Yeah but what's the cost? Usually break even isn't close. Might make sense in a hot state but considering how simple hot water heaters are and people getting 10-20 years out of them, they probably still don't make sense.
Water heaters, Rheem or AO Smith
- Thread starter Malo83
- Start date
^Cost of what? I think you are totally missing my point here.
Those passive sytems were installed by contractors years ago. The first re-roof job and they were typically thrown away.
The OP is in Sunny California. And I was only describing an example from Australia, where solar is cheap.
So, what exactly is it that you'd like me to help explain?
Those passive sytems were installed by contractors years ago. The first re-roof job and they were typically thrown away.
The OP is in Sunny California. And I was only describing an example from Australia, where solar is cheap.
So, what exactly is it that you'd like me to help explain?
Cost of the system. You claim solar is cheap. Lots of times they're demo programs funded by various programs but economically without subsidies, those solar systems don't make sense. Not a thing anymore in the US, only ran into one person who bought into the theory but after 10+ years the guy was trying to sell his house and thought that having the solar system might add 10k to the value of his house as that was what he paid for it. And the roofs are probably only good for 20-30 years here so he was about 1/2 to 1/3 of the way through the life of the system. So he probably paid about 1k a year for his system whereas a hot water heater and paying for gas might actually only cost you around $250-$350 a year including the cost of the gas/depreciation of the hot water heater.
But he didn't live in Australia, and it wasn't last year.
Ask Bill Maher about solar in California. Big joke, he waited over 1000 days for approvals alone!
The solar thing, was an example of something that I haven't heard of here in the US before, and the way things are going, likely never will.
Ask Bill Maher about solar in California. Big joke, he waited over 1000 days for approvals alone!
The solar thing, was an example of something that I haven't heard of here in the US before, and the way things are going, likely never will.
Just replaced my 50 gallon natural gas Richmond with the equivalent Rheem. They are the same water heater. The ignitor design changed a little over the last 7 years but the tank is exact down to the decals. Just a FYI. Now back to the arguments....
Never mind.
Last edited:
It won't do the entire house.
They are about the same, I just buy the longest warranty one (which usually means more anode materials inside) and call it a day. Labor is expensive. My experience is it is usually your home location and water source that matters, not which brand. I have the same water heaters that leak 5 years in or 25 years, same brand, and the locations is where they always leak 5 years or 25 years.
Flushing doesn't help me a bit, the one I did and didn't flush have about the same life psan.
Flushing doesn't help me a bit, the one I did and didn't flush have about the same life psan.
Last edited:
Which supports the idea that these heaters are throw away commodities and the differences between the major brands are not discernible. I say this because an exhaustive, BITOG style OCD internet search led me to think that Rheem maybe had a tiny step up on the other two brands. Your's is leaking after 7 years.
The Terry Love plumbing forum has a thread or two claiming that the Lowes AO Smith Heaters are just cheap Whirlpool models with AO Smith labels (or something to that effect). It's just a rumor from one or two professional plumbers, so who really knows:
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....mith-water-heaters-rebranded-whirlpool.70719/
https://www.plumbingzone.com/threads/a-o-smith-at-lowes.74785/
AO Smith owns the Whirlpool Brand for water heaters. It’s a good business decision to drop that name anyway.
I agree, a lot of stuff is junk these days.
Bradford White is the best. You gotta have a pro install it or find a supply house that has one.
