
Laura of Wausaukee, WI on May 10, 2008
Monday, May 5th, I purchased a Richmond water heater from Menards for our mobile home. This was the only water heater in stock for mobile homes. Tuesday, May 6th, We installed the water heater. By Tuesday night, it was completely installed, but the pilot light would not stay lit.
Wednesday, May 7th, I read the paperwork that came with the water heater concerning troubleshooting and the 6 year warranty. The troubleshooting section began "Save time and money! Review the charts". The solution under every subheading for the problem we had stated to "call a qualified service technician." I read the warranty and it stated that labor for a repairman was not covered. Now, I must wonder how calling a technician, particularly when it is not covered by the warranty will save us money. Also, the first page of the manual says "Any questions--should be directed to the seller." So, this is where we began.
I called Menards and spoke with Mike. He gave me the number 1-877- to call concerning warranties for Richmond products. I called and spoke with Monesha. I explained that I have had this water heater since Monday (not even a full 48 hours yet) and that the pilot light is not working. She wanted me to trouble-shoot it. Not feeling comfortable in doing so, I told her I would wait until my husband got home.
When he got home I had him call. He also spoke with Monesha and she told him that they cannot pay for a serviceman to come out and repair the water heater because our warranty does not cover labor and Menards should have explained the terms of the warranty to us. She then told us that if we wanted labor to be covered, we should have purchased a labor warranty or the 9 or 12 year warranty water heater and that Menards should have suggested these options to us.
I called Menards back to look into purchasing a 9 or 12 year water heater and Mike told me that Richmond did not make such a product and that they sold us the only mobile home water heater they had in stock. I called Richmond back and spoke with Nicole. I asked why Monesha had told us to purchase an item that they don't even make. She explained to me that even though I had given them the model and serial number as they had asked, they believed that we had purchased a water heater for a home, not for a mobile home (when a company make mistakes like this, I often wonder what is the purpose of giving them the model and serial number in the first place). When I explained to her that this was the only water heater Menards had for a mobile home, she told me that she couldn't help where I live.
Nicole then told me that she would like to fix our problem. I thought "Wonderful! She will finally send someone out to fix this broken heater." when I pursued the issue of her sending someone out, she told me that she could not do that because I would be receiving a service that I did not pay for. In my opinion, I am not receiving the service that I paid for, because I paid $330 for a working water heater, and it is not working. I tried to explain to her that I have paid for a product that was defective and she was very adamant that the water heater was not defective and was working properly. I guess she believes that the Richmond water heater was not supposed to work, and was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. This conversation was obviously becoming unproductive, so I ended it.
Exasperated, we called a plumber. They told my husband that they get calls for Richmond water heaters at least twice a week to replace the regulators, and suggested that to my husband before he pay the cost of having him come out. My husband then called Mike back at Menards and they decided that the regulator was bad. So he removed the regulator and several other parts, and made a trip into town to get new ones (I feel I should mention that town is over 20 miles away one way). He brings it home and replaces it and still has the same problem with the pilot light being lit. After messing with it, he realizes that when he closes the burner access door and tightens the screws, it suffocates the pilot light and it goes out.
I feel at this point that I should mention a few things. First, I am sure that I do not need to go into the inconvenience of not having water (especially hot water). I am sure you can imagine that, but I feel compelled to tell you that I also have two small children, one 2 years old, and one 1 year old. Also, although my husband may be off of work while he is installing the water heater, I am still working as a high school substitute teacher. I mention that because I am sure you can imagine how critical high school students can be (particularly if you are a sub) and how judgmental they can be if I do not have a bath for days.
I should also state that Nicole at Richmond assured me that the water heater was not defective. Which leads me to believe that you are supposed to remove the burner access door and manually light the pilot light (which then I wonder what was the purpose of the automatic igniter), it is supposed to burn and orange flame instead of blue, and that you are supposed to leave the burner access door loose in order for oxygen to get to the flame. All of which I believe are unsafe, but Nicole said that it was not defective, and this was the only way we could get it to work, which implies that this is the way it is supposed? to work.
I do believe that having someone come out to fix the not 48 hour old heater was not too much to ask. My husband already had the heater installed, and although the warranty stated it would not cover labor (something we did not know until after we had the water heater home, opened the box, and read the warranty), having someone come out and fix an item that was not even 2 days old was not an unreasonable request. If we already had it installed and working for a few years, I can see how my request would be denied, but it was a brand new item (which I assumed would work initially) and never did.
Thursday, May 7th, My husband, getting tired of this messing with this substandard water heater, and obviously since we are not getting any help from Richmond, takes the water heater out. We return this defective water heater, and planned on purchasing another brand of water heater from Menards. Unfortunately, the only brand that Menards carries is Richmond, and after this severely disappointing experience we no longer want to deal with this company and their so-called "claim" of a 6 year warranty.
With no luck at Menards, we decide we will have to look elsewhere for another water heater. All day, he drives all around the Marinette/Menominee area and can find no water heaters. That afternoon, when I get home from work, we then decide to go to Home Depot in Green Bay. So, he calls his job and takes 4 hours of personal leave in order to complete the project which he started three days ago. Home Depot carries GE water heaters made by Rheem (which makes me very happy because when I did an internet search on the top 10 name brands of washers, Rheem was #1 on the list). So, we drive all the way to Green Bay and for only $10 more than the one we purchased at Menards, we get a similar GE water heater. We get home at 9:30 in the evening and he begins installing this new heater.
Friday, May 8th - He finishes installing the GE water heater. By noon he has it up and running with no problem. Anyone who deals with propane products knows the risks that come along with a product that is not working properly. Richmond insisted that this problem worked correctly. Nicole specifically told me that it was not defective. Yet, the pilot light would not stay lit with the burner door closed, and when the door was open, it was an orange flame, not blue. Now, I know the color of the flame has to do with the temperature, but I do not know the consequences of having an orange flame rather than a blue one.