Tankless Heater

[Backhertz]

Have to replace my 12 year old gas Rheem tankless water heater due to a water jacket leak. Bought it in 2011 from HD along with a 10-year extended protection plan brings support out to 2026. However, there is no service support in my area according to the agents.

Considering replacing with a new water heater with a built-in recirculation pump as it does take a while to get hot water. The challenge is a Manabloc PEX manifold. The manifold is ~50' from the heater. Guess what? Can easily install a bridge valve under the kitchen sink as it's connected to 1/2" copper- prior to the manifold. When I remodeled the house, saw no reason to connect the kitchen to the manifold as it's inches away. Could also add a separate 3/4" copper return line back to the water heater. Or could just lie down until the feeling goes away.

Looked at a Rinnai tankless water heater warranty this morning. Limited 15 years or 12,000 hours. 12,000 hours...hmm. If operating 24 hours a day, that's only 1.37 years. Let's say I use a recirculation pump & set it on a timer for 4 hours a day/7 days a week. Guess what? 15 years just shrunk to just over 10.25 years. There's no free lunches.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Sounds legit.

 

[GReynolds929]

Recirc on a manabloc system is pointless, or very expensive…..

 

[Riickk]

What I know about tankless water heaters you can write on the head of a pin with a 4" paintbrush.

But I hate having some corporate customer service guy, "service" me without even a kiss first. C Service will follow the script their Bosses give them without a thought about public relations, or Contract law.
I'm assuming it's Rheem that sold the service contract, but same applies if it's Home Depot .

Suggest you check the contract and see if they can bail out with just repayment of cost of contract.
If so, lousy contract for you, but, as usual, the BIG PRINT giveth, and the small print taketh away. So, if they can bail, get your $$$ back!
If not THEY -not you- are stuck.

What! None of their service people in your area? Tough luck. Then you most probably have the right to hire someone local and *they* pay whatever the freight is. You get their WRITTEN assurance on that.
Your State probably has a Consumer Affairs department, contact them with your story; ditto for whatever State Rheem is incorporated in.
Notify Rheem you're doing that. Find out who their corporate law firm is, and carbon copy them the story. Also remind them that you'll be posting the FACTS about how they're brushing off your claim against their service contract ....on Facebook, Yelp, Reviews.com, and every other "Social Media" spot you can think of.
See if they're incorporated in your State, if so, point out that you'll see them in small claims court, and their local attorneys fees will probably be more than a new water heater.
(If they don't show, you win by default)

I believe you'll find they're going to become much more responsive.

My crystal ball says there's either some cash , or a brand new installation, cost on them, in your future.

 

[Twowaxhack]

What I know about tankless water heaters you can write on the head of a pin with a 4" paintbrush.

But I hate having some corporate customer service guy, "service" me without even a kiss first. C Service will follow the script their Bosses give them without a thought about public relations, or Contract law.
I'm assuming it's Rheem that sold the service contract, but same applies if it's Home Depot .

Suggest you check the contract and see if they can bail out with just repayment of cost of contract.
If so, lousy contract for you, but, as usual, the BIG PRINT giveth, and the small print taketh away. So, if they can bail, get your $$$ back!
If not THEY -not you- are stuck.

What! None of their service people in your area? Tough luck. Then you most probably have the right to hire someone local and *they* pay whatever the freight is. You get their WRITTEN assurance on that.
Your State probably has a Consumer Affairs department, contact them with your story; ditto for whatever State Rheem is incorporated in.
Notify Rheem you're doing that. Find out who their corporate law firm is, and carbon copy them the story. Also remind them that you'll be posting the FACTS about how they're brushing off your claim against their service contract ....on Facebook, Yelp, Reviews.com, and every other "Social Media" spot you can think of.
See if they're incorporated in your State, if so, point out that you'll see them in small claims court, and their local attorneys fees will probably be more than a new water heater.
(If they don't show, you win by default)

I believe you'll find they're going to become much more responsive.

My crystal ball says there's either some cash , or a brand new installation, cost on them, in your future.

I’d ask for the cost of the warranty to be refunded.

 

[havasu]

I’d ask for the cost of the warranty to be refunded.

After they fixed the unit!

 

[Twowaxhack]

After they fixed the unit!

Why would they do that ? If they fixed the unit then the warranty would be fulfilled.

 

[havasu]

Not if there was any time left on the warranty!

 

[Twowaxhack]

Not if there was any time left on the warranty!

If you have the right to cancel the contract at that juncture in time and be entitled to any type reimbursement then I suppose you could.

But if they repaired it then I’d want to keep what’s left of the warranty. I might need it. No way you’d get a full refund near the end of the contract if they agreed to repair it.

Since they claim they can’t repair it then I’d ask for a full refund.

 

[Riickk]

>>Since they claim they can’t repair it then I’d ask for a full refund.

The way I understood the original Post, C.Service claimed they had no repair people in the poster's area. In that case, they're on the hook, ......unless he's stuck with a contract they can withdraw from by refunding cost.

I recently bought a dishwasher and bought an extended warranty.

When I actually read the warranty, the very last sentence said it that the insurance company was on the hook for a maximum of the retail value of the now-used dishwasher. ---Some warranty !!
I went to the store and demanded my money back, and got it.

Have to wonder if it's Rheem that has the contract or some third party that's trying to wiggle out.

 

[Twowaxhack]

>>Since they claim they can’t repair it then I’d ask for a full refund.

The way I understood the original Post, C.Service claimed they had no repair people in the poster's area. In that case, they're on the hook, ......unless he's stuck with a contract they can withdraw from by refunding cost.

I recently bought a dishwasher and bought an extended warranty.

When I actually read the warranty, the very last sentence said it that the insurance company was on the hook for a maximum of the retail value of the now-used dishwasher. ---Some warranty !!
I went to the store and demanded my money back, and got it.

Have to wonder if it's Rheem that has the contract or some third party that's trying to wiggle out.

Yes. They can’t repair it because there’s no service providers in the area.

I would say that would be grounds for a refund of the extended warranty.

Maybe we could get the warranty company sent to prison. All of them including the phone operators.

 

[Riickk]

Yes. They can’t repair it because there’s no service providers in the area.
I would say that would be grounds for a refund of the extended warranty.
Maybe we could get the warranty company sent to prison. All of them including the phone operators.

Civil matter, not a Criminal case, so $$$ money, not prison.
Better to force the SOBs to make good.
But if you're the type to throw in the towel -and I SERIOUSLY doubt that- then take the money.
((Cost of policy + 10 years of interest ... lots of luck there, lol.))

 

[Twowaxhack]

Civil matter, not a Criminal case, so $$$ money, not prison.
Better to force the SOBs to make good.
But if you're the type to throw in the towel -and I SERIOUSLY doubt that- then take the money.
((Cost of policy + 10 years of interest ... lots of luck there, lol.))

It was a joke

 

[havasu]

IF there was an intent to defraud the consumer from the beginning, AND IF you had a good District Attorney working with you, it COULD be a criminal case.

 

[Twowaxhack]

IF there was an intent to defraud the consumer from the beginning, AND IF you had a good District Attorney working with you, it COULD be a criminal case.

I’d vote for the death penalty.

I’d also volunteer to carry the sentence out.