Water heaters, Rheem or AO Smith

[PandaBear]

I have Rheem Platinum for the last 3 years (10 year warranty model) and so far so good. To be honest most water heaters we have are decent among the rental units. Nothing really stand out between brands, but we stay old fashion with just typical natural gas water heater, no special feature no nothing nonsense.

 

[Blinker]

I’ve never heard of AO Smith until reading this. Lowe’s carried Whirlpool water heaters a few years ago. This no longer the case?

 

[Blinker]

Man you guys getting 25 years out of a water heater are very lucky. The water here in the Dallas area really kills water heaters. 10 years is about the Max life we get out of them here.

 

[Stephen111]

Our first A.O.Smith water heater lasted thirty years of heavy usage before replacement was needed. This was our reason for buying another A.O.Smith. Dynaclean diffuser dip tube helps reduce lime and sediment buildup while maximizing hot water output.

 

[1978elcamino]

From my experience, buying a water heater from a plumbing supply house often times yields a better quality product.

 

[PandaBear]

From my experience, buying a water heater from a plumbing supply house often times yields a better quality product.

How so?

Typically I noticed it is location specific for my case and my apartment complex's Rheem can last 5 years near a dryer exhaust and 10 years away from a dryer exhaust (they run in parallel next to each other) or 24 years in a house. Bradford White last about the same amount of time. I haven't tried AO Smith but my FIL's AO lasted about 40 years in his house. It really is location specific.

 

[PandaBear]

Is it warm where you live in Cali? If so, install the AO Smith Heat Pump water heater. Less than $190.00 / year in energy costs for the 66 gallon size.
I realize that it's large, but if you have a deep whirlpool tub or anything like that, it will provide PLENTY of hot water.
If you're talking gas, I think most are very similar.

But you forgot labor is expensive and any upgrade to existing electrical will likely cost a lot more than the potential savings.

 

[Wolf359]

From my experience, buying a water heater from a plumbing supply house often times yields a better quality product.

It really depends on the water in the area. I see hot water heaters all the time as a real estate broker. Certain towns, they seem to last a long time. Also I think the amount of usage it gets matters too, if you have a lot of water going through it, they seem to wear out quicker, probably more ions to wear out the anode rod quicker.

 

[JTK]

The whole who makes what in terms of standard residential water heaters confuses me these days. Best I can tell you have:

- US Craftmaster
- American Water heaters (makes a bunch of brands)
- AO Smith
- Rheem

Pretty sure they're all about the same.

 

[02SE]

I was visiting my folks last week, and I heard the sound of dripping water. I found their water heater was leaking. It was a 39 year old A.O. Smith. I called a plumber friend of mine, and he recommended a Rheem Professional water heater. He said a modern A.O. Smith is not made as well as the 39 year old model was, the new ones have an air filter at the bottom of the tank that should be cleaned every 6 months, but that rarely happens, and eventually causes problems.

The Rheem Performance series available at big box stores like HD, is NOT made as well the the Rheem Professional series available only from tradesman.

I had him install a Rheem Professional series.

According to the folks the new water heater is working great. I guess their old water heater had probably had poor performance for a long time.

 

[K.Aoi]

I highly recommend getting one of the new hybrid heat pump units. They are a bit more upfront (like $1100 instead of $700) but they pay for themselves after only a couple of years. They are insanely efficient- the only caveat is that they don't perform well if they will be in a room that gets super cold in the winter, or in a tiny closet where they can't breathe. But they only cost about $200 per year to operate, far less than regular gas, or electric models. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...-Electric-Water-Heater-XE40T10H45U0/312742067

My parents had one installed a year or so ago, and had a noticeable difference on their monthly electric bill.

 

[K.Aoi]

But you forgot labor is expensive and any upgrade to existing electrical will likely cost a lot more than the potential savings.

Adding a new outlet (assuming there isn't one already there he can use) is gonna cost more than the $400+ annual savings over the life of the unit? Given that these all come with 10 year warranties to begin with. Plus depending on where you live, usually there are government rebates available for installing these, since they are so energy efficient. https://hotwatersolutionsnw.org/news/heat-pump-water-heaters-qualify-for-a-tax-credit

Plus if your local utility offers rebates as well.

 

[tblt44]

My Smith is 17vyears old, all original

 

[opus1]

...According to the folks the new water heater is working great. I guess their old water heater had probably had poor performance for a long time.

It's funny how one adapts to the gradually failing performance. I always had 'enough' hot water when I needed it but didn't realize how hot the water could be until after I had to replace my heater; despite being set on the heat same setting as before, I almost scalded myself during the first shower I took after the replacement.

 

[JohnnyG]

But you forgot labor is expensive and any upgrade to existing electrical will likely cost a lot more than the potential savings.

Well, TBH, I never did find out what the original poster is using to fuel this water heater. Heat pump water heaters don't require an electrical upgrade over conventional electric heaters. Now if were talking gas, that's a whole different story.
Yes he would need a 220V outlet. BUT, would not have oxygen sensors or air intake screens for the burner to clean. Yes those are a thing now, supposed to prevent flashback in an explosive atmosphere. I don't trust them.
But, in addition, no more power than a heat pump W/H uses might allow the use of smaller wire size than a resistance heater.
If like my neighbor, he tries to upgrade to instantaneous electric (since tanks are really stupid to begin with) than YEAH, very expensive electrical upgrade, and HUGE instantaneous demand on the electrical system. That does not work too well with the power company.

At any rate, I'm sure he's fixed his water heater by now.

 

[JohnnyG]

The slickest idea that I've heard lately for hot water comes from AUS. Solar is cheap there, so they have a huge advantage over the USA. Anyway, they have been installing solar (PV) panels on the roof to supply an electric resistance H/W with DC voltage @220V. It's completely closed loop, uses no batteries (so you need a pretty big tank) and not even an inverter if you can get a good installer. All the goodness of solar with the convenience of a tank.

 

[benjy]

as noted your water prolly has a lot to do with it among other items mentioned. my oil burning furnace heats water when its on, but i shut off when Pa cold sets in + fire my Harman MK I COAL stove, then the Stiebel Eltron 220V on demand heater heats water because coal + oil on the same chimney running together can cause issues BOOM! even thou technology evolves NOTHING lasts as long as in the past IMO!!

 

[Wolf359]

The slickest idea that I've heard lately for hot water comes from AUS. Solar is cheap there, so they have a huge advantage over the USA. Anyway, they have been installing solar (PV) panels on the roof to supply an electric resistance H/W with DC voltage @220V. It's completely closed loop, uses no batteries (so you need a pretty big tank) and not even an inverter if you can get a good installer. All the goodness of solar with the convenience of a tank.

They had solar hot water heaters in the US years ago. I ran into one guy who had put up a system 10+ years ago. Said it cost him over 10k. I don't think he was anywhere near break even.

 

[JohnnyG]

hey had solar hot water heaters in the US years ago. I ran into one guy who had put up a system 10+ years ago. Said it cost him over 10k. I don't think he was anywhere near break even.

Yeah, but not like I describe above. There were MANY installed around here in FL on the roofs of surrounding homes. My neighbor, yes, the one that did the instant electric heater, had one removed while doing her upgrade. Usually they would put and enclosure on the roof with glass panels, and run a series of piping (probably copper) back and forth inside the box. This was piped directly into the H/W tank, and a pump was used to circulate the water to the roof then back to the tank. It also had a timer on it so it would pump during the day only. I don't know if it used a thermostat of any kind in the system. It was so complicated that I've never met a single person that knew what they were or how to work them correctly!
Think of a solar pool heater, but more complicated. You might call this passive solar. Like I said earlier, all you really had to do down here was run your hot water piping through the attic and your cold under the slab. That way you get INSTANT hot water anywhere in the house! Attics here easily exceed 195 degrees almost year 'round.

 

[PandaBear]

Adding a new outlet (assuming there isn't one already there he can use) is gonna cost more than the $400+ annual savings over the life of the unit? Given that these all come with 10 year warranties to begin with. Plus depending on where you live, usually there are government rebates available for installing these, since they are so energy efficient. https://hotwatersolutionsnw.org/news/heat-pump-water-heaters-qualify-for-a-tax-credit

Plus if your local utility offers rebates as well.

Increase the amperage can cost a lot. I think The Critics tried quoting something like $10k for an upgrade to 200A once and it is definitely more than $400. If anything I think going from 75A in my home to a 100A would be at least 1k (as a reference reconnecting a botched electrical inlet after a pot house bust costed us $1500, no upgrade, just the main to the meter and meter to the breaker. The rebate to do the extra electrical work is gov subsidized by $1500.

But then again, we are talking about 28c/kwh where we are in tier 2 rating, vs $2 per therm of gas. It really depends on where you are at to begin with.