Rheem Rheemglas Water Series

27 yrs out of the hot water system – I just replaced the old hot water system in our house (101 series 250L Electric storage)after 27 years, as it was starting to not heat sometimes and the water wasn't as hot. Checked inside for the reset switch and it was really crusty. So bit the bullet and bought the same size and model Like for like replacement. This is the original system… Read more

that was installed when the previous owner had renovations done inside. The system was not out in the elements and we are on tank water ( rain ) so maybe that made a difference. If I get half the amount of time out of this one I will be happy. I lived in Adelaide most of my life but moved to Tassie a few years ago. Very happy but will see how things pan out. if I have issues in the next few years I will repost a review.

Quality, Reliable Hot Water Heater – This unit has been a great choice for many years of supplying Hot Water to my home, I am confident in the reliable service over years of operation and this has proven correct so that I have installed further units when time came to replace them. The lifespan has been very good and even longer than expected from the specifications so that I have… Read more ·  1

only replaced my latest unit by choice when decided it was old enough though still operating as well as it ever has.

only 3yrs old! – My 80L Rheem hot water unit was chosen to replace a faulty 'Dux' unit (after 7yrs) in May 2015. Now - after just 3yrs I have had to replace the element -total charge being over $200! I'm now wondering how long this new replacement element will last! Its warranty being only for 12months! Disappointed/concerned Valerie  Show details

Not Impressed – This unit replaced an existing one of the same brand at my residential property, not sure how long it had been there as I have only owned the place for a few years and it started to leak. It's in a major capital city with filtered water out of the mains. In April 2015 I had the new unit installed at a cost of $1,284.00( including labour). Not… Read more

impressed with this unit as it's already needing to have the element replaced at a cost of nearly $500.00 (including labour). The element itself is costing under $100 but it's inside the property in a cupboard so maybe that's why the labour is so high.

My complaint is that the unit is not fit for purpose and should not need such a major part replaced in under 3 years at this rate if this is the lifespan of an element it makes the whole unit throw away and not fit for purpose.

A hotwater system is not something that you expect to have to spend money on when it's only that age. I have lived in areas where the water is straight from a dam or the river and the element has sat in mud in the bottom of system for 10 years and haven't had any problems.

Good enough record to ensure we replace current failed unit with same brand – Just moved into the house and the unit failed after 6 months. Mind you it was installed in Dec 1999! Previous owner installed the first Rheem in 1983 when house was built so with a 16 and 17 year old service record we are staying with the brand. Hopefully we will make 18 years with this one. watch this space !!  Show details ·  2

17 years, 1 element change, 0 maintenance = That's pretty awesome if you ask me – Price is good and the product works.... I just got a new one!! (let's see how we go) price is good and the product works.... I just got a new one!! (let's see how we go) price is good and the product works.... I just got a new one!! (let's see how we go)  Show details ·  1

Still runs but replacing it before it fails – Ours was installed in 1988 and is still working well enough in 2017. We have decided to replace it though now rather than wait for it too fail. It's looking a bit battle scared and it's survived a few Maitland floods as well but it has been completely trouble free. We are replacing it with a Rheem Stellar Stainless Steel 250 Electric tomorrow… Read more ·  1

and if the replacement is half as good I will be very happy.

Note: Forget the date purchased below - It wouldn't let me select 1988

Crab Device – Crab. No recommendation at all. It works like technology in 1900s. After just two shower it goes to getting cold and I have to wait for a day after to water be heated by device. even there is no key to any setup or boosting to heat water earlier. with this device I can feel that I am living in the second world war age. Terrible  Show details

Is this a record ? – This is our second tank 125 lt. And this one lasted 15 years just like the first one. No servicing or repairs. Now, because of discolored water is time for replacement,still working fine...feel a lot of respect for such a good product. Maybe we where just lucky, hopefully the new one is made as good as the old one ... Thanks Rheem Tom West Ryde .NSW2114  Show details ·  1

Still working Fine after 10 years - please beware you must Service HWS – My unit is working fine at 11 years. I replaced the Anode at 5 years (and flushed the tank) and I replaced it again recently at 10 years. Also you need to operate the Pressure Relief Valve for a few seconds every 6 months . It seem 99% of people on this website are not aware that they have to replace the Anode in their HWS every 5 years.to… Read more ·  1

stop it rusting and leaking.This is routine maintance that know one seems to do or are not aware off.

Replacing the Anode can keep your HWS going for 20 years.

Similar to someone buying a new car and not changing the oil or ever giving it a service and then they come on this web site to complain that it broke down after 5 years after the warranty ran out.

No one ever tells people of this important maintance that you have to do becasue it gives the plumbers more work and the HWS manufactor more sales

Very unhappy with still under warranty and heat element blown up – Very unhappy have a rheemglas 250l still under warranty and heat element blown up. Partner called rheem to be told it is now going to cost us money to fix, so I think it is a doggie product, and am hesitant to fix buyers beware they should replace not us.  Show details

17 years of trouble free service – Just changed from electric to gas hot water but sad to see the Rheemglas 151 series 125 litre go. 5 year warranty and 17 years of service with only a new thermostat in 2008. For anyone wanting electric hot water this brand and type I highly recommend. Absolutely first rate.  Show reply

Lifetime as expected – I purchased an 80 litre, electric hot water system for my apartment in 2002. It failed (leaked) in 2014. Unit had a 5 year warranty and typical life without maintenance of this type of unit is ten years, so nothing unusual here. My new system is also an 80 litre Rheem, so I'll be content if it lasts another 12 years. You can extend the… Read more ·  1

life of these if you replace the sacrificial anode every 4 to 5 years, so don't get too upset if these last ten years where you haven't been maintaining them.

leak at the top – It seems this is a common problem. Leaking like a small fountain within 10 years. Contacted service and was told I have to replace the current one. I agree with others here, "I guess there's no business in trying to extend the life of these units, but rather in selling replacements..." Will not be installing another Rheem.

Don't ever buy a Rheem heat pump, and don't let your builder install one – I would like to rate this product less than 1 star. And rate Rheem as a company as less than one star. You are taking a huge risk if you buy a Rheem heat pump. Our heat pump packed in less than 5 years from when it was installed. Two Rheem service agents told us they are a dodgy product, that the failure rate of the Rheem heat pump is terrible,… Read more

and that Rheem should pay to replace our heat pump.. Rheem suggested that they would get the heat pump replaced, but two Rheem service agents told us they cannot do the work because Rheem don't pay them for the work for months, if at all. One of their agents switched the element on for us so that we can get hot water, but our bills have gone up by more than 50%. We cannot afford to buy a new hot water service so we're stuck with this dodgy product.

If there are any lawyers reading this, please help people by starting a class action against Rheem.

20 years is pretty good going – We had our Rheemglas 315 installed twenty years ago. 18 years ago we moved it during extensions, it's been outside under the veranda and had regular operation of the relief valve. Ah, nothing else! We now need to replace it as it is leaking. Certainly going for the same again.  Show reply

Should have checked Product Reviews first – What a fiasco! Had installed a 250 litre RheemGlas hot water tank 14 years ago, which eventually began to leak at the top. Top had also been quite warm for years, a good clothes warming surface, so poorly insulated. (The original tank had been installed before our time, when our house was built, almost 40 years earlier!) Without thinking, 'phoned… Read more

Rheem to obtain a replacement unit. Opted for the larger 315 litre model, which has the same diameter, so fitted existing drainage tray. Decided to renovate location so 'phoned Rheem to defer installation by a few days. After hours' 'ph Service Centre is located in NZ? Installer had not been advised so arrived with new unit anyway. On correct installation day, subcontracted apprentice 'plumbers' arrived, sans Supervisor, who arrived separately in another vehicle - to supervise credit card payment - then left. We requested that our new H/W tank be left empty, to allow newly tiled floor's grouting to cure longer, with tank to be filled later that day. Asked plumbers to specifically indicate tap to be turned on, which they did.

No mention of pressure relief during filling operation. Anyway, this wasn't an issue. When tap was later turned on, water ran across the floor. Turned out the fittings on other (now out of sight) side of tank had been left unstoppered, from which water gushed across newly grouted tiled floor. No hot water that night! Rheem's response was that this was our fault, as we should have allowed their plumbers to fill the tank before leaving - not apparently realising that exactly the same thing would have occurred, only hours earlier, when fresh grouting had cured even less. In the interest of brevity, will skip the intervening part, except for return of Rheem's subcontracted plumbers, whom we had specifically asked to be spared (said Supervisor farewelled us by giving us 'the finger' - charming) and Rheem's own Supervisor who told us we we "over-reacting" after about the 4th installation visit and now about a week without hot water.

By now Rheem's GM had become involved and sent their own installer, to ensure their new unit was finally installed properly. When Rheem's in-house installer was just about to leave (again, without checking) we fortunately thought to check hot water tap - nothing! Not even a drop of cold water. Rheem's installer had no idea why and made absurd suggestions such as the (previously unknown) existence of an under floor valve, which had been turned off - as if! Our by then long-suffering and beyond excellent Handyman pointed out that new tempering valve had been incorrectly installed, which indeed it had been. When Rheem's installer reinstalled this correctly - the Eagle had (finally) landed! A couple more points. The collection of old replaced tanks on the installer's truck were in various stages of corrosion. Rheem stainless steel tanks are curiously not available in a dual element model, apparently. Incidentally, Dux 315 litre H/W tanks are available at Bunnings for half the price (+ $250 installation), with an overall $600 saving. Does anyone have any experience with these? In any event, will not be installing another Rheem. Er...reliable Brand name, we thought. Previous Rheem had lasted 14 year. Farcical installation process. Previous unit poorly insulated (tho' replacement seems better and cool to touch).

Rheem Customer Service - hopeless! – I rang Rheem this morning to get a quote to replace my Hot Water System with a similar model It should have been fairly simple, but was far from it! The first time I rang, there was a lengthy delay and an option was offered for a callback, so I left a message. Someone called and when I explained that I was after two prices, they said I had… Read more

the wrong department so put me through to someone else. More waiting on hold and a callback was offered so I left another message.

Got called back again and the same thing happened! Wrong department, we will put you through to the right one etc.

Finally, I got to talk to a real person who told me I had the wrong department yet again. She wanted to put me on hold and I said, "Hang on all I want is two prices"

I got one price from her but am told a tech will have to come out onsite to quote for the smaller system.

If this is an indication of how Rheem operates, I'm looking elsewhere for a Hot Water System.

This was not an offshore call centre, it was here in Australia.

You need to do a lot better, Rheem!!!

An update..........I got to talk to a helpful person from the service department................finally!

Totally frustrating

Not bad, but shorter life than expected – Much the same as another poster here, I had one that lasted 9 years, then the next one rusted out after ~7 years which a disconcerting trend. When installed there was never any advice given on getting it serviced to extend the life span - I guess there's no business in trying to extend the life of these units, but rather in selling replacements... Worked Life span getting shorter. If I replace it will the next one last only 5 years?

OK, but there are better options – Bought one 18 years ago, lasted exactly 10 years. Bought a second 8 years ago, lasted 8 years. The second one was leaking through the electrical board so had to immediately disconnect electricity and close the mains to reduce the pressure. Due to this record, I investigated upgrading my house to gas and using an instantaneous gas system.… Read more

Installing a new gas line and an instantaneous gas system wasn't much more expensive compared to a completely new tank.

If you have the option of instantaneous gas, I'd recommend going with that rather than a water tank. Gas is cheaper, creates less CO2, and the instantaneous gas systems last much longer. The warranties are much longer with gas as well. Had a reasonable life 10 years isn't reliable, compared to say instantaneous gas which lasts much longer.