Thread: Why do some water heaters have a missing manufactures tag??

I have been doing real estate inspections since 1994 and one thing that comes up every once in a while that I have never gotten what I consider to be a good answer to is why some water heaters are missing the manufactures tag. The only answer I have gotten is it voids the warranty, however then why would anyone remove it? Can anyone help me with this one?

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I have seen a number of them as well over the years. My only guess is was a returned unit for some reason and the dealer (big box store or plumbing supply house) removed the tag and sold it to some liquidation warehouse or shady plumber.
The majority of the ones I have seen are in homes with less than stellar improvements.

Typically, a plumbing contractor removed the label from a unit being replaced under warranty, as they are being reimbursed or getting a new warranty replacement unit.
Dealer/vendor is supposed to "scrap" the unit.

I've been told the defective ones are "fixed" or repaired in place, and not actually removed.
Connect the dots yourself.

Originally Posted by Robert Pace

I have been doing real estate inspections since 1994 and one thing that comes up every once in a while that I have never gotten what I consider to be a good answer to is why some water heaters are missing the manufactures tag. The only answer I have gotten is it voids the warranty, however then why would anyone remove it? Can anyone help me with this one?

My only thought on this would be that they are installing older water heaters, if the house was built in 2000, you do not want them to install a water heater that was built in 1995. so they are purposely removing the tag to make it seem new..

A Southern HVAC contractor removes the data plate off furnaces they install, my opinion is that are installing unapproved/listed equipment since all tags showing it's a approved appliance are gone and there is no way to prove that it is approved, from what I understand as to why they do it, it forces the customer to go through them, rather dirty trick IMHO.

They are often grey market appliances. I have a water heater that was in a train wreck and Bradford would not honor the warranty. So, "they" removed the tags and a reseller bought the lot and sold them for greatly reduced prices. I picked it up for about 40% of its normal price.

Last year, I saw a grey market water heater in fixer. The flame on the burner plate was anemic and further scrutiny of the yellow EPA tag revealed it was a LP unit on nat gas.....ooops! The fixer's good deal was suddenly a very expensive mistake. Oh well....

Originally Posted by Rollie Meyers

... contractor removes the data plate off furnaces they install, my opinion is that are installing unapproved/listed equipment since all tags showing it's a approved appliance are gone and there is no way to prove that it is approved, .

That is correct.

Part of being "listed and labeled" is being "labeled" ... properly marked and identified ... which includes ratings.

If that is done before the code inspection, shame on the inspector.

For whatever reason that is done by a contractor, shame on the contractor - that is a contractor I would not want working on my house.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

That is correct.

Part of being "listed and labeled" is being "labeled" ... properly marked and identified ... which includes ratings.

If that is done before the code inspection, shame on the inspector.

For whatever reason that is done by a contractor, shame on the contractor - that is a contractor I would not want working on my house.

In a large part of the area there are no inspections other then septic, some of the cities do have inspections.

Rollie,

Are contractors required to be licensed?

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Rollie,

Are contractors required to be licensed?

As far as I know, yes.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Are contractors required to be licensed?

Jerry,

From the California Contractors State License Board website:

All businesses or individuals who construct or alter any building, highway, road, parking facility,railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost (labor and materials) of one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more. Contractors, including subcontractors, specialty contractors, and persons engaged in the business of home improvement (with the exception of joint ventures and projects involving federal funding) must be licensed before submitting bids. Licenses may be issued to individuals, partnerships, corporations, joint ventures, or limited liabilitiy companies (LLCs).

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Jerry,

From the California Contractors State License Board website:

All businesses or individuals who construct or alter any building, highway, road, parking facility,railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost (labor and materials) of one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more. Contractors, including subcontractors, specialty contractors, and persons engaged in the business of home improvement (with the exception of joint ventures and projects involving federal funding) must be licensed before submitting bids. Licenses may be issued to individuals, partnerships, corporations, joint ventures, or limited liabilitiy companies (LLCs).

My answer was referring to the Southern State where the contractor was removing the data plates, CA has contractor licensing & your supposed to have one whenever the job exceeds $500.00 & breaking the job into smaller amounts to keep each portion under $500.00 is not allowed.