Recommendation for highly reliable natural gas water heater?...

wcweaver3

Hi,

I have a Rheem "Guardian" 50-gallon natural gas water heater manufactured in June of 2010. This is the original water heater to the house. We bought the house in November of 2024, and my guess is that it's never been flushed. The water heater is in the garage, and we live in south metro-Atlanta. I'd like to be proactive and replace it with another 50-gallon natural gas water heater as I think its time is nearly up. No issues so far, however. I am not interested in tankless, standard electric or heat pump options.

I want to purchase the most reliable brand on the market. My past experience suggests that is Bradford-White, but I am not an expert by any means. Few plumbers in my area, however, install this brand. Many seem to favor Rheem and Ruud. My impression is that these are mid-tier as far as reliability is concerned. I really want a brand that, as far as reliability is concerned, is pretty much bullet proof. If that is indeed Bradford-White, I'll find a plumber that installs them and pay a premium if I have to.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to which brands are worthy of consideration for bullet-proof reliability? Understood that nothing it truly bullet proof, but I would like to stack the deck in my favor.

Many thanks!

Larry Weingarten

Hi, After turning off the water and relieving pressure, I'd check the condition of the anode rod in the tank. It's your best indicator of actual tank condition. I'd also look around the tank for evidence of new or old leaks. I'd look into the combustion chamber also. If things looked okay and if there was something left of the anode, I'd just replace the anode and then check it periodically… that time period will depend on anode condition and water quality. 😉

Yours, Larry

wcweaver3

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the guidance. I regret that I don't have the skill set to engage your suggestions. To get a plumber to do it is $200+ so I'd rather just replace the whole thing and be done with it. Given that scenario, do you have a recommendation as to a more or less bullet proof brand I should consider?

Larry Weingarten

Hi, My approach isn't brand dependent. I'd make sure heater I got had a full, non pro-rated warranty, and hopefully good support where you are. I'd get only a six year warranty. I'd make sure the tank I got was able to accept a second, full length magnesium anode rod, and make sure the rod it comes with is magnesium, or is changed out to one. I'm not a fan of having aluminum in tap water. Beyond setting up the tank, I'd make sure the tank lived at water pressures in the 40 to 60 psi range without any big fluctuations. Finally, I'd make sure it got clean air for combustion. These days, replacing a tank can run thousands of dollars, which is why I try to keep older tanks that are in good shape, going. 😊

Yours, Larry

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

B-W, Rheem, A.O. Smith. They're kinda' all the same these days although I've had issues with B-W in the past - had to replace a burner. From what I remember, most are made in the USA, assembled in Mexico.

Standard was a 5 year warranty and you could get one that had a 10 year warranty that had a second anode rod, but don't know if that is still how they structure their products.

Mad Dog_2

I have exclusively installed Bradford White over the last 30 years after the others didn't hold up like they promised..Mad Dog

MikeL_2

You can add life to most atmospheric fired water heaters by including a powered anode & thermal expansion tank as a part of the install. Draining & flushing yearly will extend life, too.

Intplm.

I have been installing Bradford White water heaters for years. Very reliable, installed with confidence.

If the plumbers in your area do not install them/recommend them, BW might not be readily available in your area. Check to see if they are offered at plumbing supply houses near you.

STEAM DOCTOR

The issue with the BW's, it that it's a pain to replace the anode rod. Need to do some un-piping and maneuver around the existing piping.

EBEBRATT-Ed

BW seems to hold up the best.

hot_rod

A lot of the residential tanks are manufactured in the same plants, different jackets and labels.

When you buy a 7 or 10 year tank, you may get two anode rods, same tank. The extra $$ is more like an insurance policy than a better tank.

I'd like to see electric anodes offered on the 7 and 10 year tanks, then the extra $$ would have more value.

BW has a good reputation, it used to be a trade channel product?

mattmia2

I believe BW used to have their plant in rural michigan somewhat near me, I know others are in the south somewhere. There are a couple manufacturers but nowhere near as many manufacturers as brands.

I would go with the powered anode and change the crappy factory drain out for a good full port ball valve with hose thread and a cap so you can do a good job of flushing it.

wcweaver3

Thank you @Larry Weingarten @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes @Mad Dog_2 @MikeL_2 @Intplm. @EBEBRATT-Ed @STEAM DOCTOR @hot_rod @mattmia2 I really appreciate the great responses and strong guidance!

hot_rod

Bock is another tank built in the US. Their tanks used to be thicker steel cylinder and heads, thicker glass coating, even thicker sheetmetal jackets. You could tell by the weight listing compared to others.

mattmia2

then there is the htp that is stainless.

Ahoy

I went with HTP 11 years ago. I had had an AO Smith Sureshot Direct Vent (DV) since 2000 and it cracked in 2014 despite replacing the anode rod regularly and flushing once or twice a year.

I needed DV because we had eliminated the chimney. In 2014 the tank DV options from AOSmith and BW would have been a lot of extra work due to the the strict requirements for the height of the vent penetration.

After figuring that out the day after failure, I bought the cheapest electric water heater I could find at the big box and set it up temporarily powered via the nearby dryer receptacle.

I ruled out tankless because of 1) the complexity of integrating my recirc system 2) the need to upsize the gas line & meter or regulator based on calculation 3) fill time required for a spa tub.

THE HTP Phoenix 76-50 caught my eye because it was stainless, easily modified to work with recirc, was 76,000 BTU, Just under my load limit for existing piping, and the draft inducer - condensing venting requirements were flexible enough to use the existing penetration.

What I really appreciate with this is that, with almost twice the burner capacity of my old 50-gallon DV, it can run an endless shower and recover very quickly in all our usage circumstances. It is challenged by my wife filling the spa tub at full bore mid-winter, but she is aware of her options and it is her choice to fill fast and have slightly cooler water.

The only maintenance I've had to do besides flushing is rehabbing the condensate rock box which clogged after 10 years.

They sold this unit under the Westinghouse brand for a while in the big boxes, too, but I think they have scaled back. Have not checked lately.

Very happy with it!

SKYPAINTER

WC - The commentor known as "Hot Rod" is very, very knowledgeable and highly respected in the hydronics industry, I would definitely listen to what he said. Bock and Bradford are both excellent products, I would go with a power-vent model if you can vent it properly and use a power anode rod, forget those outdated sacrificial style anode rods, they are a thing of the past. Good luck!

oldgit

HTP heater looks interesting:

https://youtu.be/NgHGizswpx8?si=JnnA9BkUstRvriBz

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1859878#Comment_1859878

I didn't think a powdered anode was possible with a Bradford White heater?

All anode rods are "sacrificial style", no?

ethicalpaul

No, they have them for BW's goofy setup:

https://www.amazon.com/Corro-Protec-integrated-Eliminate-Corrosion-Limescale/dp/B07TSL3V6M/

mattmia2

Someone has a page on how to put a powered anode on different styles of water heater. If it doesn't have a tapping for the anode you can put it through a tee on the outlet.

Anodes that produce the current through an electrochemical reaction are sacrificial. Powered anodes are not sacrificial, they are not consumed to produce the current that favors deposition of iron, it is produced by an external power supply.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1860308#Comment_1860308

Different doesn't necessarily mean goofy.

Unless it's a mouse with 1 button when everyone else has 3. Then it's goofy. 😉

ethicalpaul

sorry but using the same port for the water output and the anode is goofy!

Our mice have trackpads on the top, try it

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1860316#Comment_1860316

Less ports means less places to leak, no? Id also bet each tapping is another damaged place in the glass lining.

Also means cheaper to manufacturer.

ethicalpaul

…marginally less expensive to manufacture and more expensive for everyone to work on and buy parts for, great plan. Anyway, yes you can get an electric anode for it

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1860321#Comment_1860321

You kinda just skipped over my point…

The point being, cheaper, with less failure points and less damage to the glass lining.

As far as more to buy parts for…… 99% of people never touch their anode.

ethicalpaul

I don't know about less damage to the glass "lining". My understanding is that it's just spray paint that's baked on to provide a sort of glassy coating. But regardless we all know they fail in 10 years or less typically so whatever.

But yes you can put an electric anode on a Bradford White