All About Whirlpool Water Heaters

So recently we ran into a situation with a customer dealing with their Whirlpool water heater. The quick and easy is that it was less than 2 years old, still under manufacturer’s warranty, but was malfunctioning and needed a new part. These folks weren’t sure what to do so they called MP. We gladly went out, diagnosed the problem, and let the owners know what was going on. Here’s where it got sticky. The parts for Whirlpool water heaters aren’t readily available. They sell some at Lowe’s, but not the big ticket items, meaning we had to go through Whirlpool direct. Well Whirlpool does not sell their parts to service companies, only to the owners of the purchased unit. So after our plumber re-diagnosed the problem on the phone with the agent, they came to the same conclusion we did and said they would overnight the part to the customer. At this point the customers have had no hot water for 2 days.

Next day. Part came to the customer as promised by Whirlpool. We were able to fit them back in the schedule and get the part replaced. But guess what? Same problem. Now back on the phone with Whirlpool our plumber re-diagnosed the problem with the customers present and were told that they sent a malfunctioning part. Another would be over-nighted. Now 3 nights for the customer without hot water.

Next day. Repeat the previous paragraph, only this time, Whirlpool decided to just send out a whole new water heater. So now, these folks are on their 4th day without hot water, needed to wait at least 7 days for the new unit to be delivered, and extremely frustrated with the Whirlpool water heater they purchased. The customer, based on this experience, decided to cut their losses and purchase and install a brand new Bradford White water heater from MP. So now they have all the hot water they could hope for, but it came at a cost of time, hassle, and money.

After MP heard the story of what happened over the course of this job we decided to do a little investigating around about Whirlpool water heaters. Boy were we shocked at what we learned.

Apparently what happened to these folks is not an isolated incident. On the Consumer Affairs website alone there are over 1,400 negative reviews about Whirlpool water heaters. Apparently there was even a class-action lawsuit filed. Here were the top trending complaints according to what was read:

• Poor customer service
• Defective pilot ignition systems
• Premature failure
• Thermocouple failure
• Inability to get anyone to service the water heater

So we tell you this not to take shots at Whirlpool, who actually make some of the best dishwashers and refrigerators we’ve encountered, but to inform you, the customer, of what you are purchasing. While the low cost Whirlpool water heater may seem like a deal, the cost of maintenance and the headache that comes along with ownership may not be worth it. While we’re sure there are many Whirlpool water heaters out there performing just fine, it looks like it may just be a bit of a gamble on what you’ll receive. If you ask us, just stick with Bradford White.

Hope this helps answer some questions and shows you why many plumbing companies are unable to assist in the repair of Whirlpool water heaters. Feel free to reply with any questions or comments. We’re here to help. Thanks!

The Proof is in the Plumbing!

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What Makes Us Different? Quality

This week McAdams Plumbing continues our discussion on what makes our company different; this week’s topic is Quality.

Quality, in the service industry, can be looked at as how much the serviceman cares about what he does. Great craftsman care about their trade and they treat the quality of their work as their signatures.  At McAdams Plumbing, our Master Plumbers love their craft and it shows in their work.

You can tell a plumber cares about his work when he cleans his work station, wipes the extra silver of his sweats, double (even triple) checks his elevations, and gets frustrated when his set-up doesn’t look pretty. Our guys do all of those actions. When we finish a job, the customer should stop and think “wow, that looks really nice.” That is what we want. We want our customers to be satisfied and see the difference between quality craftsman and the rest of the guys. Our plumbers work hard to ensure your complete satisfaction.

Take a look at our “The Proof” web page to see some of the high quality work McAdams Plumbing has provided. We have been serving the North Metro and Boulder areas now for over 5 years and continue to grow our reach every month. As a family based company the only way your can maintain that success is by providing the community with a high quality, trustworthy product at a fair price. We don’t have any backers or investors, just an honest, hardworking group of family, friends, and neighbors. With McAdams Plumbing, the Proof is in the Plumbing!

Check in next week for our final What Makes Us Different? installation: Integrity.

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