[Pipe Rat]

I work in a major metropolitan area. St Louis, MO and can’t believe there is not a Rheem distributor here besides HOME DEPOT. I wanted to sell the “Professional” series vs the budget “Performance” series Home depot sells as a better alternative but I cannot get them in my area.
The Big Box stores have pushed legislation (several years ago) allowing for a water heater installers license which totally screwed the licensed plumber required in the past.
I guess now they have sowed up exclusive right to the Rheem brand in our area too.

 

[Plumbus]

Screw 'em. Switch to Bradford-White.

 

[dhal22]

Ef Rheem, haven't installed a Rheem since 1 of their glass safety vials broke on a new install 15 years ago. And they 'mailed me a replacement...... By then I had trashed the new heater and installed another brand.

Dumb tankless designs as well.

 

[OpenSights]

I’m walking away from Rheem too. I like Bradford, but there’s a story, won’t buy them. I installed leaknivor for years, 15 years ago. A few during the lockdown cause it was all we could get. They any good anymore? The ones we installed, no issues. Supply house of course.

 

[Blue2]

Rheem is ass. Bradford white are good, expensive but good. I prefer a.o smith personally. Haven’t had an issue but once with them. Brand new 75 gallon gas leaking from the anode rod. I can do warranty stuff right down the road from the shop at my supply house so works good for me.
Bradford white warranty process took me forever the couple times I did it. Time is money

 

[OpenSights]

F’ck Smith! Special thermal pyles of diodes and special vapor sensors! They are special! Reinventing the wheel. Just like some other “name brand” POS companies.

 

[Blue2]

F’ck Smith! Special thermal pyles of diodes and special vapor sensors! They are special! Reinventing the wheel. Just like some other “name brand” POS companies.

Vapor sensors??

 

[OpenSights]

Vapor sensors??

The little round disks with wires, attatched to the sealed combustion chamber plate. To get someone through the the night or weekend you can get by with… well let’s not go there.

 

[DDDave]

(...)
Dumb tankless designs as well.

How long since you looked at their tankless stuff? No sarcasm, I'd like to know from someone who knows Rheems. We had a Rheem rep with a depot rep out last year and they pitched greater serviceability/access behind the cover vs. other mfr's. They said Rheem has recently made it a point to do it better. They walked us through common service/repairs on a sample, seemed to be accurate and low-BS.

 

[Blue2]

The little round disks with wires, attatched to the sealed combustion chamber plate. To get someone through the the night or weekend you can get by with… well let’s not go there.

I know what you’re talking about, but I rarely come across those water heaters that have them. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other brand besides rheem that has had one in my area.

 

[Blue2]

How long since you looked at their tankless stuff? No sarcasm, I'd like to know from someone who knows Rheems. We had a Rheem rep with a depot rep out last year and they pitched greater serviceability/access behind the cover vs. other mfr's. They said Rheem has recently made it a point to do it better. They walked us through common service/repairs on a sample, seemed to be accurate and low-BS.

Their tankless aren’t too terrible, however I would still go with a Navien imo. Or a rinnai if I wanted a non-condensing model.

 

[Blue2]

How long since you looked at their tankless stuff? No sarcasm, I'd like to know from someone who knows Rheems. We had a Rheem rep with a depot rep out last year and they pitched greater serviceability/access behind the cover vs. other mfr's. They said Rheem has recently made it a point to do it better. They walked us through common service/repairs on a sample, seemed to be accurate and low-BS.

Re read your post and missed the part about access behind the panel, they are comparable to navien but a little bit tighter. But far more room than any rinnai that I’ve seen. Except the sensei models. Haven’t seen those in the wild yet.

 

[MACPLUMB777]

How long since you looked at their tankless stuff? No sarcasm, I'd like to know from someone who knows Rheems. We had a Rheem rep with a depot rep out last year and they pitched greater serviceability/access behind the cover vs. other mfr's. They said Rheem has recently made it a point to do it better. They walked us through common service/repairs on a sample, seemed to be accurate and low-BS.

RHEEM tankless is owned by PALOMA out of Japan, they also own Rheem/Ruud Water Heaters, also Raypak Boilers
out of Oxnard, CA

 

[Gen3plumber]

Screw 'em. Switch to Bradford-White.

This^^^^^

 

[Will]

I've had great luck with Rheem Tankless. I've installed them for years now, not a single call back. I only install the Rheem RTGH-95DVLN-2, built in Japan and much better quality than other tankless. All copper, brass, metal inside, not plastic like the Navien.

Now the Rheem RTGH-RH11DVLN is Korean made by Kiturami and similar quality to a Navien(has more plastic parts and more modular) . Can't speak for that model as I only install the Rheem RTGH-95DVLN-2 which I feel is the best tankless on the market.

 

[Master Mark]

I think that All Tankless heaters are nothing but trouble.... I dont want to fool with them
I have installed a few Navian and they seem ok but I dont love any of them... I dont need
an education on how to repair them as we see very few anyway.... so I feel .a simple tank heater is better

Rheem tank type heaters are all that I install these days.... Yes they had the gas valve issues
that we had to work through but they seem to stand up better in our area to the chemicals that
the water company is presently throwing in the water supply..

Also I have noticed over the years that the Rheem seem to hold up better than Bradfords in our
area when a water softener is in the system.... The bradfords do not like soft water and seem to
barely last out the warranty whereas the Rheem seem to have a tougher hide and the sodium in the
soft water does not affect them......

All water heaters need to install a longer lasting anode rod in them.... Bradfords recently had an
issue with their anode rods melting down and filling the heaters with a grey funk that was nasty to
clean out so all heaters take their turn walking in the hall of shame...

eventually it passes

 

[Plumbus]

I think that All Tankless heaters are nothing but trouble.... I dont want to fool with them

I agree with your sentiment. However, when they are specified, it's hard to convince them to change the spec.

 

[dhal22]

I think that All Tankless heaters are nothing but trouble.... I dont want to fool with them
I have installed a few Navian and they seem ok but I dont love any of them... I dont need
an education on how to repair them as we see very few anyway.... so I feel .a simple tank heater is better

Rheem tank type heaters are all that I install these days.... Yes they had the gas valve issues
that we had to work through but they seem to stand up better in our area to the chemicals that
the water company is presently throwing in the water supply..

Also I have noticed over the years that the Rheem seem to hold up better than Bradfords in our
area when a water softener is in the system.... The bradfords do not like soft water and seem to
barely last out the warranty whereas the Rheem seem to have a tougher hide and the sodium in the
soft water does not affect them......

All water heaters need to install a longer lasting anode rod in them.... Bradfords recently had an
issue with their anode rods melting down and filling the heaters with a grey funk that was nasty to
clean out so all heaters take their turn walking in the hall of shame...

eventually it passes

I make good money installing them, the customers love them and I rarely see them again. What's not to like?

 

[Pipe Rat]

I’ll be damned. After finally getting in touch with Rheem and them telling me there is not a distributor within 100 miles of me I go into my local Bradford White supplier for a price list and found out they stock Rheem too.

 

[Pipe Rat]

I’m curious about tankless myself. In our area we would need a 60-70 degree temperature rise. Does this really work? I’ve always just figured they weren’t good for our area.
Does your gas piping typically need to be updated?