Water heater warranty: what it covers, what it doesn't and how to claim

How long yours lasts

The term is usually coded into the model number. Bradford White's example: an RG240T6N has a 6-year tank warranty and an RG240T10N has 10 years, with parts covered for 6 years on its listed residential models. A. O. Smith uses a warranty code letter in the model number for 6, 8 or 10-year terms. To check yours, find the serial number on the rating label (see how old is my water heater) and use the maker's warranty lookup.

The clock starts at installation. Bradford White says that without proof of installation, it starts three months after the manufacture date. Rheem's certificate says you may need reasonable proof of the original purchase date, so keep the invoice.

What's covered

• Tank leaks. If the inner tank leaks within the term, A. O. Smith furnishes a new water heater of its comparable current model. If the comparable model has features yours didn't, it may charge the difference.
• Defective parts. Parts that fail within the parts term are replaced: thermostats, gas valves, elements and so on.
• Only the remaining time. Bradford White and Rheem both say a replacement heater carries only what's left of the original warranty. Bradford White's example: a 10-year heater that leaks at year 9 gets a replacement covered for 1 year.

What's not covered

• Labor. A. O. Smith says the owner pays for labor and other costs to remove, repair or replace the heater, along with freight, materials and permits. Bradford White excludes removal and installation charges, permits and contractor handling fees. Rheem's certificate excludes labor, permits and disposal.
• Anode rods. A. O. Smith and Bradford White both call them consumable parts and exclude them. See our anode rod guide.
• Smells, noise and rusty water. Both exclude replacement requested for noise, taste, odor, discoloration or rust. Our guides to rotten egg smells and rusty hot water cover the fixes.
• Water damage. A. O. Smith says it isn't liable for water damage from a defect, and encourages homeowners to work with their insurance carrier first. A drain pan helps limit it.

What can void it

From the A. O. Smith and Bradford White warranties:

• Installation that doesn't meet local plumbing or building codes.
• No certified temperature and pressure relief valve.
• A closed system with no provision for thermal expansion. See our expansion tank guide.
• Failure from sediment buildup, or lime and sediment in the tank. Regular flushing helps.
• Flooding, or any part having been under water. See water heater after a flood.
• Running an electric heater with an empty tank, which burns out the elements (A. O. Smith).
• Moving the heater from where it was first installed.

Use matters too. A. O. Smith cuts its warranty to one year if the heater serves more than one dwelling unit or a commercial use, and Rheem's certificate limits non-single-family installs to one year. For tankless heaters, water quality is a big one: Noritz says hardness above 12 grains per gallon can void its warranty (see our water softener guide).

Bought a house? Check who's covered

Transfer rules differ. A. O. Smith's warranty covers only the original purchaser while they live in the home where it was installed, and it isn't transferable. Rheem's certificate says the same. Bradford White's extends to later owners as long as the heater stays where it was installed.

That matters in newer neighborhoods, where many heaters are still the originals. The median home in Timnath, Colorado was built in 2016 (see our Timnath page), and in Caldwell, Idaho about 56% of homes were built since 2000 (see our Caldwell page).

How to make a claim

1. Write down the model and serial numbers from the rating label, and find your purchase or installation invoice.
2. Check the status with the maker's lookup. Rheem says registering a product gives access to its warranty benefits and can extend coverage.
3. Call the installer or a plumber. Bradford White says your plumber works with a distributor on claims for covered parts or a new heater.
4. If the leak damaged property, keep the failed heater. A. O. Smith says anyone making a damage claim must keep it in the condition it was in, or the claim may be denied.

Budget for the labor even when the tank is free. Our repair cost guide and replacement page cover what that involves.

Local pages mentioned

• Timnath, CO
• Caldwell, ID