Author Archives: BetCrooks

Is Hot Water a Matter of Life and Death? If Not, Why Are You Insuring Your Water Tank?

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I find ads for water heater rentals fascinating. In particular, I believe some ads for water heater tank “insurance” or “maintenance plans” are some of the best fiction currently published today. My grandfather, though a 6th generation Canadian, lived many years without electricity and without hot running water. He didn’t die. He didn’t even suffer much. When did running hot water become a matter of life and death?

Scare Tactics to Try to Sell Water Heater Maintenance and Insurance Plans

Some companies offering these plans like to throw around some very large numbers. I believe the intention is to scare readers into purchasing their insurance or maintenance plans.

Here are some numbers from the Direct Energy Water Heater Rental Page:
Typical Water Heater Repairs
Parts and Labour Costs:

  • Ventor Motor $672.25
  • Gas Valve $697.00

 

Sounds impressive, right? Imagine if BOTH the motor and the valve went?!

Did you know a brand new full-price 40-gallon 12-year natural gas tank only costs $688?

Also from the Direct Energy Website, I found the cost for two plans that cover (some) repairs and maintenance to water heaters. The plans are primarily geared towards repairs and maintenance of furnace and air conditioner units. They cost $27.45-$38.45 a MONTH.

Home Emergency Insurance Solutions has a plan for only hot water heaters which includes up to $1000 to replace a unit if it cannot be fixed. This plan costs $6.99 a month.

Do You Flush Your Water Heater Tank Regularly?

If you read the service manual for your water heater it will probably say you need to flush the tank on a regular (listed) schedule. This helps to prevent the buildup of deposits of minerals from your water and rust from your tank at the bottom of the tank.

When Do Water Heater Insurance Policies Really Fail?

If you don’t follow the maintenance schedule for your water heater tank, many “insurance” policies will not cover needed repairs.

In fact, if you rent your water tank, you may also have to pay for repairs if you are not following the manual. On the Direct Energy website, the fine print says:
“Some limitations apply in the following circumstances: …if… water heater requires flushing, de-liming or other repairs from hard water conditions, or iv) where venting or piping requires cleaning, repair or replacement. “

Don’t be too sure that your policy will pay for repairs. One of our friends was told because there was calcium buildup in the tank they would have to pay themselves for replacing their rental unit, even though it was 12 years old.

How Critical is Hot Water to Your Daily Existence?

Before paying cold hard cash for hot water insurance, I’d stop and ask myself “How would I manage with no hot running water?”

Yes, we like to take showers and baths, wash our hands in warm water, wash dishes in hot water, and wash some clothes in warm.

Are any of those requirements critical though?

To wash ourselves, we can heat water and add it to cold. Pioneers did it. Pre-1800’s everyone did it. Is it a nuisance and somewhat dangerous? Yes. Is it impossible? No.

Many times in the winter we heated water in a kettle at our cottage and added it to cold water in the sink before washing the dishes. It’s a bit time consuming but it works.
Clothes can be washed at the Laundromat or a friend or relative’s house for a few days until repairs or a replacement can be completed.

Save Your Money: Don’t Insure Your Water Heater

I’d conclude that spending money to insure your water heater is unnecessary. The insurer might refuse to pay if they could claim you overlooked some type of required maintenance. If the repair is high cost, you could just get a new tank and have several to many years of reliable future service.

If you’re really worried, why not put the same $6.99 to $38.45 (taxes not included!) in a bank account ready to use for the eventual replacement of your tank? That $94.78 –   $521.38 per year would add up quickly.

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Do you insure your water heater? Have you ever had to make a claim? Please share your experiences with a comment.

Why I’m Pulling the Plug on Cable TV from Rogers and Why Their Cancellation Policy Seems Illegal

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Way back in 2004 we decided to get Cable TV from Rogers. We were leaving the country for several weeks with our youngest child and were leaving our elder child in the care of my parents. It seemed merciless to cut my Dad off from 7×24 TV news coverage for weeks, so we got cable for him. For a variety of reasons, most of which are spelled p-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n, we didn’t cancel it when we got back. But the time has come to cancel our cable service; To me, though, it seems like the Rogers cancellation policy borders on illegal.

Whose Bill Is It?

I should have known that cancelling cable would be similar to severing my own limb using a plastic knife. However, since I am eternally optimistic (if cynical), I phoned Rogers at the number listed on our bill. I should have known there would be a problem because it technically is my husband’s bill, not ours. It is in his name only.

Anyway, I tried.

I called at 1:28. At 1:29 after selecting a variety of voice mail options that led no where, I was put on hold. At 1:30 the call was picked up.

At 1:42 I finally hung up.

I had not been able to cancel the bill. Nor was I able to find out how my husband could cancel in writing by fax, email or Canada Post.

Rogers Cable Says I Cannot Cancel My Cable TV Service In Writing

This is the part that seems borderline on illegal to me. The representative on the phone told me, repeatedly, that it is not possible to cancel Cable TV by sending in a letter: Not by fax, by email or by registered mail delivered by Canada Post!

I have heard many people complain about contracts that MUST be cancelled in writing. This is the first time I’ve encountered one that CANNOT be cancelled in writing!

To have spent 12 minutes waiting just to be told I could not cancel the service was very annoying indeed.

Why Did It Take 12 Minutes to Not Cancel the Service?

I told the agent plainly that we were cancelling because the cost for the service has become “way, way, way too high.” When we started cable in 2004, we were paying $26.44 including taxes etc. We are now paying $40.50 including taxes and strange fees to the CRTC. That’s an increase of $14.06 or over 53% in less than 10 years.

Now, to add insult to injury, Rogers has announced that as of Sept 17, 2013 they will charge you $2 to send you a bill. That’s right you have to pay for the privilege of owing them money. I wouldn’t take this from Bell and I won’t from Rogers either. (To do the agent justice, he did say that we could work out something to remove this $2 fee. Of course I had to phone in to find that out.)

The agent said he had to check what discounts he could offer for the service before he could accept a cancellation since we had stated the reason for cancelling is price.

Will my husband have to endure another 12 minute delay when he calls in to cancel?

How Can I Cancel the Cable If My Husband Can’t Phone Rogers?

Believe it or not, there is one way I can cancel the service if my husband can’t or won’t phone in:

  • I have to get a Power of Attorney
  • I can fax the Power of Attorney in to Rogers
  • I can then phone in to go through the phone in cancellation process again!

I’m amazed. Actually sort-of stunned. Why on earth can you not simply write a letter stating you are cancelling your TV service?!

Rogers Cable Has the Worst Cable TV Cancellation Service I Can Imagine

In conclusion, I think Rogers should win some sort of prize for most bizarre contract cancellation policy.

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Have you cut the cable? Did you find it quick and simple or tortuously slow and silly? Please share your experiences with a comment.