AO SMITH WATER HEATER WARRANTY
AO Smith is one of the biggest water heater companies in the United States. It carries a wide range of water heaters designed for both the home and the commercial market and prides itself on having a water heater for every situation and every consumer. In addition, AO Smith is constantly striving to innovate and develop new ways to make its water heaters better for consumers (see the section below on the development of the AO Smith mobile app). Therefore, AO Smith is truly a market leader when it comes to water heaters.
An AO Smith water heater is unlikely to break down ahead of its time (usually 6-10 years). However, if it does, its parts are usually covered under warranty. AO Smith has very clear warranty terms for all of its product lines (see the table below for more information). As a savvy consumer, however, you’ll need to be aware of the limitations of the warranties and how you can best cover yourself in case your warranty doesn’t cover what you need it to.
This guide is designed to give you as much information as you need to familiarize yourself with AO Smith warranties so that you can be as prepared as possible in case the worst happens.
WARRANTY CONDITIONS
As is the case with all warranties, there are conditions. AO Smith does not cover all malfunctions indefinitely for all of its products (for specifics, see the table below on the categories of warranty available). There are blanket rules that apply to all warranties across all product types.
If you do need to claim something from your warranty, you’ll need to ensure you have your key information handy at all times (this is true whether you are a private homeowner or have a commercial water heater). These key pieces of information are:
The original rating plate for the water heater
The installation documents
As such, it’s best to keep the installation documents either in a safe place or attach them to the water heater. Failure to provide the documents will mean that you’re unlikely to be covered under warranty. The rating plate is harder to lose since it is already bolted to the water heater. However, make sure it is in good condition, and the markings are still legible.
AO Smith states clearly in the terms of their warranty that they reserve the right to inspect any faulty water heaters for signs of tampering or botched repair. If you do have a replacement water heater, then they will take away your previous water heater for ‘further research and product improvement.’
CATEGORIES
Depending on what AO Smith product you have bought, you will have slightly different warranty conditions. It’s best to familiarize yourself with this when you first buy your product so you know roughly what to expect if something goes wrong.
One of the benefits of AO Smith products is that the warranty (usually) begins when the product is installed rather than when it is manufactured. This means that your warranty covers your water heater – or other product – while you use it, not while it is sitting in the factory or showroom.
Below is an overview of the different AO Smith products and the five different warranty category types on offer. For more information, see the AO Smith website, or contact your local distributor.
Category | Product Series | Warranty Guarantees |
|---|---|---|
I | EES, EQ(H); TWI 35 - 130 + 45 - 190; TWI 35 - 200 + 45 - 200. |
(as of installation date) |
II | ADM, ADMP, ADMR, AH, AHD, BFC, BFM, BTI, DRE, EQ, IT, ITS, ITE, SGE, SGS, ST |
(as of installation date) |
III | Collectors |
(as of installation date) |
IV | Pump stations, Smart Display, PHE (plate heat exchanger) |
|
V | Innovo, ICW |
(as of installation date) |
FIND THE
DATE OF MANUFACTURE
In some cases, you’ll need to determine the date of manufacture of your product in order to determine whether there is still a warranty on it. Doing so is relatively simple and requires you only to be able to access your water heater (or other appliance).
To find the date of manufacture of your AO Smith product, you’ll need to consult the serial number. The serial number is usually on a sticker located on your water heater (you may need to hunt around to find the sticker, but it will be there). Once you’ve found the sticker, you’ll need to make a note of the serial number, which is a long series of digits and letters.
The first two digits of the serial number will correspond to the year that the product was manufactured. For example, if the first two digits of your serial number are 19, then your water heater was made in 2019; if the digits are 21, then it was made in 2021, and so on.
The next two digits are the week that the appliance was manufactured. 13 means that it was made in the 13th week of the year; 49, that it was made in the 49th week of the year, and so on. You can cross-reference with the year of manufacture to determine the exact seven days in which your product was made.
For example, if your water heater has a serial number beginning 1825, then we know that it was made in the 25th week of 2018. This means it was produced somewhere between June 18th and 24th in 2018.
REGISTER
YOUR
PRODUCT
One of the first things you should do once you have all the above information (and ideally as soon as possible once your water heater is installed) is register the product with AO Smith. This is an extremely simple process that you can complete online using the following link (LINK HERE).
In order to do so, you’ll need the following information:
- The product’s model number
- The product’s serial number
- The type of installation (i.e., is the product in a single-family home, an apartment building, or in commercial premises)
- The date of installation (as shown above, this is usually when the warranty kicks in)
- Who installed the product (a professional plumber, the homeowner, or a friend/family member)
- The company name of the installer (if applicable)
You’ll also then need to provide your address and contact information – email address and phone number – so that AO Smith can contact you in case there is an issue with your product.
Once you’ve done that, your product is registered, and you will find it much easier to claim under the warranty if something goes wrong. Even if you didn’t register your product immediately after purchasing it, you should do so as soon as possible to provide yourself with peace of mind in case there is a problem.
AO SMITH APP
AO Smith focuses heavily on innovation and on utilizing technology in its products. As such, they have invested in a mobile app that you can use to monitor the performance of your water heater. Even if you don’t intend to study its performance religiously, and even if you’re not a plumbing professional, it’s well worth installing the app. Not only will it alert you to performance problems, but it will provide you with a great deal of information that you can share with a professional or with AO Smith if something does go wrong with your water heater.
TRACKING PERFORMANCE OVER TIME
Tracking water heater performance – which you can do with the app – also will allow you to spot the most common types of problems with your water heater, which usually involves corrosion of key components. It also makes your case far stronger if you need to claim under the warranty or insurance policy.
On top of all that, the app allows you to monitor your water heater’s performance remotely. This means that if something goes wrong while you are away from your home – on vacation, for example – you will know and will be able to act quickly. Because warranties don’t cover damage caused by leaking or flooding, you’ll need to act fast (as well as look into third-party insurances and warranties).
THIRD-PARTY WARRANTY
If something goes wrong with your water heater and you realize that it is out of warranty, then all is not lost. If you have a home warranty, your water heater may be covered. A third-party warranty of this type, particularly when combined with homeowners’ insurance, will provide a blanket coverage that supersedes the often very limited warranties provided automatically with a product.
Warranties are effectively a form of consumer protection – a way that companies can guarantee that their products work as advertised and a way of insuring against quicker than expected degradation of components. However, that’s about all they provide. For almost every other eventuality, you’ll need to have a warranty from a third party, as well as an insurance policy.
The vast majority of people will experience a flood or leak in their homes in their lifetime. In very few cases will a manufacturers’ warranty cover anything other than a free replacement component. For everything else, you’ll need extra protection.