Rheem or Whirlpool Water Heater

[Nick1994]

My grandmother's water heater has been making really weird noises off and on lately, it's a 10 year old 40 gallon GE gas water heater. I looked at it and it is getting rusty at the bottom and starting to leak.

Home Depot sells Rheem water heaters and Lowes sells Whirpool. We're looking at getting a basic 40 gallon gas water heater again, both have them for $408.

Which brand would you buy? I've never even heard of Rheem but then again I've never replaced a water heater.

Thanks for the input.

 

[CT8]

There are only a few companies that make water heaters and other companies just put their names on them.

 

[JHZR2]

Indirect is the only way to go if she has hydronic heat.

Power vent is next best as it removes the standby losses which can add up due to the flue.

Rheem is an established company as is whirlpool. I suspect both are made by someone else.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Rheem Marathon Series

 

[rshaw125]

I have a gas Rheem 14 years old going strong. Are you sure there is a whole in the tank? It could be a fitting/connection leaking.
I have seen them last 20+ years.

 

[Oldtom]

Sometimes condensation dripping out of the burner area looks like a leak. Check this before spending money and time swapping out a water heater. Also, odd noises can be caused by a mineral buildup inside the heater. You can attach a garden hose to the drain valve and flush out the crud. There is a slight chance the drain valve will get jammed open by a chunk of mineral but, this is easy to replace. Google flushing a water heater for the full story.

 

[sicko]

Between those two companies, I'd go Rheem.

Yes, you want to switch out your water heater a little bit early rather than too late. If your AC or furnace goes out, you're stuck dealing with the heat or cold, but if your water heater goes out, it usually floods your basement.

In fact, I'm about to buy a 40 gal gas water heater from Home Depot, I'm looking at the Rheem Model# XG40T12HE40U0, from my initial research it seemed to have the best price/performance.

 

[Wolf359]

Rheem is a standard water heater maker. Home Depot used to be GE, but I forget who made them for GE, but GE never actually made them, they were just rebranded. I'd go with the Rheem, Whirlpool might be ok now, but they had horrible reviews in the past. If it's rusting on the bottom, it's probably too late to change out the anode rod. And if you use your home depot credit card, you'd get 5% off too.

 

[NHGUY]

Have had bad luck with Rheem and Ruud.Very short lifespans.

 

[Nick1994]

I'd rather just replace it, it off and on makes really loud noises and I'd rather not take a chance of a big leak too.

We have very hard water here too so it's probably full of sediment.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Go to post office to get a "Moving Package", in it there is a Home Depot 10% discount, not much but better than nothing.

 

[Highboy]

Menards has a 11% sale going on now. They sell Richmond water heaters. The 11% is in the form of a mail in rebate.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Go to post office to get a "Moving Package", in it there is a Home Depot 10% discount, not much but better than nothing.


When did you get the packet? I thought they stopped doing this a long time ago. Used to be a Lowes coupon, but then they made you sign up online to get one emailed to you and Home Depot doesn't take computer printed coupons.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Highboy
Menards has a 11% sale going on now. They sell Richmond water heaters. The 11% is in the form of a mail in rebate.


Doubt he will want to drive from Arizona to find a Menards.

 

[Kira]

I had a Rheem Copper Core Custom. When the tank died I cried.

"Oh, they don't make 'em anymore". Darn it!

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Rheem is a standard water heater maker. Home Depot used to be GE, but I forget who made them for GE, but GE never actually made them, they were just rebranded.


I have one of these, purchased in 2007. The GE branded heaters are Rheem. I installed it myself and it has, thus far, performed far better than the State brand el-cheapo model that came with the house in 1996. That one made weird bubbling and gurgling noises whenever it was heating the water. That was due to sediment buildup.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Go to post office to get a "Moving Package", in it there is a Home Depot 10% discount, not much but better than nothing.


When did you get the packet? I thought they stopped doing this a long time ago. Used to be a Lowes coupon, but then they made you sign up online to get one emailed to you and Home Depot doesn't take computer printed coupons.

I got 1 July last year when we moved to our new house in Lake Forest, Orange County, So Cal. I filled out the moving card at local post office to forward mails, they mailed me a package with many coupons inside. I may be wrong about 10% discount coupon was for Home Depot, may be the coupon was for Lowes.

I used it to buy new washer and dryer, it saved me about $110-120. I don't even remember where I bought those, but I am sure either from Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[nleksan]

FWIW, I have been extremely impressed with my in-line/on-demand water heaters (I also have radiant heating, so easy plumbing), and I strongly recommend looking into that route.

 

[Nick1994]

Bought a Rheem today. My grandfather got 5% off using his Home Depot card. Tomorrow is installation day. We'll see how this goes, thanks for the help guys.

 

[Nick1994]

Again, thanks for the help. It was my first water heater install, and it was a breeze. I hadn't soldered copper pipes before, and they don't leak. When I turned on the gas I used Windex to spray on all the gas joints, none of my connections leaked but the old shutoff valve was leaking, possibly before I turned it off so I installed a new one. No leaks and boy this thing is hot! The settings are Hot, A, B, C, and Very Hot. I put it on A and it was too hot. I figured A would be necessary since her house has an attached apartment that shares this 40 gallon water heater that my brother and his girlfriend live in, surprisingly a 40 gallon is more than enough for 4 people.

I'll be painting the laundry room this winter when it isn't 1,000 degrees outside.