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Vaughn Water Heater Reviews - Vaughn Manufacturing Corporation produces water heaters for commercial and residential applications. They produce electric water heaters, indirect water heaters, storage tanks, solar heaters, and range boilers. Various features of selected Vaughn products are:
Vaughn Water Heater Reviews | Select Features
- Seamless lining in the tank for maximum effect of preventing tank failure in selected systems
- R-16 insulation value in selected products to prevent heat loss
- Removable heat exchanger for easier service in selected products
- Vaughn products use bronze fittings at all tank openings
- Seamless half-inch thick stone lining protects the tank from poor water conditions that result in tank failure in selected products
- Built-in heat traps in selected products
Vaughn Water Heater Reviews - Heater and Tank Types Available
Vaughn has a full range of water heaters and storage tanks available for both commercial uses and residential uses. A listing of the basic lineup for Vaughn waters heaters and storage tanks include:
- Electric water heaters with heavy-duty elements. 3-inch foam insulation for added efficiency.
- Indirect water heaters for those with boiler systems.
- Range boilers for use with solar and wood stoves.
- Solar-specific water storage tanks
- Geothermal storage tanks
- Buffer tanks with optional heat exchanger
- Heat pump water heaters with electronic controls for high efficiency
- Condensing and non-condensing gas water heaters. Condensing gas water heaters are typically more efficient than the standard non-condensing water heaters.
- All water heaters and storage tanks listed are available for both commercial and residential water heating applications.
Additionally, for added efficiency Vaughn offers a line of electronic controllers for use in water heating applications. Controllers include timers and energy controllers, temperature controllers, and grid-interactive controls.
Vaughn Water Heater Reviews | Consumer Opinion
Vaughn Manufacturing Corporation is based out of Salisbury, MA, and is a family-run company dedicated to producing quality water heating and plumbing products.
More about Vaughn can be at their website.
You can browse new waters and their prices here.
Leave your review in the comments section below.
Vaughn Water Heater Reviews
The Vaughn stone lined water heaters are a great innovative idea, in theory.
Ours had an incomplete weld at the upper heater bung that eventually leaked and had to be replaced. The warranty claim was rejected by their regional representative even though it was an obvious manufacturing defect, easily confined visually.
We replaced it with a Marathon, all plastic water heater. It does need an a sacrificial anode rod, so there is no aluminum or magnesium contamination of drinking water, no bad taste, no bad odors.
Additionally, because both the tank and shell are plastic, the Marathon weighs just a fraction of the stone lined water heater’s weight. And is lighter than a conventional steel water heater. Empty, one person can pick it up off the ground.
My oil company (very reputable) recommended Vaughn, Stone lined, hot water, 119G Water tank, when I put oil heat in my house. These are guarenteed for a lifetime in the home I have them installed, how could I go wrong?? well…read below
The first one I had installed sometime within the past 8-10 years, and it died within a 60-8 yr time frame and Vaughn replaced this for “FREE”, which cost me over $1200 to have this installed, and pay for receiving fees, and Vaughn did not assist and it took almost a month to get the replacement.
The second Water heater died in less than 3 years, leaking and rusting, and it took another month plus and Vaughn would not assist in the cost to replace/re-install, and remove the older one.
I will no longer use this product or company as their “FREE” :Lifetime replace Guarantee, has cost me over $3000 in less than 10 years, plus a lot of aggravation, and time. I have tried on many occasions, and through many different means, to contact Ian Bratt the president of the company, and noone will allow me to speak with him, and I have left many messages to speak with him, and he won’t reply. Their warrranty/Guarantee is useless, if they continue to break, and cost me or anyone money, time and aggravation having to replace an inferior product on a every 3-5 year basis.
We have a 115 Gallon Electric Vaughn Water Heater which was installed in April of 1986. That’s over 32 years old and the tank is still holding up well! I’m tempted to replace it with a Hybrid water heater so we can start saving money but at the same time I’m worried that they don’t make the tanks like they used to. Would love to see more reviews from people who have the Hybrid water heater.
Reviewed by Admin Transfer September 05, 2011
Vaughn Hot Water Heater Reviewe
Reviewed by Paul Regan November 17, 2009
Vaughn Hot Water Heater Reviewe
There was a Sepco80 by Vaughn in our house when we arrived in 1987. 22 years later it has begun to leak, which is a pretty good indication of its quality. We raised four boys here, using hot water for laundry, showers, washing machine – the normal run of household uses. It is an 80 gallon tank and has never, ever run out of water, even at the holidays with four grown sons and three daughters-in-law in residence for most of a week. It is an expensive, stone-lined model that has been worth every penny the previous owners paid for it!
Reviewed by Admin Transfer September 05, 2011
Solar Sepco 80 leaks at 4 years.
Reviewed by Phil February 25, 2010
Solar Sepco 80 leaks at 4 years.
I installed a Solar Sepco 80 gallon tank 4 years ago. I went with this based on the what I had heard, the construction and the method of solar heat transfer. Installing this resulted in the loss of my external solar heater converter and motor as the converter was now in the tank.
Less than 4 years later, it is leaking around the converter due to a bad tank (not bad gasket). The cost to replace this “warranty covered” tank is $1200 ($400 shipping, $800 installation). Upon checking out alternatives, I discover the alternative would be to reinstall an external converter resulting in a $3000 fix. This is mighty expensive hot water for 4 years! I think it is time to look at propane.
Reviewed by Admin Transfer September 05, 2011
Do not recommend an indirect 60 gal model
Reviewed by tom September 10, 2010
Do not recommend an indirect 60 gal model
First one was installed in 1996, started leaking in 2000. replaced but had to shell out money to HVAC contract to replace. 2010, this one is now leaking. Just made the 7 year warranty first time. Changing to Weil McLain (same as furnace) as they have lifetime compared to Vaughn.
Reviewed by Admin Transfer September 05, 2011
poor quality
Reviewed by spud November 02, 2010
poor quality
Had a big one, think it is 80 gallon. Rusted up really bad in around 7 years. They say it is coated on the inside, but unfortunately they just use plain steel plates/pipes/bolts. It is these extra pieces that rusted up and started to leak.
They replaced it under warranty. Then 3 years later, the replacement leaked…this thim galvanic corrosion on the cold water intake pipe, and a hidden leak somewhere under the foam insulation in the steel tank wall.
Face it, if you want an indirect heater unit, go for a stainless steel one. Anything else and you are just fooling yourself.
Reviewed by Admin Transfer September 05, 2011
Vaughn 65 Gal Hot Water Storage Tank
Reviewed by Mark November 22, 2010
Last updated: November 22, 2010
Vaughn 65 Gal Hot Water Storage Tank
65 Gallon unit was installed in our new house in Sept. 1999. Unit functioned well for about 3 years and then began to show some very strange signs of poor workmanship, build quality. Plastic outer liner craked and split at 3 years. Plastic outer liner split in several places at 5 years. Lower feed line began surface corrosion at 7 years. Lower feed line began weeping water at 8 years. Heat exchanger coil feed began weeping water at 8 years. lower 1/4 of remaining outer liner is filled with water weeping from all fittings. Insulation(inner liner)around circumference of unit is drenched with water. 10 years and I’m riding on luck at this point. Time to get a new one only I don’t want to make a snap decision and get screwed. I’m in the market for a well engineered product made in the USA that I can purchase and install and thats it.
Admin Transfer Original post by Richard
I have an 80 gallon ME series, concrete/stone lined electric water tank. I did it through Vaughn rental program, cost me $20 per month, 5 year contract. For $20 month it was zero cost to put in and I have a full warranty on it as long as I am renting.
The tank went in a 3600 square foot home in a lightly heated basement. There are 4 to 5 people living in the house. I have never run out of water. It saved me $40 to $50 per month on my electric bill vs my old water heater. I am absolutely sold on the quality value of the water heater – this thing is a tank.
Downside – It is a very heavy water tank. Has a wireless module but it is not ready for consume use – software not available.
I wanted to go with a hybrid tank but there are to many people complaining about them, plus I did not have the $1000 to $2000 to put into a tank when my old one broke.
These tanks seem to be more common in Canada and the Northeast – the lined tank resists corrosion from harsh mineral water. In Virginia not a problem but the electric bill savings are worth it.
I can highly recommend Vaughn.