4 Common Rheem Hot Water Troubleshooting Answers
Did you know that Rheem's warranty on many of its hot water systems for the Australian market was recently supercharged from 10 to a whopping 12 years? It's the surest sign yet that this American brand that is very familiar with Australia's harsh conditions definitely knows what it's doing to create the perfect hot bath or shower for your family. If you already love your Rheem - whether it's electric, gas, instantaneous, heat pump or solar - then you know it's one of the highest quality and reliable hot water brands on the market. But even Rheem openly admits that you may, from time to time, need to do a little bit of Rheem hot water system troubleshooting.
And to save you the trouble of getting in line to actually speak to Rheem, or needing to pull out or download that hefty service manual, our Gold Coast plumbers are proud to present our exclusive Rheem hot water system troubleshooting guide. What's up with your Rheem? We're sure we can help by answering the 4 most common questions we hear from our customers just like you about what's going wrong.
Related reading: Rheem Hot Water System Review
In Deep's exclusive Rheem troubleshooting guide
1. I'm seeing an error code - what now?
Error codes are now very helpful on Rheem systems - particularly the trendy instantaneous flow units like the highly popular Metro gas model that has handy overheating protection. In the event of overheating, for instance, you'll see error code 14 - urging you to book in for service. If you're luckier, however, it might just be code 11, telling you that your gas bottle is empty. For the full list, check your manual.
2. What about that flashing light?
Some other Rheem models, though - like the innovative Ambiheat model heat pump that is made right here in Australia - you might just see a flashing light on the monitor when something is wrong. The particular way the light is flashing indicates what is wrong, and can depend on the tank capacity, too. In many cases, the flashing will stop by itself, but a call for service might also be necessary.
3. The water temperature goes up and down
This is one of the most universally common hot water system complaints, but according to Rheem it might not actually be your unit's fault. Check to see if your home has water flow restrictors in place, or other water-saving devices like special taps. If the flow rate is lower than about 2-3 litres per minute, that might not be enough to keep your water system operating - explaining the problem. A plumber can help implement the right flow rate for you.
4. My hot water is simply not hot enough
If the temperature of your hot water is not fluctuating but is simply too cool, it's probably not something that can be fixed by simply turning up the temperature on your Rheem system. In part, that's because of Australia's strict regulations about hot water storage and supply temperatures, but also because a faulty tempering valve is probably the culprit. This is the valve whose function is to cool the very hot water, so calling a plumber to test it and potentially replace it is your best bet.
For more information, check this troubleshooting guide from Rheem AU's site.
Need more Rheem hot water system troubleshooting?
Did those 4 most common Rheem hot water system troubleshooting questions and answers help? If not, there's still no need to worry - because In Deep Plumbing's friendly and fully-licensed Gold Coast hot water specialists know their way around the dozens of Rheem systems currently circulating the market. All over the Gold Coast region and beyond, we maintain, inspect, service, test, repair and fully replace Rheem units of every type and age. Is it time to talk to In Deep Plumbing about your Rheem hot water system troubleshooting? The friendly team is always standing by!
