DRF Water Heating Solutions

Everything was quick, easy, and professional. I'd use them again in the future and recommend to others.

Excellent work. Kevin and Hayden installed a hot water heater on my property. They both explained in detail of how the system works and what to do in case of an emergency. They are very professional and friendly. I will be calling again very soon

This was disappointing. I needed to replace an old 40 gallons, 40,000 btu Bradford White water heater that had started leaking and the pilot light kept going out. I compared dozens of options from several major retailers and really wanted to upgrade to possibly a 50 gallon tank and 60,000 btu since we have three small kids and another on the way and our water usage is just going to increase. But there was a delay for those high-demand models and the other 50 gallon ones weren't much more efficient than the 40 gallon ones, so I settled on a Rheem 40 gallon, 40,000 btu 9-year model. I called Home Depot to see if they could install the same day and got connected with their local third-party installer, which was DRF. The customer service team was really polite and helpful, they told me upfront they couldn't fit us into the schedule until the next day and they had me send photos of my existing water heater so that they could confirm if the dimensions would fit. They also checked with their permit department to see what the requirements were for my township and pulled the permit prior to the installation. I had to pay the permit fee out of pocket and the installation fee was roughly $1,000, but I thought if they were this thorough beforehand that the installation would be the same. I asked a bunch of questions about the requirements for like a platform, bracing, an expansion tank, and whether they would have extra parts for anything that needed to be replaced and they assured me if the plumber would have any parts needed, including anything that wasn't installed already but needed to be to bring it up to code. The next day they called me ahead of time to confirm the time and when the plumbers were on their way, then when they arrived things started to go downhill. The head plumber didn't know about the status of the permit and when we confirmed his permit department was taking care of that he started cursing. He seemed to not want to be there but came in and almost immediately told us that the size of the one we ordered wouldn't fit and seemed to complain that he was going to have to take apart the HVAC vent to get the old one out. He immediately suggested another Bradford White that he had with him, and I challenged him on the sizing being that different to the Rheem because the change in regulations in 2015. He responded that the Rheem was about 61" tall with a 19" diameter, but the BW was only 59" tall and had an 18" diameter. We asked if it had the same specs - was it 40 gallons, 40,000 btu and he confirmed it was the same but just different height and diameter which was apparently necessary because the 3-foot wide closet it was in also had the HVAC furnace and vents in it and apparently even though the existing water heater had an 18" diameter and was only 59" tall and cleared the HVAC by nearly 4.5" on the back side and probably a little more than 6" on the side with some space in front between the closet door, apparently all that space wasn't going to be enough for the Rheem. My feeling was they were trying to do a bait and switch but I really didn't want to wait for the following week to get another company in to do the job and be out of hot water for several more days. My final objection was the price because I had seen comparable BW models to the Rheem I ordered and they were typically nearly $1,000 extra or more. But he pulled out his tablet and confirmed almost immediately that it would cost just an extra $200 more, almost like he had already inputted the BW model into the invoice before he came into the house. I should have trusted my gut instinct and stopped him there but again I didn't want to wait a few more days to find a different plumber. He proceeded to remove the old water heater and we asked him again about the tank warranty because he never explicitly said that the BW was also a 9-year. Turns out it was only a 6-year warranty, which only confirmed that we was giving us an inferior model to the one we had ordered but I rationalized it that we weren't planning on living here for that long and we couldn't go for days without hot water since we have three small kids and it's still winter, so hopefully it lasted. A short while later he tells us we had to replace the vent for it because it was rusted and apparently he didn't carry the vents with him, another red flag since this contradicted what the customer service rep told me the day before. We had to run down to the local store and pick one up - out of pocket as well - so he could complete the installation. Meanwhile, the customer service team kept calling because they had issues processing throughout the installation because they had problems with processing the payment. He and the guy assisting him finished up maybe an hour and 45 minutes after they arrived, let us know we'd have hot water in another 30-odd minutes, and then left out our back door, which was a bit weird but not really that big of a deal. I went to check out the installation and noticed there was still quite a bit of space all around the new water heater and thought I'd get the model number off the tank and check the dimensions and compare to the Rheem, and if they weren't that different then I'd call the company to complain. That's when I saw on the sticker it wasn't 40,000 btus like the plumber told us, it was 34,000! So I got online and checked and not only was the model inferior in every single way to the Rheem we ordered (warranty of 6 years vs 9, btu of 34,000 vs 40,000, first hour delivery rate of 64 gallons vs 81, recovery rate of 37 vs 40.4, and UEF of 0.59 vs 0.65), it was even inferior to the one I replaced. The UEF was the same as the old water heater (0.59) but with the lower btu, the first hour delivery of 67 gallons couldn't match the old one's 76 gallons FHD and the recovery rate of 37 also doesn't compare with the old one's 40 gallons. We're now spreading out our showers/laundry/dishwashing to make sure the water heater can manage but we know it will likely struggle to keep up with our increasing water usage needs even in the near future. I called the company the same day and they immediately tried to push back, claiming their best plumber must have legitimately determined the BW was the best option but they never bothered to follow up and contact us about our complaint. To top it off, the BW water heater is just an inch-and-a-half difference in diameter and less than 2.5-inch height shorter compared to the Rheem but still has several inches of clearance on all sides and about 15 inches on top. It would have required cutting the water pipes and soldering on elbows to adjust for the different placement of the water connections on the wider tank and it might have been a little tight trying to use a regular wrench or screw driver but I'm sure the plumber would have had angled or adjustable wrenches/screwdrivers to assist for any tight spaces. My guess is either he felt $1,000 wasn't enough to cover a little bit of cutting and soldering elbows to adjust the position of the water pipes or they get kickbacks for pushing BW models. And given how quickly he had the BW details inputted into the job ticket on his tablet, I wouldn't even be surprised if he hadn't even brought the Rheem model with him that day. I'd recommend to anyone considering this company to take the time to shop around. Unfortunately I wanted to get mine installed quickly and I thought Home Depot's local affiliated installers would act in good faith but I was disappointed.

Well, technicians were able to get the job done in reasonable time frame. They also noted the previous water heater was installed wrong and performed the necessary replacements to the plumbing. Would hire again

It was Awesome, everything went great no issues. He was very kind respectful and very professional

Couldn’t ask for a better experience , Kevin was here on time and explained how it was going to go. When he was finished he explained everything he did and answered a couple questions I had in terms I understood. Will only recommend DRF

They came the same day I called and replaced all of the pipes, exhaust and water heater. I ordered through Lowe’s and they came out to install. Very nice and seemed knowledgeable. Solid job.

With a very difficult kitchen layout, the work was done to specifications, in a timely manner and with professionalism.

This has been the worst experience I have ever had. Lowes set me up with this company to assist in replacing a hot water heater. The first step was to inform the lady on the phone of what I currently have and then fill out an email that required pics to be attached of the old water heater. Based on that info they order a WH. Two days later they called me stating they would not be coming out to complete service due to ordering the wrong WH. They advised me I couldn't even see if the right WH was in stock until MON. I have taken time off work and placed multiple calls to this company. One representative told me that if I didn't like it that there are other companies I can choose from. I was blown away. Alyssa Abbott promised me she would call me to inform me further and has not done so. It has been awful living without Hot water for this long. It has been awful putting your trust into a company who has failed to provide exceptional customer service. I will never recommend this company. And I truly feel bad that it has even gotten this awful. If I could have given zero stars I would have!

Excellent. Professional, prepared, knowledgeable, courteous, friendly, clean. Got the job done, and did it well.

Kevin and Azam did a terrific job, got us up and running with a same day installation. They worked well together, and I'm looking forward to a hot shower shortly. Would definitely use them and DRF again.

The so called plumber removed a pvc pipe that runs from my furnace to a drain that is under the water heater. After installing the new water heater he didn’t replace the pvc pipe and water ruined my drywall and baseboards. When they finally showed up the plumber sarcastically stated it was outside the scope of his employment to replace the pvc pipe. Even though he had no problem removing to get the $1500 they charge for a $500 water heater! After calling them 15 times and having to explain the situation over and over again they haven’t fixed anything. My 2 year old has started having allergy problems from the mold it has caused. When you call to get something installed they respond right away but when there’s a problem no one will answer you or call you back. I have contacted Home Depot about this since I got the water heater through them and they haven’t been able to resolve the issue either. They do not respond to Home Depot’s inquiry into the problem either. Bottom line don’t call Home Depot to get a water heater because they use DRF plumbing to install it!

Ryan was very helpful with some difficult pipe issues with our new water heater. He went above and beyond on a terribly hot day. Thanks.

Great Kevin and Richie did a great job . Fast and efficient . Very happy with the service

After calling and reporting the problem late Friday night, DRF Water Heating Solutions contacted me Saturday morning. They had me fill out a form identifying the water heater including uploaded photos to make sure they had the correct water heater. I was told that the plumber would be Kevin, that he would be out later that day (that he had a couple of jobs before me) so DRF Water Heating Solutions would call me 30 minutes before Kevin was on his way. DRF Water Heating Solution later called informing me that he was on the way and Kevin pulled up with a replacement water heater. He assessed the situation, disconnected the old water heater and installed the new water heater. Kevin was professional, very patient, helpful, explaining what needed to be done and answered all my questions. Kevin did a great job. I would ask for him again and recommend him.

The experience throughout the entire process (quoting, scheduling and actual work) was very good. Technicians Clayton and Ed clearly explained the work that was to be done. After the heater replacement was done, they walked me through all the details regarding the new heater and future maintanence tips. They also left the work area very clean. Very satisfied.

Clayton and Manny were able to replace my water heater the same day that I called. They arrived on time and were very personable and professional. When they were finished, they clearly explained everything they did. Overall, a very good experience. I would hire them again if needed.

Very good. Very professional, friendly, very efficient. Very good job. Even was mindful of sneaky cats.

The installation went well and Kevin was knowledgeable about our new water heater. He answered all of my questions regarding water heaters.

Matt and Manny were right on time and did an excellent installing our new water heater.

Kevin and Tyler arrived on time, accessed the job, then went to work! Water heater installed in no time, professional, Excellent work! Completely satisfied...

Kevin and his crew worked very quickly to remove our old water heater and replace with the newer model. I appreciate that they installed a drain pan, second water shut off and fixed the location of our overflow valve — all included in the quote. They worked quickly and cleanly!

Clayton & Ed were quick and easy to work with.. Very efficient!

Was the worst experience I have ever had. They ruined our floors when removing our water heater and would not pay more than $200 to help with repairs. Well over a thousand dollars to fix plus the hassle of having to hire someone to come fix. Will never use this service again and would advise anyone considering to stay away as well.

Nice to receive a quote over the phone vs a visit “charge”. On time, great communication.