Bradford White Reviews

1.0 star rating. 11/19/2015. I purchased a Bradford White water heater because I thought I would support a company that it is American made. Pathetically, they are NOT supporting me while after ONLY 3 years I lost hot water due to a FIRE WITHIN THE UNIT and a defective blower. Yes, those are on warranty BUT I have had to pay for 3 visits from my tech to sort out this problem and that they will not support me in covering these expenses! They try to tell me it's my poor quality of water, what a load of crap!!! I will NEVER EVER purchase another product from this company. Maybe they should listen to their recordings of how they have high quality, years of trouble free problems. Reliable?? What a horrible company with which to deal and absolutely no support!!! BEWARE before you purchase a water heater. Buy from another company!!! Their service is awful.

I purchased model m1403s6fbn in 2012. Immediately I noticed something wrong with my water pressure. I called the water company, who installed the unit, and they said it was an existing problem not connected to the unit. I then noticed water collecting on the top of the unit and called them back. It still took 2 other visits, until a person from the Bradford company came and said yes, it was definitely the unit. They did replace it but it was 2 weeks of back and forth. Well, now 3 years later and they have to replace it again for the same reason. I have to pay $500.00 installation fee. I have no water and have to worry if it will happen again. I don't think it is fair that I have to pay installation for a product that has a history, at least for me, of this issue.

In July, we replaced our 16yr old hot water heater with a Bradford White hot water heater. I know regulations have changed, and this was maybe one of the first models, so we tried to give the benefit of the doubt when it started leaking 4 months later. So, we called the installer, who promptly replaced it with another Bradford White Defender hot water heater. It has been 3 days, count them, 3 days, and it is leaking already. What is wrong with this product???

I purchased my first home back in 6/2010. 6 months later my water heater was leaking and my home warranty ended up replacing with brand new Bradford and white water heater which I came out of pocket 275 for. I was told the unit comes with 6 year warranty. On 8/27/15 the gas was shut off temporarily then pilot would not light. Had plumber come out to light pilot but was told valve would need to be replaced and they would confirm warranty. Bradford informed plumber that unit was no longer under warranty because Bradford had unit as a replacement and rolled over warranty of original unit from a different company.

I purchased a new home not to deal with a broken hot water heater. I called Mike ** at Bradford and was told he was in a meeting (surprising). And we all know that he called me back, NOT. My house is two years old and my hot water heater broke. I needed to call for service and the service man called Bradford. My hot water heater wouldn't light. Bradford told the service man to replace the GAS VALUE and the PILOT ASSEMBLY. REALLY I think that Bradford White should reimburse me the $450.00 it costed me to repair the crap.

Our Defender series heater stopped working recently. It is less than two years old. A technician diagnosed the entire pilot assembly as bad and replaced it. The heater still didn't. The technician also determines the gas control valve to also be broken. How does a relatively new product fail on multiple fronts? Bradford offered no consolation.

There are only 2 adults at this location. No problems until we would go more than 2 days with no use of hot water. Had strong sulfur smell. Neighbor suggested pouring bleach down well head. Cleaned smell after 2 days. Worked a couple of times. Now, after 7 years stinks all the time. Read that the problem is the anode. Why should this happen? Makes no sense to me. Out of warranty 1 yr ago. A 50-gallon tank for 2 people should last more than 7 years w/o repair. Not happy. Would not recommend.

I had replaced my hot water heater after 19 years of having an AO Smith hot water heater. I had the Bradford White only 14 months and we were having problems with the bathroom smelling like rotten eggs when the hot water was ran. My plumber diagnosed it to be the anode in the heater. When he removed it he said it was a generic part in it. I called Bradford White and they would not help with the part or the labor. It cost me $275 to have this part repaired. I would never purchase a Bradford product again.

We switched from an older, gas powered water heater when we did a renovation. The water heater wasn't malfunctioning, we just wanted something more efficient. We got a Bradford White direct vent water heater. In the space of one year we have had to replace a sensor twice and replace an entire "module" as well (the control box on the front). Our old water heater was "set it and forget it" - this one is "set it and pray"...

I had a Bradford White Defender gas water heater installed four years ago (model RG1PV40S6N). Two weeks ago I went down in the basement and found myself walking in an inch of water. The water around the base was red from rust. Plumber replaced it, it was under warranty, charged me $50 because the new unit from the supplier is supposed to be better insulated. If it were not for the fact I had water damage to furniture and cardboard boxes filled with clothing, three hours filling and dumping the shop vac, no hot water... I would give this a dissatisfied 2-star rating, but I am angry. Plumber's total bill this time was $291, materials, labor and tax. After plumber finished job I went to Lowe's and bought a water leak detector, placed it on the floor next to the unit.... wish I had done it a month ago.

I had a Bradford White water heater installed last year when my previous one broke and flooded our garage. We used our home appliance insurance to cover for the replacement. Now, we are being told that the company does not cover for labor to replace the broken heater and that we are responsible for the $650 charge to re-install another water heater in just 14 months!

A hot water heater was installed last year, 50 gallons LP gas. Today I felt smoke coming out from that room. I open the door, I saw the control box (gas valve) engulfed in flames, not from the burner, just the box in front of the tank. Thank god I was still able to shut of the gas and avoid a catastrophe, but this is a very serious matter. It is very dangerous, it should get the attention of public and safety regulators.

Thermal Coupler is bad after 4 years. I contacted Bradford White after having plumber from Mike Diamond let me know the unit is under warranty. After contacting BW, I was told to contact Ferguson Plumbing Supply. After waiting for about an hour to let a new employee figure out how to handle a swap of a warrantied product, I was told I owed $25 for a handling fee. What the heck was he talking about? BW told me it would be a swap at no charge to me. I contacted BW and they told me it was up to their supplier. I told BW I will NEVER buy another BW product and he didn't seem to care. What a ripoff! I could go to Home Depot or Lowe's and pay about $6 for a thermal coupler and install it myself with any other water heater, but NO... not with BW. I guess we're going to get rid of this unit and get a tankless water heater. Thank you, BW, for helping us speed up the process to purchase another mfg's tankless water heater!!!

Our Bradford White water heater Model MI5036FBN failed and began leaking. We awakened to water dripping from the ceiling in our dining room. Fortunately we caught it early. Our unit was manufactured in 2011. Ironically, our home warranty does not cover items that are still covered under manufacturer's warranty, and Bradford White does not apparently cover installation, so our cost is $1,100.

The top part of the tank leaked and corroded the whole thing. The insulation on the inside was shot with moisture! A very high price for only seven years old! Not happy, we have to buy another one so darn soon!

I am really surprised by all the bad experiences with the Bradford White water heaters I am reading here. We have a 40 gal electric model #m240s6ds2, if I read it right. It's a beautiful model and was installed in 2005 by the owners before us. We purchased this house (built in 1978) in 2006. We have never had a problem with it at all but because the year it was installed, and everyone says most last for 10-12 years, I am thinking at getting a new water heater before this one starts going bad or falls apart (even though it still looks brand new). I certainly don't want to have a big mess on my hands.

My wife and I purchased a new home in 2013 and during the first year no complaints. On 10 May 15 "Mother's Day" I had to replace my Bradford White water heater because the internal seal burst. On May 22 I had several walls and carpet dried and repaired. The morning of 24 May 15 the new Bradford White water heater burst again... Another insurance claim to repair my mechanical room and basement. Since the heater is less than a month old it is under warranty and will be replaced at no cost. There is still the issue of labor cost to pay for the licensed plumber. I will never again purchase a Bradford White product nor should anyone reading this.

50 gal propane water heater - This unit is five years old. Every year the pilot light goes out at least four times. Sometimes I can blame it on the wind, but not this year. In this last week, it goes off every other day. I might get a good hot shower in before it shuts off, if I take it right after I have relighted the pilot light! This isn't convenient at all - must I relight it every time I need hot water? It's still suppose to be closer to brand new. My first one of a different brand lasted 15 years! What am I suppose to do, rebuild the damn thing! Yes, I am disappointed!!!

I just Googled "Bradford White" to see what models are available as my husband and I are almost finished building our vacation home and want to install a Bradford White unit. I'm shocked to see the reviews posted by others because they couldn't be further from our experiences. Our first home had a Bradford White unit that was brand new and outlasted its 10 year warranty by 2 years. We bought another Bradford White when it came time for replacement.

I called a plumbing company to look at my Bradford White water heater which is only a little less than 3 years old. He told me to call and have the replacement part sent to me under the warranty. I called the company/warranty department and was told that as the home owner I am not allowed to order the part, only the contractor who worked on the unit! Ridiculous!! Why wouldn't the homeowner be able to order the control unit as the contractor requested I do so??? I am so upset as I haven't had hot water for days.

Bradford White water heater leaked after 3 yr, replaced by warranty but labor was $600.00. The product was a lemon when installed. My email to warranty division was useless. I would like an email address to the president of this company.

Problems with the Bradford White Defender Hydrojet WH - Pertzborn Plumbing installed this brand and model at their recommendation in 12/09 with a damper. It is the only gas appliance in my home. The ignition assembly and gas valve had to be replaced in 1/'14. On 4-5-15, my CO alarms went off when I came home. I called MG&E who tested and found 300 ppm CO at the site of the WH. They shut off the gas and the WH. Opened windows, doors and vented the house with fans. Afraid and stayed at a hotel that night. Pertzborn came next day and checked things out and took out the damper they had originally installed.

My home is only 2 yrs old and I'm having to replace my 40 gallons gas water heater, REALLY? From reading the reviews it seems like we all have something in common. We purchased a piece of garbage! Apparently it has been leaking for some time now but by the grace of God the drip pan has contained the water and there's no water damage (unfortunately the unit is upstairs). It's still under warranty but I really would like to install a "better" brand. I've contacted the Plumbers that installed the water heater though the Builders and they're going to replace it but I'll have to foot out the labor which is $350. Buyer beware! Complaints have been made since the early 2000's and this company has yet to better the quality of their product.

On my third one in 4 years! Shameful. I've read many complaints on Consumer Affairs regarding this product and they all seem to have similar issues/defects. Either it leaks at the bottom or top of the unit after 2 to 3 years or the ignition fails over and over lasting 3 to 4 months. Obviously these defects are not being addressed and corrected. I hope all of these complaints bring about a class action suit.

On January 16th 2015 we were awake by our smoke detectors to a smoke filled house. Went outside to find the Bradford White water heater that was 4.5 years old had turned into a blow torch and set our house on fire. It had worked perfect for all the time previously. This happened without warning. It leveled our house and destroyed our life long dream and all that we owned in our house - even killed our dog due to her hiding inside. Both I and my wife tried desperately to save her before nearly over come with smoke inhalation. We have been devastated by this loss and are currently soliciting for legal council to pursue legal action. Would never own a Bradford White product again and would never have a propane water heater in a home again.

I purchased a hot water heater and it was installed June 14, 2014. Two months later It lost the heat. The pilot light was difficult to work. The plumber who sold it to me came... got it started and in about 3 or 4 months it stopped again, in November at Thanksgiving time it quit again. The plumber started it again then in Dec at Christmas time it quit again. The plumber replaced the starting equipment and it lasted until February 19, 2015 then stopped again. I bought and paid for a hot water heater. I am not at all satisfied with this and would like to hear from you just how I get out of this mess.

Flat out, do not buy their product! They do not honor warranties like they claim to. Ours wasn't even 3 years old. If they don't believe what a licensed certified plumber is telling them about their product, then they won't believe anyone!

We had the first heater installed in Aug of 2011...it leaked 8 mo. later and was replaced free of charge. The second heater did better...it lasted 12 mo. then leaked. The third heater did even better by lasting 21 mo. before leaking and flooding my basement. That will be 4 water heaters in 42 mo. I don't know If they will replace this one under warranty but if I need to buy one you can bet your a__ it won't be Bradford White.

50 gallon electric. 7-year warranty and it failed three to 6 months after it was out of the service contract. I will be looking for a new hot-water heater and I promise Bradford White I will not look at one of their products ever again and will also tell everyone I know to do the same. How can something with the highest price and recommended so much be so bad? What a piece of **.

Water heaters may be the best, but the customer support needs some attention. Soon as the warranty is over, they will let you deal with it, and won't help at all. Sorry some of you may not like my comment, but that was my experience with Bradford White. So if you planing to buy Bradford White or have one, make sure you service it every year that's on commercial EF100T199E3N2. What I suggest is that you service the water tank and the space burner, 'cause the vapor may condensate inside the space burner and you will have a mix of dirt, oxidation and some type of insulation, and the error code will say valve FAIL. But the real problem will be space burner full of water, so all you need to do is just vacuum off the water but make sure you get just the muddy water and not the insulation. The bottom of space burner is fill up with some type of insulation that may damage the unit if remove it - this should be in your manual but is not. Hope this will be helpful for someone. THANKS keep smiling :) By the way I'm not angry, but I believe in GOD.

Natural gas Water Heater failed after 3 years of service. Serial # HK15769973 Model # MI403S8FBN. Hot water tank started leaking form the base, no emergency service available from local service provider. Product is clearly defective and as I understand it, replacement not completely covered under warranty. Not a product which I would recommend to anyone considering replacing their current water heater.

Had a Bradford White natural gas water heater installed in June,1993 and have never had a problem with it. Now 21 years later it has small leaks on the bottom so will need to be replaced. All in all I'm satisfied with this product.

BW hot water heater installed in our home 2 1/2 years ago by our propane co. that we have used for 20 years. Earlier this year we noticed that the pilot was out and they sent a rep that re-lit pilot and checked everything out. Had to come out twice more...then pilot would not stay lit. Husband is HVAC certified so he called BW and spoke to warranty dept. and tech support. General consensus was that it should never have been installed in a laundry room but outside like the garage because of dust and lint from the dryer (this room is 10x18 ft and w/h is at opposite end from the dryer). So of course the warranty will not be honored. Vacuumed all around it...blew it out...still won't stay lit. Will be going elsewhere tomorrow to purchase new hot water heater of ANY brand but Bradford-White....and by the way...can you imagine if the BW's don't like house dust what it will do after a pollen saturated spring in Mississippi...

My house came with a Bradford White gas water heater with an electric blower that has a 6 yr warranty. Yesterday the water heater broke and water went all over the basement floor and needs to be replaced. The water heater is 6 yr and 11 months old. This puts it conveniently outside the 6 year warranty. When I called the company I was told sorry, it is out of warranty they (Bradford White Corp) will not do anything. They said water heaters are designed to last 10 years+, industry standard is only 6 yr warranty, and they would do nothing about their product's failure. Additionally I was told Since it's out of warranty they (Bradford White Corp) won't do anything, but we will sell me a new water heater AT FULL PRICE.

My Bradford-White "Defender" gas water heater blew 6 yrs. and 3 months after installation. They have a 6 yr. warranty - and wouldn't offer me a dime toward replacement costs!

For the consumer named Evelyn who posted on July 1, 2014 please contact me regarding your water heater. Back in 2011 a Bradford White Natural Gas water heater was installed in my home - Model # M2XR504T6FBN. One week after install my unit also began malfunctioning. Bradford White failed to honor my 10-year warranty. One year after it was installed, my entire family was poisoned with carbon monoxide and my dog died. I have an attorney who is currently working on my case. I am 100% certain the water heater is defective because my attorney spent thousands of dollars getting mines tested. PLEASE contact me ASAP!!

Had a top of the line Bradford White high efficiency propane water heater installed in our new construction home in 2006. Model M1TW505S6FSX. Within 2 years we had a huge water leak, our installer came and replaced it and said it had an internal crack. Today, now 2014, water heater is spraying water out from the top. Warranty starts from original install, even though it was a faulty product. No assistance offered from company. Spent too much $$ on this water heater for these problems.

The Bradford-White water heater we are using is now 17 years old! We just had a 97% furnace installed and we’re thinking we should replace it. I read a Kenmore lasted 37 years, so maybe I will wait.

I had to replace my water heater @ 4 years ago (that one had served me well for 14 years, never an issue) and the company I was dealing with only used Bradford White which I had never heard of before. Well it failed after only 4 years in September of this year. I was shocked and disgusted. I had paid extra for a 12 year warranty and with them based in Michigan I was lulled into thinking I was purchasing a quality product. The original company replaced the water heater which I grudgingly consented to because they said the only way the warranty would be honored would be to get another Bradford White. However I had to pay the labor cost of $330 plus the cleanup I endured is priceless in my hours and effort. Timing was atrocious as well (was to leave on a trip that week so that was a negative shadow) so all in all an awful experience and huge disappointment!

Purchased a Bradford White Gas Water Heater 6 years, 9 months ago. The top of the tank is now leaking and we do not have hot water. Plumber told us we need to replace it. The Warranty on the water heater is only good for 6 years. Called Bradford White customer service and person was very rude and did not care about our concerns. I am very uncomfortable with buying another Bradford White Water Heater.

I can't believe how many other reviews there are stating the same exact problem I am having with my Bradford White water heater Model M15036FBN. I had it professionally installed in June of 2010 for $1600.00. When it blew I contacted the installer who came out to declare it dead and then proceeded to tell me it would be $900.00 plus $300.00 for a new expansion tank. ON A 4-YEAR OLD WATER HEATER!! OMG! My last water heater from Home Depot cost 1/3 as much, was professionally installed and lasted 15 years! I would never again buy from Bradford White and will tell everyone I know about this nightmare! Their "warranty" (my unit is under "warranty" for another full year) is useless and requires that I send parts to them before they will decide what (if anything) is covered! (I also think the contractor took that part when he "evaluated" the broken heater tonight! ) Even if it is covered I still get to pay over $1000.00 for installation of another piece of junk Bradford White water heater. NO WAY! I will pay the same to someone else for something that lasts more than 4 years! Worst experience I have had with plumbers and manufacturers in quite sometime. Someone should do a class action lawsuit to stop them. Any lawyers reading this???

Purchased Bradford White 5years - 358 days ago, model m265r6ds-1ncww. Install and all repairs done by licensed plumbers. It's an electric water heater. Actually service life has been semi OK since we live in an area with very hard water and water treatment depends on regularly supplying expensive salt to conditioning unit. We are on well water. So I recognize it can cause some build issues over time.

I had no hot water suddenly and a loud buzzing like a motor running when I turned on the hot water. As it happened a mouse had entered from the outside and got inside of the unit causing the problem. Our service technician said he had never seen anything like this before.

I have installed and serviced Bradford White Water Heaters for over 32 Years. I find the posts from dissatisfied consumers to be offensive and unfounded. First of all, consumers are not supposed to be allowed to even purchase BW Water Heaters. That would be the fault of the local distributors for being the proverbial "**" in the marketplace (willing to sell to anyone, for a slightly larger price).

My mom had a pos bw water heater installed 5 yrs 6 months ago-- Woke up this morning to find drain pan full and could not find leak. After pulling anode covers found some moisture in top cover but bottom cover was soaking wet and anode was rusted beyond belief. It's a miracle this pos didn't short out and burn the house down. NEVER EVER have I seen a water heater with such a short life span as this. WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT OR ANY OTHER MADE BY THIS COMPANY.

Bradford White MI5036FBN-337 50 Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater. After 4 years, suddenly leaking. Luckily, we were at home so the damages were minimal. Totally unacceptable.

Bradford White hot water heater model #mi403s6fbn - This is the second brand new BW gas hot water heater installed in less than one month......... first one only produced lukewarm water. Called service man and he found the thermostat was defective, installed new one. Had hot water for half of the next day, called service back. They checked everything, moved water temp to very hot... nothing changed. BW accepted the tank back and presented us with another new one... installed last week and once again we had hot water for a day maybe two and now it is back to lukewarm again even though I pushed the temp up as far as it will go......... Service person says I need to call a plumber now which is going to mean more money... Shouldn't the gas company that installed it stand behind it?

Contractor installed new NG BW WH. Unit deemed defective 1 week post-install. BW will not honor 10-year warranty. Model M2XR504T6FBN

Only 3.5 years and the unit cracked. Now, I'm out the full cost of removal and replacement. They only cover the tank AND they don't reset the warranty period. It only lasts the duration of the original. Makes sense as this junk isn't likely to last any longer. AND you are (practically speaking) stuck with the original installer who recommended this shoddy, poorly made product. ASHAMED it is made in the USA. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED TOO! I spoke with the customer service supervisor, Mr. Mike ** and he was no help. Just reiterated the warranty and refused to consider that 3.5 years is UNACCEPTABLE water heater life. GARBAGE!

We built our home and went with a leading manufacturer - Bradford White. Today we are replacing it (and NOT with another of the same manufacturer!). The inside container busted, imploded - whatever you want to call it. Seems to me that there are enough people out there with products going bad that were manufactured during the same time period that would cause a recall of Bradford White Hot water heaters. Bad! Very Bad! I didn't select to have an attorney contact me however if there is more people that would generate a greater repercussion to Bradford White - then definitely contact me!

Had a new water heater installed in a new house in January 2006. It was a Bradford White 80 gallon electric. It was defective and replaced in February 2008. It is now leaking and will have to be replaced again after only 6 years. The online warranty information says the warranty was out in 2012, 6 years after manufacture.

My 14-month old Bradford White Hot Water Tank, model M240S8DS-INCPP, had a defect in the drain valve. The valve blew apart, and left me with a water damage claim. The local supplier says there have been 2 other failures on the same model tank since the beginning of the year. Is this a known defect?

Installed a BW 40 gal gas water heater. It worked okay for a couple of months, then extremely hot water for a couple of months, then little hot water, etc. Turns out to be the thermostat that my supplier said was a major problem with those units. The real issue is that technical support at Bradford White is non-existent. First, you can never get through to speak to someone. So, I used the option to email and received a reply telling me to contact a plumber. Of course, the voice message while you wait forever says they are highly trained and dedicated and would walk you through the problem. If a company won't back up their product and won't provide customer support, what good are they? No more Bradford White for me!

I am a Bradford White customer (personal home and 2 rentals) and a plumbing heating and cooling contractor that installs Bradford White in New Mexico. Your build up of black debris sounds like what happens when a water heater that is set up for natural gas is put on a propane system. I have seen the same thing happen on gas burning equipment around here when an unqualified contractor installs equipment meant for natural gas systems is installed on a propane system without converting it.

Purchased new 40 gallon Bradford White hot water heater. Within 5 months the unit quit working. Some parts were replaced and it worked for about 5 weeks. A plumber came out sent by the supplier - Edge Supply - he said he couldn't find anything to be the cause so he replaced all of the valves etc. - it worked for about 3 or 4 weeks and quit again. I could light it but it would run for a few hours and then quite again. Upon checking it, the flue was entire covered with black debris. The burner when lit appeared to be yellow - I was told that the burner was not burning properly. After no closure I purchase another brand - hooked up on the same plumbing and it has not failed yet - now I am out several hundreds of dollars and no refund or new replacement from Bradford White.

Bought new house that is less than 3yrs old. Woke up Friday morning to no hot water. Went out to check heater in garage to hear water running. Thought maybe better half was using master bathroom, but no one else up or using water. Went back out to freezing garage (just after Christmas!) and looked at W/H again to find water in drip pan under heater. Checked pipes on top of heater to find them dry so water was leaking from inside insulated housing.

My Bradford White water heater is only a few years old. The pilot light went out. I made several unsuccessful attempts to relight same. Now I am without hot water on a Sunday morning. I read several complaints on the internet and I am convinced that Bradford is aware of this problem but fail to do the right thing and make a quality product.

I purchased a new home in 2009 which has a Bradford White water heater Model No:M440356FBN S/N FK12499826. The problem is the sensor on the pilot light keeps failing so the boiler goes out and cannot be re-lit. You can hold the pilot button as long as you want but the second you leave go the pilot light goes straight out. This seems to be an annual problem so is becoming expensive as you cannot buy just the sensor - you have to purchase the entire gas control assembly, which I find ridiculous, then you have the expense of getting someone to install it. This is obviously a manufacturing fault and Bradford White need to step up to the plate and resolve this issue. In the meantime, I am again without hot water and again have to purchase a control module just to replace a $10 sensor. I have neighbors around me having the same problems and are having the entire hot water tank replaced. Not a Happy Customer! "Make It Right Bradford White" and feel free to call me!!!

3 years and 360 days, we had installed a 40 gallon gas water heater and it started leaking from the bottom. Called company who installed it. They came out and told me it is a total tank failure. The water heater is still under warranty but the cost of installation is again on me. I do not want nor will I have another Bradford White in my house. I refuse. Bradford-White will not give me another warranty on their own product and I am afraid to put another in my home. I thought living in Michigan I'd buy a Michigan made product. Bad choice and Bradford-White was not my first choice but I could not find a company that carried my first choice. So the kicker is the company that did the install no longer carries Bradford-White, and for a good reason, but they now carry the brand I originally wanted. Ironic. Never again a Bradford-White product.

This hot water heater lasted 4 1/2 years. It started leaking, causing the electrical unit to burn. Had we not checked the water heater before we went to bed at 11:00 p.m., our house would have had major damage. When we went out, the garages were filled with smoke and odors. The bottom unit was aglow and I don't know what would have happened during the night. We made sure the unit was unplugged and tried to release all the pressure. This is the worst experience I have had regarding hot water heaters and I am now 70 years old. I will not recommend this product. I am very, very upset.

My first B&W power vent lasted about 7 years, and my 2nd replacement about 6! For $1,200 this seems not acceptable. We do have a functioning water softener also.

My husband and I have lived in our home for about 14 yrs now. It is a 2 family. We kept one old water heater, but replaced ours when purchasing the home. Needless to say, the old one which I would imagine had to be about 20+ years old is the one that was changed. So we were told by our plumber to purchase a Bradford White. The first one didn't even work, I should have run at that point, and went to another manufacturer. We did get another Bradford White put in for it to only break after 7 years. I called their warranty department to get absolutely nowhere. We paid a lot of money for this product, and honestly if we knew it had the longevity of 7 yrs we could have gotten a cheaper product, or had gone to our local Appliance Home Store.

We have lived in our home for 18 years and we are now getting ready to install our FOURTH Bradford White Hot Water Heater. For some reason, these particular water heaters do not last very long. Our unit has been installed three times by a professional plumber and the same one is getting ready to install the fourth one. It is a High Efficiency Model and if I had to do all over I would never use this particular brand again. We are in a pickle as we are in the process of trying to sell our home and we definitely need to have a Hot Water Heater!!!!! I believe that these models should last longer than they have. All I can say is "Buyer" beware if you choose this particular model to use. Right now, I am in the process of cleaning water up in my basement so that the water doesn't get into my finished family room wall and I am very frustrated. Look at other models before buying this one.

April 19th, 2012 we had a Bradford White water heater installed in our home. The plumber told us at that time the unit had a 7 year warranty. To our surprise, June 25th 2013 we got up to a flooded laundry room, water pouring out of the water heater. We tried calling the plumber who had installed the unit only to find his number disconnected and the company out of business. We called the plumber who we had used on another job recently and he came out and said the unit was defective but he was not a Bradford White contractor and could not replace the unit under warranty for us. He advised we contact Bradford White direct for the name of a contractor in our area.

My tank quit producing hot water. I called a plumber who replaced the valve. Two weeks later, the tank has no hot water. Plumber returned and replaced the valve again. Third time around, the plumber assured me he replaced Bradford White tanks and that they would authorize it; they were an excellent tank. This is not true. They refused. I contacted Bradford White personally and Amy ** at BW sent out a BW-certified plumber who told me my problem was a little plastic piece that had been broken - wrong. Three days later, I have no water. BW was contacted again; plumber returned to inform me that he "missed" that my tank was installed incorrectly and that my tank is ruined and I will need a new one. Apparently (although the warranty book DOES NOT SHOW ANY SUCH THING), I should have an expansion tank converter placed on it. Bradford White says this is a plumber problem and I am out of luck. I will not be replacing this tank with a BW and have turned the matter over to my attorney.

In October 2010, I had the small 5 gallon electric water heater under my kitchen sink replaced with a new Bradford White water heater. The work was done by professional plumbers, who have an excellent reputation. Over the next few months, I noticed that my electric bills were higher than normal and couldn't find the cause - now I suspect it was the water heater, since the bills went back down in May.

I was upsold this Bradford White (50) Water Heater Model # MI5036FBN, 02/09. The unit just went out, and it's still under warranty. The same plumbing company (Yes Plumbing) charges me a service fee ($79) to evaluate it. They determined the water tank is no good, and it's under warranty; the warranty replacement fee is $1,000. They have got to be crazy. The purpose of my purchasing this supposedly top of the line water heater recommended by your company with lovely warranty, and now they don’t want to honor it unless I’m paying $1,000. They are crooks. Whether the water heater was a bad unit or not, honor your warranty claims and services agreement. Who pays $1,400 for a unit to have to pay $1,000 for warranty swap out? Companies are supposed to stand behind the product they sell! I will be contacting Bradford White Company after this.

Bradford white 40 gallon water heater - The first heater started leaking after 5 years. The replacement was under warranty and started leaking within 2 years. 3.5 years of service between them, and of course, contractor fees.

Oct 2011, I paid a licensed contractor to purchase and install brand new Bradford White Gas Water Heater model# MZXR504T6FBN (manufacture date Oct. 2011). One week after install, the pilot light went out (I noticed during using hot water) and in assuming it was a fluke relit and went about my business. A week later, the pilot went out again, this time forcing me to contact contractor. Contractor (who was paid $95) came out and said because my heater is positioned near the back door, the draft is blowing the flame out and there is no real solution but to stop using backdoor, so we stopped, relit and went about our business. Few days later, same thing and this time I contacted Bradford White. Bradford White insisted I contact the contractor again because it didn't sound like an actual warranty issue. (BTW, I purchased a 10-year manufacturer's extended warranty.) After contractor came out, charged me an additional $95 and spent every bit of minute looking at it, he suggested I contact City due to possible gas leak. City concluded no gas leak.

I had a Bradford White water heater model #M45036FBN, S/N DM10005845, D/N -394 installed on January 25, 2008. On Friday evening, November 9, 2012, I noticed no hot water at the faucets. I checked the water heater, found the tank leaking and the pilot light out. I shut off both gas and water supply. I called the installation plumber. I could not get someone to come till Tuesday, November 13, because Monday, November 12, is Veterans Day. This plumber, Perfection Plumbing of Temecula, CA, advertised to be 24/7 service.

I had my home warranty company, First American, vendor, Round The Clock, install a Bradford White water heater/serial #HC14703352 D/N 394 on 4/3/2011. Three weeks later, they had to come back because of a gas leak. We have had Southwest Gas out to our home, 3 times since, because of the smell of gas. Last Tuesday, June 19, the gas company turned off the hot water heater, saying it was too dangerous to keep on. The home warranty company will not return my calls. The vendor, Round The Clock, came out to fix the power box, and put a hole in the tank. Now, they said that it is out of warranty. I called Sheila **, Service Manager of Bradford White, phone number 1-800-900-3364 to complain. She will replace the water heater only, will not pay for labor. So, long story short, I will have to pay for labor, again. If you had a car that was leaking gas, the vendor would fix at no cost to you. It is called liability. Where is the conscience of this American business (Bradford White)? Why, as consumers, are we constantly being robbed?

My water heater is leaking carbon monoxide, putting my family at serious risk. My water heater is under warranty until 01/2015. According to Bradford White they will pay for parts but not for labor. Why should I pay for anything if their water heater is defective? If there is a problem with the water heater, they should be responsible for all costs. Also, the operator was very unprofessional and got into an argument with me. I was so angry. I hung up without getting a name.

Hot Water Heater that was installed on 11/11/09 had to replace on 2/18/12. I have 13 documents supporting this indecent of the Hot Water Heater. I am waiting for form/s from consumer affairs so that I can fill them out. I believe I spoke to a young Lady on 2/21/12. All supporting documents will be mailed to Consumer Affairs as soon as I receive your forms.

I bought a new B. White tank, and gas flow valve, which were defective within 1 month of purchase. B White is trying to charge me $450.00 repairs to replace gas valve.

I replaced a Bradford White water heater that I had for 10 years with another of the same. The heater started leaking out of the hot water nipple after 4 years of service. I spoke to two people at Bradford. I was told the hot water anode tube and nipple were designed to sacrifice themselves to minerals in the water to preserve the tank. I agree with the concept of the anode wearing away, but the nipple it is attached to should never leak. I found out the nipple is made of galvanized steel, which is not a good metal for water use because it rusts very quickly. I asked why the nipple was not made out of brass, which is universally used for water pipes because it lasts forever. They just wanted to give me the boiler plate response they have for complaints when they disagree with the customer. They are not very customer friendly. This will be the last Bradford White heater I will ever use.

My company purchased a 100-gallon water heater (serial # EA10117161 D/N; model # D8OT180E3N) 3 years ago. Approximately 2 years ago it started leaking horribly. We took the unit back to whom we purchased locally (Hirsch pipe) and they did the right thing and started the warranty replacement process with a refund to us. This all transpired as promised. The problem occurred 5 months later when the replacement water heater starting leaking very badly.

This is about Bradford White Water Heater M440T6FBN/serial number DF 9268843. This reply confirms receipt of the letter regarding your water heater(s) located at **. The water heater you have referenced is independently design certified and manufactured in compliance with all applicable ANSI safety standards. As this is a gas water heater and natural gas is being burned, carbon monoxide (CO) concerns are addressed under the design standard. The water heater design (when installed and maintained in accordance with the National Fuel Gas Code regulations and the written instructions that accompany the water heater) does not pose a risk of CO.

Two Bradford White 50 gallon water heaters that supposedly had 6 year warranties developed leaks coming out the top in less than 4 and 1/2 years after put in service. Has there been a history of defective quality and/or premature failures of Bradford White water heaters installed by new house building contractors?