Hot Water Tank Warranty – Let us help you figure it out

Before I get started, let me answer the one question that everyone asks:

How can I check the warranty on my original tank?

Many brands, but not all, have a website where a warranty may be checked by homeowners, but we want to make it easy for you. Call or contact us with the model and serial number and we’ll get back to you with your hot water tank warranty in the same day.   Can’t read it without your glasses?  Send us a picture and we’ll fine what we need.

Now what?  If you’re asking, you’re probably about to make that choice – service or repair.

Need a new hot water tank?

Here’s how to get the most out of your new hot water tank purchase and understand the water heater warranty world.  As homeowners, we all have access to the internet to provide us with information assisting in our decision making; however, it can sometimes be overwhelming for us to navigate through the various manufacturers and the warranties they offer.  To decide what warranty is right for you, you should know the difference and what to look for.

How long is the warranty?

As of January 2017, manufactures changed the standard water tank warranty for both gas and electric tanks to 6 years.  This may seem very short, and it certainly is much shorter than years past.  Yes, for whatever reason, warranty periods for hot water tanks are shrinking.  They used to be 8, and before that 10 and 12-year warranties were the norm.  Now you may be wondering, “What can I do about that?”

Can I buy an extended warranty?

Yes, you can buy extended warranties for hot water tanks.  For a standard gas fired 40-gallon hot water tank an extended warranty costs typically less than $140 and extends the warranty for another two years.

Extended Warranty inside scoop

What does buying the extended warranty do for you? Want to know a secret about some hot water tank warranties?  Some extended warranties come with a little kit that your favorite plumber (R&B) will need to install for you.  The kit will typically consist of a larger anode.  These ‘sacrificial’ parts are installed to prevent rusting in the tank.  The larger the anode, the longer the tank will be protected from rusting.

Other extended warranties work more like an insurance policy where the manufacturer is expecting that on average, they will sell enough of them to cover the losses that may arise from a tank that fails before the end of the warranty.

What does the warranty cover?

A hot water tank warranty will cover each component and the tank itself if they happen to fail before its expired.  The warranty is usually limited to the failed part and will not cover any of the labour associated with the replacement of the part.  The only time the manufacture will replace the entire tank is if it’s leaking.  Even then, all they provide is the tank.  The labour to change it is the responsibility of the homeowner.

Any other fees?

If you need to use your warranty, you will be charged a “warranty return form” fee which is charged by the supplier to process the paperwork for a returned tank.  This charge is typically $35 at the time of this blog.

If I get my hot water tank replaced under warranty, will I get another 6 years?

If you have your hot water tank replaced under warranty, the new tank will only be covered until the end of the warranty of the original tank.  This is tracked by the tank serial number.

What about R&B’s warranty?

R&B has a one-year warranty for parts and labour for every tank we install.  This means that if any part fails on a tank we’ve supplied, within one year, we will replace that part for free.  Labour included.

For all your advice and hot water tank needs and questions, call R&B.