Home Depot no longer accepting Lowe's coupons

[tryan]

So is it the elements that go after a year, or the whole tank?

Elements are pretty cheap and a fairly easy DIY repair, and with two elements it doesn't quite turn into an emergency overnight, you have reduced hot water/recovery, but you still get hot water.

If it's the whole tank, man, I'd sure want to find a solution, I've never heard of tanks regularly going out that fast. Even the cheap ones have 6 year warranties (though you still have labor) - maybe warranties don't cover rental/commercial? I would think they'd be questioning repeated replacements like that. Sounds strange.

edit/add: What is an N10 system? Googling pretty much came up blank, other than maybe some references to nitrogen/nitrate/nitrite levels?

Without the neutralizer the elements would rot every 3 months. So I stocked up on lime resistant (sanddog is one brand) elements and swapped them while the tank was new/empty. That solved the element problem ... then the cheap (6 year) tanks started rotting any place there was a joint (2 different metals) in less than a year. The neutralizer allows the 12 year tanks to hold up 3 years (n'counting). The one I just swapped was a 6 year lank ... I swapped it with a 12 year (paying HD only the difference ~$150).

The neutralizer needs media (N-10) added every 3-4 months. I've been pretty good about it; but in the winter, access to the system can limited (snowed in).

Sadly voters rejected a plan to bring town water to this area. So everyone continues to try to filter out usable water.

 

[samclem]

The neutralizer needs media (N-10) added every 3-4 months. I've been pretty good about it; but in the winter, access to the system can limited (snowed in).

Do you know what the pH of the water is after it has been through the neutralizer? It sure doesn't sound like it is doing the job at the present settings.
The WH replacements are a PITA, but I'd be more worried about anything else in the plumbing system that is susceptible to acidic attack. A water heater replacement will seem like small change compared to tearing into a tiled wall to fix a leaky fitting. Then there's the dishwasher, any icemakers, faucets, etc, etc.

 

[kgtest]

I have both a Home Depot and a Lowe's within 2.5 miles of me (and within a mile of each other). Over the years, I've found that not only is HD's price at least a little better 90% of the time, but they give me my military discount with zero hassle. Lowe's will give it to me too, but I have to spend an extra five minutes while the cashier gets a manager to show up and authorize it.

The other issue is that everyone at my HD is always friendly and helpful, while the staff at Lowe's is not only very scarce, but not the least interested in helping customers.

Based on my (limited) experience, I would say that HD can get by very nicely without honoring their competitor's coupons. My HD is always busy, but the Lowe's typically has less than ¼ of HD's traffic.

+1 on the military discount. Been a vet for 10yrs now and I rarely take advantage of that.

 

[ERD50]

... The neutralizer allows the 12 year tanks to hold up 3 years (n'counting). The one I just swapped was a 6 year lank ... I swapped it with a 12 year (paying HD only the difference ~$150).

The neutralizer needs media (N-10) added every 3-4 months. I've been pretty good about it; but in the winter, access to the system can limited (snowed in). ...

Still sounds odd to me. I'm with samclem - it the neutralizer actually neutralizing? If so, then you shouldn't have any problems. I'm curious, do you have a link for that thing, N10 still didn't bring up anything on several different searches (other than someone named tryan on some other forum saying the same thing!).

And since electric heaters don't need a heat exchanger (the element is immersed in the water), do they make Fiberglas or any other non-metallic tanks?

You mentioned 'rotting at the joints' - do you have di-electric unions where you need them?

-ERD50