Consumer Reviews of AO Smith water heaters

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Date created: 2013-04-10 Name: J Tendler
Location: Austin, TX

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Smith did not pay labor"
We have 2 units of 75 gallon water heaters in series. We replaced 1 unit 15 months ago with an A.O Smith water heater GCV-40 300. My wife has been complaining about the hot water. Last week the water was cold as we were running it for a long time. The licensed plumber said we needed to replace the pilot assembly and the control valve (under parts warranty) but the labor was not covered. A.O Smith says that the labor is not covered but as a "courtesy" they cover labor for first 12 months. They also said that it is rare to replace both parts. They do not recognize the unit most likely failed within 12 months and says that they no longer need to be courteous. I need to cover labor charges. Their rules say that the courtesy only extends for 12 months no matter what. No real customer focus here.

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Date created: 2013-03-14 Name: T. Frey
Location: Arkansas

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Slow leaker replaced with gusher!!"
Went A.O. Smith Vortex instead of tankless secondary to concerns re: volume of hot water in large master shower. First disappointment is that the 50 gal A.O. Smith won't carry the load. Second disappointment was when the three year old water heater went out secondary to slow leak. Third disappointment was when the replacement tank started gushing six months later!

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Date created: 2013-02-01 Name: general manager
Location: Rochester NY

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"ao smith does not stand behind product"
Have 216 of these installed in new facility in 2008, over 250 instances of pilot light going out. Have worn out two vacuum attachments ao smith supplied so we could clean the flame arrestors. Thousands of $ on repairs, hours of preventative maintenance

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Date created: 2013-01-04 Name: R Kay
Location: Michigan

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"COLD hotwater Heater From HELL"
How unsatisfied can I make this? Somehow •Very Unsatisfied is not far enough down on the list. Professionally installed in 2004 this pos hw heater has broken down 10 times in 9 years. No Joke. It Especially loved to break on the holidays for an extra service charge. 3rd time to replace the electronic controls at $750 is too much for me. I'm done, getting a new one installed tomorrow. I Will Never Buy Anything from AO Smith ever in my life. When it's sitting on the curb awaiting it's final demise I will have a few whacks at it with my sledge hammer to help it in the grave.

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Date created: 2013-01-02 Name: Lee Dekker
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"STAY AWAY!!! Junk Warning!!!!!!"
I am amazed at the lack of quality of this water heater. Less than 4 years of mediocre service before it leaked all over my basement. But even more troubling than the lousy product is the refusal to stand behind their products. Evidently they allow their distributors to refuse to honor the warranty. I was told over the phone that the distributor can refuse to honor their warranties at their whim. I was then made to feel that it was my fault for the failure of the product and the refusal to honor the warranty. This may explain why only 2 supply houses in a city the size of Philadelphia even carry this junk. Buyer beware! I cannot be more emphatic. Stay away from A.O.smith!

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Date created: 2012-08-25 Name: T. Peters
Location: Rochester Minnesota

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Absolutely Terrible Water Heaters"
I have only owned this unit for a few years and have had several repairs to the pilot light...and it's now out of warranty. It's a total engineering failure. do not buy an A. O. Smith Brand water heater. They do not stand behind their product and their designs (air filter inches from the floor and continually clogs with dust...dah!) apparently go through no r & D.

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Date created: 2011-06-20 Name: fred weaver
Location: hanover pa 17331
Years owned: 9

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"home owner"
will not buy there product again the weld at top of 80 gal hot water heater was not done right from factory started to leak all over basement fred weaver 717-4656100

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Date created: 2010-09-10 Name: R Patterson

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Protecting "some" has caused me HUGE problems"
Having rental property, I have purchased about 6 of these water heaters in the past 5 years. When they are first installed, they work great but due to the design of the "flame arrestor" and the "air intake screen" it is not long before the flame will not stay lit in the Natural Gas Models. I sent away for the special attachment that is supposed to fit on to a vacuum cleaner to clean the flame arrestor, but it did not work. I have spoken to my plumber, people that work for the company I bought it from and representatives of a o Smith and not much has changed in the design of these units and I continue to have constant problems at my home and at the rental properties with the flame not staying lit. I understand that this design was what they came up with after politicians required changes to protect people from themselves after people were injured or killed doing things like using cleaning solvents near the open flame of the old style units. I don't know what regulations or laws were put into place, but I do know that these units do not function properly or dependably as heaters of water under normal conditions.

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