00 for installation and to remove the old one, which was just dollars short of what we paid for it in the first place. So obviously the warranty is only valuable if you happen to be a strong, strapping plumber. We then needed a new refrigerator. Our old one lasted about 18 years.

I was away and my husband went back to Home Depot and bought one for approximately $1,000.00. I never liked it. It never seemed to run right, however after only 3 1/2 years, I found that milk I had bought the day before had curdled and my butter was soft. The freezer section had thawed out food in it. I immediately called GE, certain that it probably was the compressor and happily the compressor had a warranty for five years. A service man came the next day, replaced a computer board that controlled the self defrost mechanism and told us not to plug it back in for 24 hours. IT WAS NOT THE COMPRESSOR. That 20-minute visit and repair cost us almost $300.00. When I complained that this was one-third the price we paid for it, he suggested I buy a service contract for about that same amount.

My husband and I are retired. WE cannot afford to pay $1000.00 for a refrigerator and then another $600.00 to keep it running. That weekend, after shopping for the week, we went away for four days certain that the refrigerator was working well. When we got back, about $100.00 worth of groceries was rotting away in my hot refrigerator. I called Service immediately. Apparently the first person did not notice that the sensor was the real problem and this new man replaced that. This morning I woke up to a freezer with ice in it despite the new self-defrosting computer chip. Probably I can keep calling until someone admits it probably is the compressor and replace it rather than trying to get out of the warranty. I find these practices intolerable. These expensive items should last for over 3 years and if they aren't made to last, then the consumer should be told so we can find a product that is decently made.

My story is not over. Eight months ago I bought two new dishwashers (one had lasted 30 years, the other just under 18). One dishwasher became increasingly difficult to close the door on until I couldn't get it to run at all. The other one had too much water left in the tub at the end of each cycle. Fortunately, I was still under Warranty and to your credit again, someone came right out. He readjusted some things claiming they weren't put in right, blaming it on the installers. I did not have to pay, but he did inform me that if they weren't under warranty, I would have paid $120.00 EACH machine just for him to do about 5 minutes worth of readjusting.

Needless to say, I will never buy another GE product. Maybe this is not a big loss to the company, but I am not going to leave it there. I think we consumers are lemmings. I intend to send a copy of this letter to my congressmen, to ARRP and maybe start a class action suit against the unfair hidden costs of owning an appliance from GE such as Warranties that cover nothing, outrageous service contract prices and most of all the inferior nature of all products. I think I should be paid for the extra monies I have had to put out because I chose to believe you made a good product, not to mention the loss of my groceries and my time and inconvenience. I consider the advertising fraudulent--make a substandard product and don't stand behind it. I just read where the CEO makes 20 million a year in bonuses. He does not deserve it! The best thing I can say is that the service department responds rapidly, but then why not, they are making a bundle out of every product you sale.

On 11/13/07, we purchased GE electric water heater, 6-year warranty at Home Depo in Houston, TX. After installing the water heater, there was no hot water. We found that there was leaking water at the heat element. A plumber looked at the problem and told us that there was a defective heat element. Home Depot told us to call GE 800-431-1549. GE had plumber Dough Turner Plumbing came to fix it.

Instead of replacing the heat element or fix the problem immediately, Doug Turner Plumbing asked us 1) to installed the release water pressure pipe; 2) connect a pipe to the hole on the botton pan of the water heater; 3) and call GE to issue another ticket for Doug Turner Plumbing.

We installed the pipes and call GE the same day, the same ticket number was issued to Doug Turner Plumbing. We called Doug Turner Plumber on 11/20/07, the lady who ansered the called was not kind, she complained that GE could not tell her what to do nor knew their busy schedule, so Doug Plumber will not come out until Mon. 11/26/07. On 11/26/07 AM, we called Doug Turner Plumber reminded the coming, the lady who answered the call, put us on waiting with radio on for 30 minutes. It seemed GE wanted to fix the problem, but the plumber was reluctant to come and wanted to pay more for more trips.

The old couple live in the house, one got sick from taking cold shower for 7-day during a week of ThanksGiving; Another got burn from heating water over the stove, triped and fell. Both about to file a case against the owner.

In turn, i, the owner of the house may end up to have cases against Home Depo and GE for sale defective water heater. I asked Google and found that the GE defective water heaters are known, why GE did not ship another the heat element with the water heater and instructed people to replace if needed?

We were given a refund from HomeDepot, but are out the cost of the electrician and installation of the new hot water heater ($300). GE refuses to reimburse for any and all costs since they sent a plumber who replaces the parts.

I bought my father's home, which came equipped with a GE Whirlpool 50 gallong hot water heater, purchased on August of 1999. Since my father had it installed, the thermo coupler had to be replaced 4 times prior to 2005 when I bought the home. This unit comes with a 12-year part warranty, which is GARBAGE because I cannot wait 7-10 days for a replacement to arrive (THANKS FOR NOTHING GE!) while my 3 young daughters bathe in ice water. Just last night the thermo coupler went again, and the estimate from a reputable plumber to replace it was $237 dollars.

Guess what GE? For an additional $300, I can buy a brand new name brand unit and have it installed, and IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GENERAL ELECTRIC! Between my fathers repairs and mine, we've already paid twice what the original unit cost.

$237 for the replacement of the coupler, and this is the 5th time it has been replaced since 1999.

Water was coming from inside the heater, through the jackets.

Plumber opened heater, it was full of water. GE heater removed, and replaced with another brand.

I spent a full day, loss of work, to be with plumber while heater replaced. Sheetrock and wallpaper damage to downstairs bathroom.

it just leaves me and my family without hot water for another day until we get it fixed, again. the tank is only 3 days old.