Need a new ELECTRIC 40 gallon water heater

[Texas Wellman]

So I've got one of the big box stores water heaters, about 7 years old. It's a 30 gallon and it's not enough water for a family of 4. I want to buy a quality unit, if possible made in the USA. I have city water and the quality is not bad (but not anything to brag about). Are the Rheem units at HD any good? Or do you have to go to a plumbing supply store? I have no problem spending a little extra for quality and I have no problem spending a little extra to support the little guy vs. the corporate machines, but I live in a relatively small area with only one plumbing supply house so I want to check all my options. My parents have an electric Rheem about 30 years old (it's the same one we had as kids) and I want my new one to last that long.

Thanks for your replies. PS...I have put several in through the years so I'm pretty familiar with the hazards/procedures.

 

[Texas Wellman]

Crickets??

 

[Sponsor]

 

[DonL]

I think Rheem are OK.

The ones at HD may have different Heating Elements and Rods, but should be fine if your water pressure is not cranked to the Max. When a element goes bad, You can put in a better one.

I think the new laws just went into effect, or are about to. The new heaters are bigger.


Good Luck.

 

[Texas Wellman]

Size is no issue as the heater sits in my garage.

 

[Reach4]

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/beware-home-depot-now-sells-rheem-water-heaters.57238 has some comments you may get some relevant inference from.

 

[Texas Wellman]

I read the thread but it seemed mostly about gas heaters.

 

[Daniel Collick]

Rheem should be available at your retailers, Ruud is the same manufacturer and is available from most wholesalers. I'm unsure of any differences. I've recently started installing more of them since a couple of my suppliers started carrying them.
I regularly install State Select, AO Smith(same company as State Sel), and Bradford White and I don't see any reason to push one over the other except I'll support an American company over a foreign one. At the end of the day it's up to us installers to do it right and educate the customer.
If you want to get the most life out of your tank:
1. Install it with a 2 gallon expansion tank. Yes, I said it. It may not be much but we all know expansion is taking place, even in an electric heater. It only makes sense for the expansion to take place where it's designed to. Or, you can pay someone like me $150 to install one after your t&p relief valve starts dripping.
2. Hook a hose up to the drain body, that brass or plastic thingy, sticking out at the bottom of the tank, turn the power source off and open the valve/drain body to flush the tank 1-2 times per year. Or, pay someone like me $100 per visit to flush it for you.
3. Once every 5 years or so turn off your power source, drain your tank, replace both upper & lower elements and upper & lower thermostats, replace your anode rod, dielectric nipples, and your dip tube. Essentially, everything has been replaced except the steel tank. If you do this yourself you'll find out how simple it is, save yourself some money, possibly for Super Bowl tickets to watch the Hawks beat the Pats, and get the most life out of your heater. If your heater is passed its warranty just replace it. I'd never ask someone to invest any money in a tank that could start leaking after replacing parts.
Hope this helps.

 

[Texas Wellman]

Thank you for your reply. I recently drained my current heater and was amazed at the amount of solids that came out.

Generally I do not replace elements because they last a long time. I've never used an expansion tank.

 

[Jadnashua]

More and more water districts are incorporating check valves in their supply line to the houses when they require service. This makes your system a closed system. Without a check valve (and a pressure-reduction valve also has one in it), when you heat water and it expands, it can literally push back out into the street. THis is what they want to prevent, since you might have polluted that water in the house - a check valve keeps that from poisoning others on that supply. Without an expansion tank, since the pipes essentially aren't elastic, the pressure rises and opens up the safety valve on the WH (or leaks at the weakest point - often a toilet fill valve). This excessive pressure stretches the tank lining which is essentially glass - glass doesn't like to stretch, either. We're talking microscopic here, but it's real. AN expansion tank is required where I live if you want to pass an inspection.

Longevity of an electric WH is more luck of the draw verses a brand. THere's a lot more engineering on a gas WH in the design of the burner and flue...electric WH are pretty simple. As a result, there are more differences in a gas WH, and because they are more complex and have bigger thermal stresses, they often don't last as long as an electric one.