Your house or building may be providing hot water just fine, however someone may have stolen your water heater!

How is this, you may ask?

Conventional and tank-style water heaters generally have an easily removable label on them. In the event your heater fails (i.e. leaks), and you call your local mechanical company to come for a diagnostic, they can remove the label with your permission and return it to the supplier. The supplier sends it in with a form to the manufacturer and the manufacturer credits the supplier. The end user just pays an exchange fee. They have stolen your water heater by simply detaching the sticker and using it for their benefit. This can have negative consequences for you down the line, and it is something you, the customer, should be aware of. 

Where is the theft, and what does it look like, you may ask?

It comes in many forms.

Local Plumbing Mafia: Your water heater is leaking, and a company comes out to take a look at the tank. They may give a price or fix the issue, but little did you know, they can also leave with the sticker from your water heater in hand. You now have to attempt to get the sticker back from them if you choose to use a different mechanical vender. This is not a situation you want to be in.

The 20yr warranty: Say you have a 10yr warranty, and some slimy folks remove the sticker and submit a warranty. They gratefully pay the small fee and store the water heater in their garage or mechanical room till the first one fails. They don’t technically get a 20yr warranty, but they do get two water heater lifetimes. Sadly, it is their gain and your loss. 

The over profiting plumber: Someone visits your home for mechanical work and slips out with the sticker. You have no clue until your tank fails and requires the warranty. In the meantime, the plumber claimed the warranty and resells your heater to someone else. Both you and the next guy lose because now you don’t have a warranty to claim and the person who gets the new tank has a warranty that started on the date the first heater (stolen tag) got sold.

Karma is a b!tch. People shouldn’t steal. If they do, it will bite them sooner or later in the form of a flat tire, possibly an extra service call, or many other cases of bad fortune.

Be diligent and aware of this type of theft when bringing people into your home to do work. Do not let anyone steal your warranty sticker. 

I hope this blog post was helpful and informative! Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for future blog posts. We look forward to hearing from you. 

My name is Moe from turnupthecomfort.com

Find us on instagram @moespandh

We offer full consulting and mechanical services, and we are just a phone call away! (347)-460-HEAT