Better Water Heaters
Better Water Heaters
We started Better Water Heaters to provide fair pricing and quality service to the customers seeking water heater service or replacement. The truth is, most companies overcharge because they know you need hot water immediately and will probably pay a lot to get it quick. My typical customer is one who has price shopped the competition and have decided most companies either charge way too much or are hard to pin down to a firm price. We understand. You simply need a water heater and don’t want to deal with a sleazy salesman…you want to talk to a plumber….so give us a call and we’ll talk. At Better Water Heaters we do something quite rare in the plumbing business- install water heaters for a fair price. We grow our business one satisfied customer at a time; we don’t take advantage of a plumbing emergency and charge unreasonably. Your referral is important to us that is why we always will work to insure your complete satisfaction. We’re a small company and we keep our overhead low, because of this we don’t need to charge unreasonably. Of course we are licensed, bonded and insured and are very experienced at water heater installation and repair. We are experts in convention water heater repair and replacement, Tankless water heater installation, and other plumbing issues. We are the only water heater installation company in northern California that has earned the prestigious DIAMOND CERTIFICATION. We are also member of the Better Business Bureau. Our advertised prices include a quality water heater, basic installation and disposal of your old unit; Extra parts and labor required to do the job right, are additional. Call us for all your water heating needs. Estimates are always free and we never charge extra for nights, weekends, or holidays.
"Better Water Heater installed our tankless water heater incorrectly, creating a significant safety hazard for our tenant, an African American family of 5 with 3 small children. After a contractor from AHS reviewed the installation, they confirmed multiple issues, including code violations and fire risks. Major Problems with the Installation: Unsafe placement in a closet - The condensate has no proper drainage, which could lead to mold, rust, and fire hazards. Improper use of an evaporator pan - This pan is not intended for water heaters, creating a fire risk in an enclosed space. Oversized unit for our home - The Rinnai RU160iN is designed for larger homes. It's far too big for our 1-bed, 1-bath house, making it inefficient. Insufficient gas line - According to AHS, the gas line is too small to support this oversized unit, which could lead to gas flow issues or even pose a fire hazard. The city won't allow this installation to pass inspection because the gas line doesn't meet the required capacity. Permit/code violations - The installation was done without a permit and violates multiple building codes. When we confronted the company, they insisted their work was done correctly. Their "solution"? If we wanted the job to be done legally, we would have to pay for both the permit, their time working with inspectors, and additional costs to fix their mistakes--$995 for a bigger gas line to support the oversized unit. On top of that, they quoted us $585 for permit costs, even though the city building department told us the permit fee is only $150. Bottom Line: If you want a safe, legal, and code-compliant installation, DO NOT trust Better Water Heater. They cut corners, refuse accountability, and expect customers to pay extra to fix their mistakes."
Han-Shen Y on February 2025
We started Better Water Heaters to provide fair pricing and quality service to the customers seeking water heater service or replacement. The truth is, most companies overcharge because they know you need hot water immediately and will probably pay a lot to get it quick. My typical customer is one who has price shopped the competition and have decided most companies either charge way too much or are hard to pin down to a firm price. We understand. You simply need a water heater and don’t want to deal with a sleazy salesman…you want to talk to a plumber….so give us a call and we’ll talk. At Better Water Heaters we do something quite rare in the plumbing business- install water heaters for a fair price. We grow our business one satisfied customer at a time; we don’t take advantage of a plumbing emergency and charge unreasonably. Your referral is important to us that is why we always will work to insure your complete satisfaction. We’re a small company and we keep our overhead low, because of this we don’t need to charge unreasonably. Of course we are licensed, bonded and insured and are very experienced at water heater installation and repair. We are experts in convention water heater repair and replacement, Tankless water heater installation, and other plumbing issues. We are the only water heater installation company in northern California that has earned the prestigious DIAMOND CERTIFICATION. We are also member of the Better Business Bureau. Our advertised prices include a quality water heater, basic installation and disposal of your old unit; Extra parts and labor required to do the job right, are additional. Call us for all your water heating needs. Estimates are always free and we never charge extra for nights, weekends, or holidays.
"Better Water Heater installed our tankless water heater incorrectly, creating a significant safety hazard for our tenant, an African American family of 5 with 3 small children. After a contractor from AHS reviewed the installation, they confirmed multiple issues, including code violations and fire risks. Major Problems with the Installation: Unsafe placement in a closet - The condensate has no proper drainage, which could lead to mold, rust, and fire hazards. Improper use of an evaporator pan - This pan is not intended for water heaters, creating a fire risk in an enclosed space. Oversized unit for our home - The Rinnai RU160iN is designed for larger homes. It's far too big for our 1-bed, 1-bath house, making it inefficient. Insufficient gas line - According to AHS, the gas line is too small to support this oversized unit, which could lead to gas flow issues or even pose a fire hazard. The city won't allow this installation to pass inspection because the gas line doesn't meet the required capacity. Permit/code violations - The installation was done without a permit and violates multiple building codes. When we confronted the company, they insisted their work was done correctly. Their "solution"? If we wanted the job to be done legally, we would have to pay for both the permit, their time working with inspectors, and additional costs to fix their mistakes--$995 for a bigger gas line to support the oversized unit. On top of that, they quoted us $585 for permit costs, even though the city building department told us the permit fee is only $150. Bottom Line: If you want a safe, legal, and code-compliant installation, DO NOT trust Better Water Heater. They cut corners, refuse accountability, and expect customers to pay extra to fix their mistakes."
Han-Shen Y on February 2025
