Hundreds upon thousands of Australians did precisely what the ad cheerfully sang and “installed a Rheem”. And they and you made a wise choice. It’s been perhaps the premier choice in the bustling Australian hot water market not for years but decades – all the way back to before World War II, as it happens. But while Rheem knows what it’s doing, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know a little about Rheem’s hot water system not working.
If you have “ installed a Rheem“, you were spoiled for choice. You may have a traditional gas hot water system, an all-reliable electric hot water system, a slick and handy continuous flow unit, a next-generation heat pump system for a much greener environmental footprint, or perhaps even a solar unit that puts more power in your hands – direct from that free sunlight all around us.
Has something gone a little wrong with your normally reliable Rheem system? Without further ado, let’s get stuck into some super-simple Rheem hot water system not working:
1. Seeing An Error Code?
If you have a popular instantaneous Rheem hot water unit, most faults are covered by the helpful error code system – just read it out from the LED display on the front. If’ 14’, the system has overheated. If 74, the system is no longer communicating with the remote controller. If it is 90, the fan motor is malfunctioning. In all those cases, and dozens more, the only real option is a service call, but many other faults may be rectified by:
- Checking the gas supply
- Cycling power off and on again.
2. Seeing A Flashing Light?
Rheem heat pumps might not always show an error code, but you may notice a flashing light on the monitor. What does this indicate? The meaning depends on the pattern of the flashing light. You can find a detailed explanation of the specific flashing patterns in the owner’s manual. If the issue isn’t straightforward to resolve on your own, it’s advisable to schedule a service call.
3. Pilot Light Gone Out?
Luckily, you’ve run across an issue with your gas Rheem hot water system that is very quick to fix. It’s just a matter of turning the main gas supply knob to the off position and then walking away for a few minutes so any residual gas can flow out of the system. When you return, turn the knob to the pilot position, push it all the way in, hold it for up to 30 seconds, and then press the igniter button until you hear or see the re-lighting occur. Hold the knob down for a bit longer, making sure the flame remains lit. That’s it!
4. Water Leaking From The Relief Valve?
If it’s just a small quantity of water dripping out of any valve on your Rheem unit, that’s entirely normal – in fact, the valve is just doing what it does. But if you’re filling up an entire bucket every day or so, there’s probably something wrong – so it’s time to make that service call and see the deeper issue with a leaking hot water system.
5. Water Temperature Fluctuating?
Slightly inconsistent hot water temperature from your continuous-flow heater is a common feature of the technology, but if the problem is noticeable, read on. What could be happening is that any water-saving measures you have in place – flow restrictors or water-saving taps – may be tricking your Rheem into thinking there’s no particular need to heat it. But that’s easily fixed by asking a local Melbourne plumber about increasing your hot water flow rate.
6. Water Temperature Is Too Hot?
When your hot water isn’t hot enough, you could be dealing with a faulty tempering valve that must be fixed. But what if the water is too hot? This is the job of the tempering valve to regulate, as your water should be no higher than 60 C. Also possible is that the thermostat needs to be turned down a little, which is relatively easy to do with a gas tank system.
Need Ezy-Plumb To Check Out Your Rheem?
Unfortunately, you may have more issues than that with your Rheem – and we’re sorry to hear about it. But here at Ezy-Plumb, we don’t just recommend you “install a Rheem”; we do it for you. Not just that, we love servicing, maintaining, and repairing them, too, thanks to our hard-working hot water system repair experts standing by to get your rheem back up and running as soon as possible. Need Ezy-Plumb’s help with your Rheem? Get in touch today.
