--172.58.xxx.x

This is the first time I have ever heard of replacing parts on a water heater. Usually they run for about 12 years, stop working and get hauled to the curb and replaced. I do see that it's a power vent. I have one of those. Very expensive. If anything happens I will try to get someone to get the part. --108.24.xx.xx

BRAD --73.103.xx.xx

Richmond is trash. 4/4 died on me. All defective gas valves. I talked to the sales rep, he said he'd make it up to me... his fix, a $100 gift card... they need a class action and deserve one --174.209.xxx.xx

Many times the owner lives in Beverly Hills and the Rental is located 50 miles away. --47.155.xx.xxx

Water heaters sold at the big box stores are lowest quality out there as the stores want maximum mark up. Find out which part fails then buy a few so in the future can repair immediately. Basically a direct fired hot water heater is a disposable where constant firing as there heat loss going up the chimney when no hot water is being used. If there is boiler then buying a indirect hot water is more efficient along very low standby of less then one degree per hour. A good quality indirect hot water tank will made of stainless steel where will outlast the disposable direct fired hot water tank. In the house since there is furnace in 2005 bought a Takagi demand hot water heater where no storage. Other then clean no parts were ever replaced. A boiler is more reliable along with much more hot water per hour as the BTU output is higher. At first a indirect hot water tank sounds expensive but over a period of twenty to thirty years operating costs are less. --68.69.xxx.xxx

I love Rheem water heaters. Been using them for 15 years in all of my houses and never had a problem with them. Also, Rheem and Ruud are the exact same unit, just a different name plate. --71.207.xxx.x

I always buy my water heaters from a plumbing supply rather than Home Depot or Lowe's. --89.45.xx.xx

Maybe rather than down playing a product on this evaluation you should eval where you are in RE. You gave this RHEEM a bad rap-- just like we hate the honey do list from tenants-- the manufacturers know that their products are usually OK so why should THEY pay from the warranty pool money to eval a water heater that isn't bad? Do you think when they call a tech it's free? NO! it eats into their product profit. A frivolous maintenance visit-- we all know about those non-recoupable expenses. --99.103.xxx.xxx

In my early days of landlording some 30 years ago, a tenant called with a no heat problem. Even though I lived only 15 minutes from the house, I immediately called my furnace guy to go over. Turned out the tenant's child had turned the furnace off at the switch. It was a lesson well learned. Since that day, I have always verified any appliance malfunction. --50.96.xxx.xx

Now that I've said that, we'll probably get WH problems this week,lol. --75.11.xx.xx

Jasper,you are allowing your tenants to run you around for no reason,i get that call i call my furnace guy,if the emergency switch is turned off i charge the tenant,it is not my job to run around to make sure they didnt screw something up,if the tenant will try a couple things i will have them check a couple things but some wont even try to let me troubleshoot it over the phone --74.77.xx.xx

Rheem has had defective gas valves. I've changed 3 already. I've even changed them twice on a water heater less than 2 years old. Rheem will overnight a new gas valve but you have to be careful because the pilot line can also get stuck inside and break as well. I've stopped buying Rheem water heaters and have switched to Bradford White. --131.239.xx.xxx

I feel the takeaway from this is to make sure that any gas water heater is hard-wired to make it a bit more idiot proof. --50.202.xxx.xx

--184.4.xx.xx

For the record, I DID troubleshoot with the tenant. Checked the breakers, checked the plug, checked the switch. She TOLD me the blower motor was running. In hindsight, I'm not sure she knows the difference between the furnace and the water heater. And yes, we're going to make it much harder to unplug the water heater in the future! Question, though: would you bill her the $50 maintenance man charge to find the loose plug? --172.58.xxx.xx

if she told you it was caused by her people-- darn right. --99.103.xxx.xxx

--74.77.xx.xx

Would the tenant be charged for unplugging the unit, absolutely the entire amount in the next rent cycle. --76.190.xxx.xxx

How it works is companies buy parts from different manufactures where when a part becomes problematic they buy from another manufacturer. Have bought Bradford water heaters which are more expensive then the big box store types where had good experience will all types bought. A plumber can not afford call backs by selling products that fail. With the cost of energy along with carbon tax would only buy a demand water heater. In the house installed a Takagi demand water heater where never changed any parts only cleaning. While not the highest efficiency model still more efficient then the direct fired hot water tank which has open flue where heat constantly goes up chimney when no hot water is required. To save 10 per cent it is not worthwhile to upgrade as 81 per cent is way above any direct fired hot water tank except the high efficiency models. --68.69.xxx.xxx

I would not charge her $50.00, I would charge $125.00 and according to our lease, she would be racking up daily charges until she provided acceptable proof the unauthorized people were out or the adult had been screened. --12.196.xxx.xxx

It is now manufactured as the Rheem Marathon. Same technology (we had to do a lot of digging, but finally found documentation to support that). We got tired of water heaters quitting at rentals, and are now replacing with Marathons when the time comes. --108.2.xx.xxx

The PH of the water makes a difference on how long a metal tank lasts.My water heaters last longest on city water. --35.132.xxx.xxx

I agree with Brad. We also only use Bradford White. Our price for Bradford Whites at R.E. Michel even slightly beats the prices of the equivalent water heaters at Lowe's & Home Depot. --71.246.xxx.xxx

New Jersey --174.206.xxx.xx