Hi. This is a question about replacing a hot water heater in my home. My old one is 1983 model, and started leaking. So I called my home warranty company, and they said they would pay for a new hot water heater (@ $1,000), but we would need to pay for:
Expansion tank- 175, Ball valve- 78, Dielectric fittings-72, Add a drip leg-79, Gas Mods- 89, T&P pipe down-99, Vent mods- 110, Pipe Mods- 220, total-$922


Does that sound right? I don't want to be taken advantage of! Everything I looked at said the total cost should be @ 1,000 total.


What do you think?

Now you see what your home warranty is worth.


Expansion tank- 175, Cost about $45 at Home Depot
Whether or not you need one depends on local codes and your particular plumbing.

Ball valve- 78, Should cost about $10. Not only that but you probably already have a stop valve on the cold water input.

Add a drip leg-79 Your gas piping should already have a drip leg. Its just a short piece of black pipe in the gas line where any moisture and debris in the gas can settle.

Gas Mods- 89, Have no idea what that is. Probably charge for changes in the gas line piping, whether you need them or not. You probably don't.

Pipe Mods- 220, That's a charge for doing the plumbing work of installing the water heater

Dielectric fittings-72. Cost $8 at Home Depot.

T&P pipe down-99, Plastic version cost about $6 at Home Depot.

Vent mods- 110, again I have not idea what that is unless it's a charge for changes to flue vent, whether you need them or not. Probably don't.


A 50 gallon gas water heater from Home Depot with installation (in my area) cost about $1200.


Call Home Depot and Lowe's in your area and ask what a water heater like the one you have cost (with installation).


DUMP THE HOME WARRANTY. Not worth the paper it is written on. You are paying full price for this new water heater.

Agree with Harold. Home Warranty Co. will recover the costs of the water heater and its installation through extras. Most of the extra materials are already there and are reusable ( gas valve, gas flex, gas vent, T&P discharge pipe, di-electric fitting, ball valve and more ). With each new water heater, you have to replace only T&P valve and water heater flex lines ( if used). Rest of the other materials are reusable. If not, you replace only what is needed.

As Harold said: Question your Home Warranty Company's business doing

Let us know how you did

Milo

Stephanie,
My experience with home warranty companies is the same as yours; they'll pay for the cost of the water heater only. Upgrades to the existing piping / venting including modification, code compliance, correcting safety issues, replacing worn valves, fittings, or connections, installation of a drain pan, fulfilling combustion air requirements, and, building permit & fees are usually not included, however, these missing or necessary items should be up for negotiation between you and the installing contractor, and, you should be allowed to get additional estimates for the job...

I too think you would have done much better getting 3 estimates from contractors and securing your own financing. Just add what you have paid the warranty company over time to what they are charging for this water heater change, and you get the true value of the project to make a decision to walk away, and mitigate your losses, or throw more money at this than is reasonable or fair.

Crunch the numbers.

I agree with all the expert above, Thanks.

John