AO Smith They refused to compensate us for damage done to our home by their failed water heater that was still under warranty Ashland City Tennessee

At AO Smith's request, we furnished them with an estimate from a licensed contractor for repair of the damages done to our home by the failed water heater that was still under warranty.  They then said that the claim would not be processed until we produced the old/failed water heater as evidence that the item was indeed failed, inoperative, and dangerous.

 This was AFTER a Searshc technician sent to our home performed a thorough examination of the failed system. After his examination, he concluded that the water heater was “shot and irreparable”. He immediately transmitted that information (while still at our home) to his superiors. Within 30 minutes of the tech’s call to his superiors with his report, we were provided with an email informing us of the opportunity to replace the water heater with one that we could purchase and have installed by a licensed contractor.

We, of course, did so promptly. In the course of disconnecting  the failed heater and installing the newly-purchased unit, and because there was no mention of any future need to produce the old machine, we had the plumbing contractor remove it.  

I believe that any reasonable person would agree that upon the installation of the replacement water heater and in the absence of any request by Sears, AO Smith, Sedgwick or anyone else to retain the failed heater, it is completely unreasonable for AO Smith to contend  that after thorough examination of the failed water heater by Searshc, we should have known to retain the failed water heater so that a further examination of the machine could be performed.