# Water heater shortage



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

was just wondering if you guys are experiencing a water heater shortage like we are here in ky???my supplier said they had no 50gal nat gas heaters and could not get any in who knows when.similier shortages on all other sizes as well and electric included


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## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Yea people buying up before price increase. Our 50 gallon states are going up to 475.00 for a 50 gas starting tomorrow !!!😳😳😳😳😳😳


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Where have you been because I'm pretty sure that's all me and Master Mark talk about.

We haven't even able to get any AO since mid January. We were just recently cutoff on BW. There is only one wholesaler in all of KC that still has heaters. It's definitely going to get worse before it gets better.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

We still have availability. I'm projecting a shortage by months end. Both our suppliers have water heaters on back-order. They hope to get them mid April, but I have my doubts. 

I check stock levels every few days to be certain we have access to what we need.

It's going to get ugly, especially when the h.o.'s find out what hot water is going to cost them in the near future.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Phat Cat said:


> We still have availability. I'm projecting a shortage by months end. Both our suppliers have water heaters on back-order. They hope to get them mid April, but I have my doubts.
> 
> I check stock levels every few days to be certain we have access to what we need.
> 
> It's going to get ugly, especially when the h.o.'s find out what hot water is going to cost them in the near future.



I think they already have, I've been doing at least 6 per week. I'm suppose to do 4 tomorrow but I'll have to reschedule one of them.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I'm ordering more.


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## rasw3742 (Mar 10, 2015)

Just a note on this. As many of you are probably aware, the federal government changed their efficiency guidelines on residential water heaters, effective April 15, 2015. In order to meet these guidelines, engineering changes, including more insulation, have been made. that means that the equivalent new heaters will be of greater diameter or taller than the old ones, causing space concern. Many of the water heater companies are no longer manufacturing the current style, and have just started manufacturing the new style. Therefore, they are no longer shipping the current style heater, and do not have the new style made yet. We will probably be dealing in shortages for another 60-90 days, at least.

Also, to my knowledge no heater manufacturer will be able to produce a residential heater over 50 gallons that meets the energy guidelines. If you care to, you can check with your local wholesaler to verify this post, and to find out how they are handling the shortages. Finally, just to warn everyone, we have not been told how warranty is going to be handled on the new heaters to the old. There will be price discrepancies, as the new heaters will be higher.


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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

rasw3742 said:


> Just a note on this. As many of you are probably aware, the federal government changed their efficiency guidelines on residential water heaters, effective April 15, 2015. In order to meet these guidelines, engineering changes, including more insulation, have been made. that means that the equivalent new heaters will be of greater diameter or taller than the old ones, causing space concern. Many of the water heater companies are no longer manufacturing the current style, and have just started manufacturing the new style. Therefore, they are no longer shipping the current style heater, and do not have the new style made yet. We will probably be dealing in shortages for another 60-90 days, at least.
> 
> Also, to my knowledge no heater manufacturer will be able to produce a residential heater over 50 gallons that meets the energy guidelines. If you care to, you can check with your local wholesaler to verify this post, and to find out how they are handling the shortages. Finally, just to warn everyone, we have not been told how warranty is going to be handled on the new heaters to the old. There will be price discrepancies, as the new heaters will be higher.


Really? We didn't know....btw who are you?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

plumberkc said:


> I think they already have, I've been doing at least 6 per week. I'm suppose to do 4 tomorrow but I'll have to reschedule one of them.



So , are you working by yourself or do you have a grunt to help you...??.

Our best day was 8 when everything went perfect. with 2 trucks and 3 guys humping.....

3 is a good day at basically 999 each .


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

rasw3742 said:


> Just a note on this. As many of you are probably aware, the federal government changed their efficiency guidelines on residential water heaters, effective April 15, 2015. In order to meet these guidelines, engineering changes, including more insulation, have been made. that means that the equivalent new heaters will be of greater diameter or taller than the old ones, causing space concern. Many of the water heater companies are no longer manufacturing the current style, and have just started manufacturing the new style. Therefore, they are no longer shipping the current style heater, and do not have the new style made yet. We will probably be dealing in shortages for another 60-90 days, at least.
> 
> Also, to my knowledge no heater manufacturer will be able to produce a residential heater over 50 gallons that meets the energy guidelines. If you care to, you can check with your local wholesaler to verify this post, and to find out how they are handling the shortages. Finally, just to warn everyone, we have not been told how warranty is going to be handled on the new heaters to the old. There will be price discrepancies, as the new heaters will be higher.


No fookin way..


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> No fookin way..


They can't do that!




Can they?


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## joeplumber85 (Jul 16, 2012)

What is the new diameter of a 40 gallon atmospheric gas?


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

I don't think supply will make it to the end of the month as I previously thought. They are going fast, and we have slowed down pushing change outs in favor of only replacing leaking water heaters until our next shipment comes in.

Fingers crossed that will be the beginning of April.


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## rasw3742 (Mar 10, 2015)

I am employed by a wholesaler in the northern plains. I am the commercial plumbing estimator. 

Looks like the 40 gallon (Rheem) will go from 18-1/8 to 19-1/2 diameter.


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## joeplumber85 (Jul 16, 2012)

rasw3742 said:


> I am employed by a wholesaler in the northern plains. I am the commercial plumbing estimator.
> 
> Looks like the 40 gallon (Rheem) will go from 18-1/8 to 19-1/2 diameter.


Is that relatively consistent across brands? I would of thought it would be more. The standard 40 gallon here went from 20" to 22" a few years back which caused some hiccups but nothing major.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

rasw3742 said:


> I am employed by a wholesaler in the northern plains. I am the commercial plumbing estimator.
> 
> Looks like the 40 gallon (Rheem) will go from 18-1/8 to 19-1/2 diameter.




that is not too bad but I have heard larger.. I thought they weer supposed to be much larger but they might just be blowing smoke up my ass too



My Rheem salesman got in a couple of semi truck loads this morning and they dumped off 20 at this time to me....

he is claiming that once they run out then and only then can you place orders for the new style units which is about a 16 week delay before they arrive.....


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Master Mark said:


> So , are you working by yourself or do you have a grunt to help you...??.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah, I did 10 last week and did them all by myself. One was an 80 gallon and one was a power vent that I had to run a new gas line for throughout the entire house.


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

We had to buy a bunch of diff size gas heaters for inventory here in northern va. All of our suppliers are running out of bw, state/aos. Everything I have read and heard is that all tank heaters will be minimum 2" wider and taller


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I not installing a 40 or a 50 for $999. More like $1250.


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

Can't get an 80 gallon in Miami area. Been asking around and get the same answer....."Good luck"


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

plumberkc said:


> Yeah, I did 10 last week and did them all by myself. One was an 80 gallon and one was a power vent that I had to run a new gas line for throughout the entire house.




you need to take it easy or the knees will give out on you...
I have no idea what you charge but that is a good amount to cash for one week... it comes in waves and is easy work compared to many other fields 
of plumbing

the most we ever installed in a week was 19 which was not too back for 2 trucks you


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## rasw3742 (Mar 10, 2015)

It looks like I might have compared a standard classic with a classic plus on Rheem's sheet. The following is from the current classic submittal to the new classic submittal:

model old hght new hght old dia new dia
40 58-3/8 58-1/2 18-1/8 19
50 58-1/4 58-3/8 20-1/8 20-1/2

this is for natural gas.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Master Mark said:


> you need to take it easy or the knees will give out on you...
> 
> I have no idea what you charge but that is a good amount to cash for one week... it comes in waves and is easy work compared to many other fields
> 
> ...



A few years ago in the business days myself and my 2 employees did 13 in 1 day at 5 different homes (multi-family's) for a customer that wanted them all changed. Nice profit that day.


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## dorian_grey (Sep 9, 2013)

According to the Bradford White rep, tanks are about 2" wider and taller for everything under 55 gal. There is some "mobile home" model I'm not familiar with that will remain original but must be sold with an "insulation kit" that would be field installed! Also Bradford's building a new factory that is to come online days before the deadline, and they are manufacturing "old" models up to April 16th to prevent break in supply. So far I have plenty of tanks available, while the A.O. Smith supplier is out of many.


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## Carcharodon (May 5, 2013)

Bradford white rep came to our shop tonight for a talk on the new changes. He comes a few times a year to discuss anything about bradford white, technical or otherwise. Last year he himself was unsure about what was going to happen when new regulations come into play but he told us tonight that there will be no real changes to tank sizes accross the board, electric will increase in size by a few inches but that doesn't really affect us here in the bay area, around 90%+ gas.
Water heaters will get a little more expensive, basically upgrading the insulation and thats about it really.
Maybe a brief transition period for the Bradford white skinnies but he said must supply house s have stocked up so shouldn't be an issue.
A whole lot of panic for nothing


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

I was told by my sales rep AO tanks will be the same size and they will give you a blanket to make it to the new efficiencies. Is anybody else hearing that?


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

plungerboy said:


> I was told by my sales rep AO tanks will be the same size and they will give you a blanket to make it to the new efficiencies. Is anybody else hearing that?


I have not heard that, though I do have a copy from A.O. Smith's rep. that shows the blanket option. It is still 1" larger in diameter.


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## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

I was told the blanket option was going to be for some of the under counter and smaller electric units.


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## Texan (Feb 21, 2015)

rasw3742 said:


> It looks like I might have compared a standard classic with a classic plus on Rheem's sheet. The following is from the current classic submittal to the new classic submittal:
> 
> model old hght new hght old dia new dia
> 40 58-3/8 58-1/2 18-1/8 19
> ...




I put in a new Rheem 50 NG in an attic today it was 22" wide. Where's the 20 1/2 number from?


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## Texan (Feb 21, 2015)

he told us tonight that there will be no real changes to tank sizes accross the board, electric will increase in size by a few inches but that doesn't really affect us here in the bay area, around 90%+ gas.
Water heaters will get a little more expensive, basically upgrading the insulation and thats about it really.

:no:

Your Rep is full of crap. Is San Fran already requiring the higher efficiency models?

The New NG and LP BW's are NOT going to be the same size as the old ones! 
2" larger on the mi5036fbm thats from the bw website.


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## Texan (Feb 21, 2015)

Here's the Screen Shot of the BW website.


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