# AO Smith sells out to Lowes.



## plumberkc

This is a big slap in the face to the wholesalers and Plumbers that helped make AO Smith what it is today. I no longer install or service AO Smith. My service agreement has been terminated. #boycott


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## OpenSights

What are you doing in a Lowes anyway?:laughing:

I've run into the counter guys at box stores, always good laughs! 

A former employer of mine knew the old man at A.O. Smith way back in the day. They made a good product once upon a time.


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## stillaround

So who is left......Rheem is also big box and isnt AOSmith and State one and the same...maybe there is a separation....Home depot sells a ss tank westinghouse I think with lifetime tank warranty and 12 years on parts for under $800 including tax.....not a bad price......fortunately there is more to plumbing than heater sales


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## plumberkc

stillaround said:


> So who is left......Rheem is also big box and isnt AOSmith and State one and the same...maybe there is a separation....Home depot sells a ss tank westinghouse I think with lifetime tank warranty and 12 years on parts for under $800 including tax.....not a bad price......fortunately there is more to plumbing than heater sales



There is more to it but having a 20-30% markup and being able to get the best tanks when a homeowner can't makes a big difference. And let's be real, I can void a warranty on almost every single install I come across. Warranties from big. I big companies don't mean ****. 



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## OpenSights

Hey, dip ****, learn how to read! Follow directions!


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## Debo22

Bioplumbing said:


> removed


Your 10 minute break is over, put your orange or blue apron back on and finish collecting carts in the parking lot.


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## Master Mark

Debo22 said:


> Your 10 minute break is over, put your orange or blue apron back on and finish collecting carts in the parking lot.



Theres a spill in the mens room, someone threw up and crapped all over the toilet stall ...... 

Now go get your bucket and mop and do the job you are best suited for..... LOSER




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## Master Mark

From another thread.........

I have heard that Lowes pushed for this because their reputation has gone to hell because of the 
whirlpool fiasco over the past 15 years... They were sick and tired of this mess that has played out
right in their stores... Its like someone took a huge dump right in the water heater isle of their stores..and the STINK just wont go away ....... 

I am gonna buy a Smith from Lowes and get a Smith from my local plumbing supplier and I am gonna break them apart to see if they actually are the same..

I am willing to bet that the Smith from the plumbing supply house will be a much higher grade
of water heater versus what they are dumping in LOWES and claiming to be Smiths....

I would bet that the LOWES --Smith heater is gonna be a Whirlpool heater with a Smith decal on it.
basically the same old crap with a new label on it.......

this could be a whole new mess for lowes to deal with if they have not actually up-graded the
quality of the heater itself... 

Inquiring minds want to know


I got a couple of whirlpool heaters in the scrap yard right now that 
you cannot get parts for that are only about 5 years old... I dont think
their will be any huge differences between the old Whilrpools and the Smiths...... so my guess is the Smith name will start to smell bad too...


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## OpenSights

Who knows how many deaths will be saved with an onslaught of handy hacks installing heaters.

Don't get me wrong, Home Depot has the best deal on rags!


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## OpenSights

Bioplumbing said:


> comment removed


If you knew anything about those stores and their procedures you wouldn't sleep at night unless you happen to have no care about other people's safety and welfare. 

What you are guilty of is ignorance. Ignorance is not an excuse for murder! When a family dies due to your practices I sincerely hope you serve the exact amount of life sentences for every single person you kill!

There is an honest way of making a living, and there are scumbaggs like you who have no consideration for your fellow man. Just as long as you get that check cut.

Delete this dangerous mother****er from this site before his dealings can possibly be tied to PZ!


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## The Dane

Bioplumbing said:


> Actually, Lowe's in California uses real plumbers not Lowe's people. We have 1-2 companies that install everything for us. So you're ignorance is leading you to false statements.


Around here it is also "real plumbers" doing jobs like that but no plumber with respect for them selves would do that job around here. I have seen and redone enough of their work to tell you that the company doing it may have a real plumbing license but is a hack company using unskilled workers, so not actually real plumbers doing the work. You claim to be so great at stealing our jobs because we are crooks, well we provide skilled plumbers that would never put a bomb in someone's house like I have seen your type of "plumbers" do by capping a t&p relieve valve on a waterheater. We provide actual quality products unlike the crap you guys provide. Our price is our price unlike you where customers always get a cheap price but then get charged extra for all sorts of things and end up paying our rates anyway but get your crappy work. Most customers I see that had work done by your type of "plumbers" say they called us now because you rip them off.

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## Debo22

The Dane said:


> Around here it is also "real plumbers" doing jobs like that but no plumber with respect for them selves would do that job around here. I have seen and redone enough of their work to tell you that the company doing it may have a real plumbing license but is a hack company using unskilled workers, so not actually real plumbers doing the work. You claim to be so great at stealing our jobs because we are crooks, well we provide skilled plumbers that would never put a bomb in someone's house like I have seen your type of "plumbers" do by capping a t&p relieve valve on a waterheater. We provide actual quality products unlike the crap you guys provide. Our price is our price unlike you where customers always get a cheap price but then get charged extra for all sorts of things and end up paying our rates anyway but get your crappy work. Most customers I see that had work done by your type of "plumbers" say they called us now because you rip them off.
> 
> Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk


This was the only review for Lowes w/h install on OC Yelp. Bait and switch just like you posted.


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## OpenSights

When I worked in the plumbing trade in California I saw a ton of unsafe stuff. Because of the company I worked for, and their practice I swore off the plumbing trade for ethical reasons. But just when you think you're out it draws you back in, just in a different state with ****ed up codes!

At one time I was an unsafe plumber. Until I learned at least the very basics from a Master Plumber I didn't realize how much damage I could have done! I feel shameful to this day thinking of the home owners who I left in a unsafe condition with them thinking they were in good hands. 

I don't want to leave anyone to be left unsafe for any reason in their own home. Call me an ******* for charging what we charge, but I can sleep at night.


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## OpenSights

Bioplumbing said:


> Actually, Lowe's in California uses real plumbers not Lowe's people. We have 1-2 companies that install everything for us. So you're ignorance is leading you to false statements.


Btw, would you like to talk code and safety? From the sound of it you push paper and haven't spent a day in the field. Send your poor uneducated folks out for pennies on the dollar to make your dirty cash! 

You sir are the type who cares nothing about code and safety. Sleep well until your liability runs out.


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## Gargalaxy

Bioplumbing said:


> Actually, Lowe's in California uses real plumbers not Lowe's people. We have 1-2 companies that install everything for us. So you're ignorance is leading you to false statements.


Sure, real plumbers.


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## OpenSights

Gargalaxy said:


> Sure, real plumbers.


At least I didn't use purple that time!


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## GAN

Bioplumbing said:


> member removed


If you can't read instructions here makes me wonder how you are in the real world. >>>>> http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/why-post-intro-11368/


Better question.... Admins where are you.


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## OpenSights

bioplumbing2 said:


> That's a straight up Craigslist job.


Get a life. You'll be gone again before you know it.


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## OpenSights

Like I said, get a life. I don't admin here, but have in the past. There are ways.


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## Gargalaxy

Oops he's gone again


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## Master Mark

plumberkc said:


> There is more to it but having a 20-30% markup and being able to get the best tanks when a homeowner can't makes a big difference. And let's be real, I can void a warranty on almost every single install I come across. Warranties from big. I big companies don't mean ****.
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



KC..... Now that smith has sold out to the LOWES, what heater are you gonna install??? I have to stick with the Plumbers grade RHEEM heaters.... I installed this piece of shi/ bradford *********** vent just 6 1/2 years ago and had to remove it today and install a Rheem power vent unit..... 

Of course luck would have it that I literally had to gut the room to get the new unit into place .... then the pex broke apart on a rental water softener and I had to re-pipe it too.... 

I WONT USE BRADFORDS again... this thing had the thermal tank on it and everything but a PRV valve installed to make it last and it still petered out 6 months past the expiration date..... I am so through with them....

I did this one for less money than I should have but I kept the customer happy and will probably be installing a new water softener some day soon




https://goo.gl/photos/SjBPa2siR8DkNWXKA

https://goo.gl/photos/orTUnZzM7VP9Ewet8


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## Debo22

STOPBANNINGMEBR said:


> get ****ing wrekt. Losing your exclusives! Soon Bradford will be going depot!


You need a hobby, perhaps collecting stamps might keep you occupied.


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## OpenSights

Debo22 said:


> You need a hobby, perhaps collecting stamps might keep you occupied.


I missed that one. We're hear to learn from each other because of our love of the trade and friendship. Of course our priorities are family and our jobs. This guy must not have a family or life outside of Home Craphole. Kinda sad really. Perfect candidate to become a wake and bake staying so stoned he leaves the rest of the world alone.:yes:


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## sparky

Master Mark said:


> KC..... Now that smith has sold out to the LOWES, what heater are you gonna install??? I have to stick with the Plumbers grade RHEEM heaters.... I installed this piece of shi/ bradford *********** vent just 6 1/2 years ago and had to remove it today and install a Rheem power vent unit.....
> 
> Of course luck would have it that I literally had to gut the room to get the new unit into place .... then the pex broke apart on a rental water softener and I had to re-pipe it too....
> 
> I WONT USE BRADFORDS again... this thing had the thermal tank on it and everything but a PRV valve installed to make it last and it still petered out 6 months past the expiration date..... I am so through with them....
> 
> I did this one for less money than I should have but I kept the customer happy and will probably be installing a new water softener some day soon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://goo.gl/photos/SjBPa2siR8DkNWXKA
> 
> https://goo.gl/photos/orTUnZzM7VP9Ewet8


. I know what you mean mark,Bradford has gone down the drain,junk,but that's about all I can get around here so I have to keep installing them,I can get smiths at winnelson but they are junkier than bw's imo.they are all junk

Where do you get your Raheem heaters at???who sells them besides depot??


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## Master Mark

sparky said:


> . I know what you mean mark,Bradford has gone down the drain,junk,but that's about all I can get around here so I have to keep installing them,I can get smiths at winnelson but they are junkier than bw's imo.they are all junk
> 
> Where do you get your Raheem heaters at???who sells them besides depot??



I dont know where you are located in the country but we have Hughs supply and Winthrop supply selling them in the Indy area.....

In all honesty,,, the Rheem heaters from home depot and the Richmond Rheem heaters from Menards are tolerable, I dont like the honeywell gas valves on them but they still seem to be of much better quality than Smith, Bradford, and American...

We bought a load of Home Depot heaters last summer that were scratched and dented in shipping and have not had a single problem with them....


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## Master Mark

*Some New information about the Smith heaters at lowes.....*



plumberkc said:


> This is a big slap in the face to the wholesalers and Plumbers that helped make AO Smith what it is today. I no longer install or service AO Smith. My service agreement has been terminated. #boycott
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





KC....

I talked to My SMITH dealer in town and they are pretty pissed off about LOWES getting to use the SMITH name on their products.... 

I asked them if they would warranty parts if someone were to walk in and try to get "hardware store smith parts" directly from them...??

. He tells me that this has already happenned to them with dumbasses showing up with "lowes Smith heaters " and expecting them to bail them out of trouble .....

According to this SMITH supplier , all that has happenned is they have put a WHIRLPOOL heater into a box that says Smith on it......its exactly the same Whirlpool heater and just the name has changed .. the parts are the same ... And they are sub standard parts compaired to what goes on a SMITH water heater

I then asked him if this was deceptive and wont it sort of drag down the Smith name over time once the Whirlpool--Smith heaters begin to fail and they get a bad name ??? 

This supply house is something that this fellow owns himself and has attempted to build up for well over 15 years now and said he was not very happy about how Smith has pissed in his face and any of this mess that has landed on his doorstep.......f


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