Water-Heater Brands and Maintenance

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Chi42

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Hello.

I live in a single-family home in Chicago. I have lived in this home for 35 years. Our home's water heater was
here when my family bought this home. So, this water heater is at least 35 years old.

Our water heater is a RheemGlas Fury, model # 22-40-2. The water heater has 40 gallons and 45000 BTUs.

This water heater has been making weird noises for months. Because of the noises and the water heater's age, I think that it's time to buy a new water heater.


I have read a lot of bad things about Rheem and Richmond water heaters. So, I have ruled out those two brands.

I have read a lot of good things about A.O. Smith and Reliance water heaters. I have also read some bad things about the A.O. Smith and Reliance brands.


In Chicago, there is a store called Lowe's. This store sells A.O. Smith water heaters. An installer from Lowe's
came to my home, did some measurements, and gave me an estimate.

The installer recommended the following water heater:

A.O. Smith, model # G9-T4040NV

https://www.lowes.com/pd/A-O-Smith-...40000-BTU-Natural-Gas-Water-Heater/1000213613


In Chicago, there is also a store called ABT Electronics. This store sells Reliance water heaters.

One Reliance water heater is the following:

Reliance, model # 640NBRBT

https://www.abt.com/product/93178/Reliance-40-Gallon-Tall-Natural-Gas-Water-Heater-640NBRBT.html


My first question is, which brand is better? A.O. Smith or Reliance?



My next questions concern water-heater maintenance.

I have read that current water heaters require the following maintenance:

1) periodically flushing the tank

2) periodically checking the anode

3) periodically cleaning the air filter at the bottom of the water heater


I asked a Lowe's employee about maintenance, and he said that this maintenance is optional.

In the 35 years that we have lived in this home, we have never even touched the RheemGlas Fury water heater. So, I prefer a water heater that requires very little to no maintenance.


So, was the Lowe's employee correct? Is maintenance optional?

Is there any water-heater model that requires very little to no maintenance?


Thank you.
 
So the AO Smith water heaters that you get at Lowe's are not the same AO Smith water heaters that you get from a plumbing supply house the ones you get at Lowe's are rebranded Whirlpool water heaters. If you are going to get an AO Smith water heater I would suggest going to a plumbing supply house not a big box retailer also look into Bradford White

Yes you do have to maintain a water heater if you want the water heater to last more than 6 years and even if you fail to maintain it within the warranty. Which is typically 6 years the warranty could become void for lack of maintenance
 
Just curious... why do you claim that Rheem is not a good product, when the existing Rheem water heater has lasted 35 years?
 
I have a 10 year old Rheem in my own house, and a couple of various age in my rentals, all without any problems. Just my experience.
 
voletl said:
So the AO Smith water heaters that you get at Lowe's are not the same AO Smith water heaters that you get from a plumbing supply house the ones you get at Lowe's are rebranded Whirlpool water heaters. If you are going to get an AO Smith water heater I would suggest going to a plumbing supply house not a big box retailer also look into Bradford White
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "plumbing supply house"? Is this some kind of store? Can you give me an example of such a store in the Chicago metropolitan area?

Also, is Whirlpool a bad brand?
 
Last edited:
I can only relate my experience with Rheem products. I have not had any such complaints.

A plumbing supply house is a specialty retailer that typically is where professional plumbers buy their supplies. Around here, Philadelphia area, they are US Supply, Betz Supply and Weinstein's. I would think you could do a search for that type of supply house in your area. In my experience, the supply houses have better quality plumbing supplies than any of the big box stores. Some of them will not sell to the public, so you may want to call first to see. I am not a plumber, but, since I do lots of plumbing in my rental properties, they allowed me to open a professional account with them, which gives me the same pricing as the local plumbers.

Good luck!
 
Yes whirlpool is not good and type in plumbing supply house near Chicago to Google and you should get plenty of results
 
voletl said:
Yes whirlpool is not good and type in plumbing supply house near Chicago to Google and you should get plenty of results
Click to expand...

How is it legal to rebrand a Whirlpool as an A.O. Smith?

Also, how do you know that Lowe's A.O. Smith heaters are rebranded Whirlpool heaters? Is there some kind of news report out there, talking about this?
 
AO Smith company acquired Whirlpools water heater division so now instead of saying Whirlpool on the water heaters they now say A O Smith they're still pieces of garbage.
 
voletl said:
AO Smith company acquired Whirlpools water heater division so now instead of saying Whirlpool on the water heaters they now say A O Smith they're still pieces of garbage.
Click to expand...

And the A.O. Smith water heaters sold in plumbing-supply stores are genuine A.O. Smith water heaters?
 
Just my personal opinion I have installed Bradford and white more than any other water heater and I've never had a problem
 
I stock and install Bradford White water heaters. We have had very little warranty issues with them. So much so that we give homeowners a two year labor warranty along with the 6 year tank warranty. They are also American made. We try to support the home team when we can. Why not call a few plumbers and have them supply and install it? Full service plumbers really are the best way to get piece of mind with your purchase. New Water heaters need maintenance.
 
Still need to do maintenance that anode rod needs to be changed
 
Enclosed combustion chamber water heaters need the air passageway cleaned so that the burn chamber gets enough fresh air to burn at the correct temperature.
 
A.O. Smith Water Products Co. owns the former State Inds, which
makes reliance wtr/htrs,and also owns American wtr/htrs which
makes Whirlpool wtr/htrs sold in Lowes, But whirlpool has a long history of problems, so A O Smith started packaging them as AO Smiths,
but the real A O Smiths are only sold though Plumbing Supply Houses to Professional Plumbers, these State and American are made in Tenn.
the A O Smith are made in Mexico, as are Rheems, Bradford White are made in the good old USA, in Penn, Rheem/Ruud are owned by a CO. out of Japan
45 yr Master Plumber with a PHD in Water Heaterolgy
 
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