Peter,
I've bought a few GE gas water heaters from HD over the years. They have been efficient and work without problems and were significantly less expensive than elsewhere.
Why do you say not to buy them from HD?
Member
Peter,
I've bought a few GE gas water heaters from HD over the years. They have been efficient and work without problems and were significantly less expensive than elsewhere.
Why do you say not to buy them from HD?
Guest
I don't need to replace my water heater but I've been kicking around doing it. The one I currently have is too small and I run out of water way faster than I'd like. I've been eyeing up Bosch on demand water heaters. Twice the money but I don't think it makes sense to heat water 24hrs a day when you only need it for 45 min a day. Granted the water heater isn't cheap, but neither is propane!
It pays to have friends in the trades. I may be fortunate but I could have an entire house built with labor from within my circle of friends. It's handy knowing electricians, plumbers, cement heads, framers, roofers, trimmers, you name it. The only thing I don't have is a friend who does cabinetry.
Member
I've pretty much been ripped off by every plumber who's come out to the house. Had one move a water heater from an unheated spaceto a heated closet. Asked me if I wanted him to go ahead and wire it up, I said, sure, save me doing it. Should have checked before he left--he wired a 220V hot water heater (30 amp) with 14 gauge wire.
Guess it looked like a lamp to him...
Contributor
PLz forward the name of your plumber, he's obviously a true artist and miracle worker.
He's SO good he can solder tarnished pipes and then put an outstanding old time patina on the copper. The green corrosion stain is a true stroke of genius, only a true master would have thought to leave that little touch of realism! Not to mention the cleverly weathered wood around the "hole". The guy is GOOD!
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Something stinks and I don't think it's the plumbing job...
Mike
Contributor
I have a friend who makes cabinets. He actually charges less than either of the BORGS. Customers balk at 50% up front, until he reminds them at BORGS get 100% up front, including installation. As for me, I have always had my own business, even when working full time for others. Since leaving teaching twelve years ago, I haven't even printed a business card. The phone rings constantly. Usually I'm two months out on work. I don't schedule anything for Mondays as there is usually an emergency that will pop up over the weekend. Where I was working today, there was an addition job two doors down the street. Talked to the builder. They did a job last April across the street, then started this one in Oct. Next week when they finish, they are going down the street a couple blocks. Then after that job they are going into next block. Their work is good. One thing to always remember is to CLEAN UP DAILY. Nobody will complain to you about leaving a mess, but they will tell all their friends. Here locally is a plumbing company that isn't cheap, but their work is good. Most of their employees have been there over ten years. Word of mouth can be your greatest asset. But it only takes one oh ----- to cancel out a whole lot of atta boys.
Member
When I was shopping for my tankless heater I looked at a few brands, one of them was the Paloma brand. Can you guess who sells it? It was recalled as a serious safety hazard (carbon monoxide poising) last summer nation wide. Sure glad I didn't buy that one. Not their fault? They didn't make it, they just sell it? Exclusively. Fits into the low bid environment perfectly.Originally Posted by Ben Rafael
Oh, did I tell you about the door I fixed for my neighbor? Seems the Borg sub managed to install a steel door whose bottom missed the adjustable threshold by 1/2". Snow was coming in. Fortunately it was out of square and plumb too. After three call backs later with no improvement my neighbor called me. "Can you do it? Can you help? She asked plaintively. The list goes on and on and on....
I can't say no one has ever gotten a decent product from the Borg, but I have seen enough junk come out of there to be wary. I'd make you a list of the things I stopped buying there due to quality problems but its too long for this post. When you compare prices make sure you are comparing apples to apples as they often source 'licensed' versions of brand name products whose quality is below similar offers else where. And if you do have a problem with a product purchased there, good luck.
If you enjoy shopping there, have had good luck with their goods and have been given good service then I encourage you to continue that relationship. This has not been my experience generally.
Member
The only thing I've bought there that is junk is their plywood.
Everything else has been fine.
Unfortunately I dont have many other reasonable options where I live.
Member
Looks to me like the cheap borg sub may have reused some old pipe to save a buck. Its not a crime really to reuse old copper as a vent, possibly even good recycling of materials. You would have to see the other end of that setup to know the truth. Most over flow vents in my area are connected with a threaded brass elbow off the tank which would not be incongruous with this picture. Lots of ways to connect that old crusty pipe to a new tank. As for the rotten wood....fix that house man!
Around here, the plumbing inspector REQUIRES every water heater to be installed by a licensed plumber. At all stores including the BORG, they make you fill out some paperwork with your name and address. That way, the plumbing inspector can track you down.
I know a guy who buys water heaters from the know-nothing BORG and fills out the paperwork under the name of Seymour Butz.
Our plumbing inspector is probably out looking for Mr. Butz right now.
Rob
Eric, that is the best bone-head installer story I have ever heard. I just called my friend who is a master carpenter and told him about it. We are both ROFLOL.
Rob
Member
It was a GE gas 60 gallon. I don't think it had a lifetime warranty on it to be honest. But the thing was a higher end WH when we built our house 2 years ago. I think it may have had a ten year warranty on it though. My mistake.
Contributor
Man, threads like this make me feel a lot better about the guy that does my plumbing jobs... a shooting buddy of mine, he is one of those contractors that is constantly busy, and has a never-ending list of business via referrals. He does good work, and uses pretty high quality components and doesn't jack the customer (or at least me) on the prices.
Yes, I could probably do the simpler jobs myself (and have in the past)... but having watched him work he can fit pipes together better with a tape measure and mk1 mod 0 eyeball than I could w/ a laser level and dial calipersHe's also way faster, and I'm not worried about whether its up to current code or not.
Actually we've got a little 'community' of shooters around here... eye doctor, dentist, barber, plumber, car dealer service manager, etc. Nice being able to keep business in our little 'circle' and help each other out.
Member
To continue the list...a basic wall receptacle from Borg, Levitron brand, is junk compared to one purchased from an electric supply house. They don't put the spring behind the wire screws to aid in attaching the wire to the device. You have to sort of 'shake' it sideways to keep the screw far enough out to bend the wire around it. While roughing out a basement remodel for my BIL I got to about the 5th plug when I threw a case of them in a dumpster and sent him to buy proper receptacles. I had told him not to purchase anything I would be installing from there.
I have purchased sheetrock screws from them in a pinch that were 30% waste due to so much slag in the heads they could not be installed. How hard is it to carry a decent sheet rock screw? Having purchased plenty of sheet rock screws else where in my life I know this is not normal.
Blue painters tape? Theirs sucks. I guess they are afraid it might pull that barely sticks to the wall Behr paint off if it were any stickier. Having worked in a commercial paint shop for several years I know from tape, and theirs is garbage. Hey, but you save $0.33 though right?
I could go on for days...florescent shop lights? Every one I purchased there has blown a ballast within 2 years...I have others similarly priced that have lasted for 5 so far without issue...coincidence?
They spec the bottom rung in every category, sell it just below the competition (who often sells a better grade which is usually a better value), unwitting DIY'rs and cut throat contractors purchase them, and soon there is no competition. They truly are BORGian. But in this case resistance is not futile.
Contributor
This is a water heater story but a bit off topic. Whirlpool water heaters sold by Lowes for the past five or so years have a defective thermocouple. The symptom is that the pilot light goes out. You can re-light it but it will go out again, usually the same day.
The problem is that the Whirlpool thermocouple screws into the thermostat with left hand threads and a universal thermocouple has right hand threads. Whirlpool has a conversion kit which they will send you free which converts from left hand to right hand - but if you want it in a day (since you can't keep the pilot light lit) you have to pay the shipping (I think it's about $18).
What I did was cut my old Whirlpool thermocouple about 6" from the threaded part. You'll find an insulated central wire covered by a copper coating. Solder the central part onto the center of the universal thermocouple and use stranded wire to connect the outer casings together. Then screw back into the thermostat. Call Whirlpool (www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com) - 877-817-6750 - and order the parts sent via regular shipment. When you get the kit, replace the klug I described above.
Mike
[If you have a fairly new Whirlpool water heater from Lowes (say within the past five years), you might want to call and get the conversion kit so if your thermocouple fails you can repair it quickly with a universal that you buy at the Borg.]
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 04-11-2008 at 3:48 PM.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Member
I am also amazed at the prices these guys can try to charge. I had a backed up sewer line the other day and at first I did not want to deal with it so I called a plumber he came over, I showed him where the clean out was and he said it would be easy.
I asked him how much and he opened his book himmed and hawed for a minute and said that it would cost $530 .... then he said since it is backed up that we should camera the drain just to see what could be making it back up, he said that would be an additional $240.
I about wet myself... but I had to remember the sewer was backed up so I could not shower. I politely asked him to leave and went over to home depot and rented a snake for $30.
I took me about an hour total to drive home clear out the line, take a shower, drink a beer and return the snake to home depot.
Arghh
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