Water heater prices seem to have gone up

[Alfred_B]

Last night our water heater bit the dust so today I ordered a new one online.

$1,166 for a 40 gallon Bradford White power vent model.

I went back to my receipts and the last time I had installed a 40 gallon Bradford White heater was in 2009 and it was $420. I don't think sticking a power vent on a heater is a $800 add on so the prices must have gone up considerably -- it has been an eye watering experience today.

But with Shark bite tubing it's going to be an easier install than I was anticipating.

Things sure have changed in the last 10 years

 

[JC1]

What failed in your tank that it needs replacing after only 10 years?

Yes the price of things has gotten crazy. I don't want to know what things will cost 10-20 years from now....

 

[Wolf359]

Actually power venters have always been more money than a regular tank water heater. They might have been in the $800-$900 range back then. You should seriously look at replacing the anode rod if you want that one to last a while. Might be a project on a power venter though as I'm sure the top of the rod is probably hidden by all the power venter items on top of it.

 

[Tman220]

Any reason you went with the same brand again? Water heaters should last more than 10 years, and the bradford white brand does not receive steller reviews especially when it comes to longevity.

At my previous house I had a 25 year old A.O. smith still functioning properly.

Any particular reason you ordered a power vent, if you don't need one now? They are barely more efficient and more things to fail down the road, so it's downright silly unless you need to vent horizontally. Not to mention the additional cost.

 

[Greggy_D]

On my Bradford White power vent, the [censored] rods are in where the water lines attach.

 

[atikovi]

No idea what a power vent is but I see 40 gal at HD for $444. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...ank-Water-Heater-XG40S06EC34U0/205811152

 

[Wolf359]

Also you need to shop around a little more. Rheems regular 40 gallon hot water tank is $439. Their power venter is $879.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...ank-Water-Heater-XG40T06EC36U1/205811145

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...ank-Water-Heater-XG40T06PV40U0/204318424

Originally Posted by Tman220
Any reason you went with the same brand again? Water heaters should last more than 10 years, and the bradford white brand does not receive steller reviews especially when it comes to longevity.

At my previous house I had a 25 year old A.O. smith still functioning properly.



Longevity depends on several factors. Who knows if your anode rod every got replaced. I've gotten as little as 5 years out of water heater and as much as 12+. Depends on the water and how much it gets used. I remember replacing two water heaters at about the same time. One died after about 5 years, the other one kept going. Aside from manufacturing differences, the only difference between the two were that one unit had 6 people so I assume it got used a lot more and the other unit just had 2 people. So a lot more use in one vs the other.

 

[Alfred_B]

It's not the unit installed in 2009. This is in a different house, built in 2007. The heater has some numbers on it to suggest it was made in 2004.

 

[Kestas]

Wow, this is shocking. Our A.O.Smith water heater is 20 years old. I got it on sale for $199 when they were regularly $350 (Builders Square was going out of business). I've never replaced the anode.

Why have water heater prices outpaced inflation?

 

[FT92]

wow that's insane...locally electric going for right around $350 and gas just around $425 water heaters have gone up for sure but a thousand plus ?

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted by FT92
wow that's insane...locally electric going for right around $350 and gas just around $425 water heaters have gone up for sure but a thousand plus ?


add 400-500 for power vent and tiny selection.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by FT92
wow that's insane...locally electric going for right around $350 and gas just around $425 water heaters have gone up for sure but a thousand plus ?


Power vent is a different type of water heater. Not very common and they were always in the $800-$900 range. Of course certain brands tend to charge a bit more. The price of water heaters have gone up a little too, but sometimes it tracks the metals market. At one point when scrap metal was worth more, they were up there in price, but the market collapsed and the prices are back down again. There are still people out there collecting scrap metal though so I don't know how they can afford to even pay for gas to drive around looking for scrap.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by FT92
wow that's insane...locally electric going for right around $350 and gas just around $425 water heaters have gone up for sure but a thousand plus ?


Power vent is a different type of water heater. Not very common and they were always in the $800-$900 range. Of course certain brands tend to charge a bit more. The price of water heaters have gone up a little too, but sometimes it tracks the metals market. At one point when scrap metal was worth more, they were up there in price, but the market collapsed and the prices are back down again. There are still people out there collecting scrap metal though so I don't know how they can afford to even pay for gas to drive around looking for scrap.


These are the same people that steal pallets and sell them for $5

Home depot has 50gal rheem for 479 or 40gal for 414

powervent has 1 local option and 959 50gallon.

add in the install in that price and $1200+ doesnt seem too crazy anymore for power vent.

 

[sloinker]

I rplced my 50 gallon natural gas water heater last year. It was 11 years old and leaking around the bottom of the tank. An equivalent replacement was near $500. I installed it myself. That price a dozen years ago would have been closer to $350 in my recollection.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by Rand
Powervent has 1 local option and 959 50gallon.

add in the install in that price and $1200+ doesnt seem too crazy anymore for power vent.


If you read his original post, he mentioned he ordered it online and mentioned a $1,166 price. Normally when you order something online, it doesn't include installation so that's just the price of the water heater. That price is probably due to the brand charging an extra premium. That's basically what marketing does for you, I never noticed a particular brand that lasted longer than other one, they all seemed to die in the 5-10 year range, just the luck of the draw sometimes.

 

[Rat407]

For that price you could have gone tankless. That is if you have a gas line you can use. Electric tankless are not all that from what I have read.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I prefer to pay a little extra for a State or A.O. Smith water heater that lasts longer. I did a preemptive change on my A.O. Smith electric after 15 years. But the best addition was a $180 German brand recirculating pump that provides near instant hot water throughout the house.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by Kestas
Why have water heater prices outpaced inflation?


Government regulations. Specifically requiring more insulation, an electric starter instead of a pilot light on natural gas water heaters, and water heaters above a certain capacity if electric need to be the heat pump type. I may have my terminology wrong, but you know what I mean.

The extra insulation means that the same sized water heater is bigger, so that will make installation more difficult, unless you go down in capacity.

 

[c502cid]

Jeez guys, water heater price has always been about the warranty. Didn't really matter the brand. 5 year warranty $450, 10 year warranty $800, 15 year warranty $1300. As far as I know it's the same [censored] water heater, but price wasn't really on features and benefits.

 

[Cujet]

I purchased an AO Smith 80 gal hybrid water heater.

Here in South Florida, it's nice to have that thing air condition my garage.

Previously, I had a propane water heater that cost a fortune to run. Plus a 10,000 BTU window unit in the garage.

I eliminated my propane bill, and reduced my electric bill. That Hybrid water heater was just the right thing for South Florida.