Home Hot Water Heaters

[jerrym3]

In 2015, my old HWH started to leak, so, I bought a new unit from a name mfg. In a few weeks, the pilot light went out.

According to the tech, due to new government regulations, HWH pilot lights are now designed to save on gas. Therefore, they are more likely to go out due to an excessive breeze or dirty filter.

Year later, light went out again. Wouldn't ignite. Took three days to get a tech, who had to drive from Pa to NJ ($$$). Light needed cleaning.

Today, light went out again, but I was able to relight it.

Am I being fed a line of BS, or has this become a normal problem with newer HWH?

I don't want to go through the hassle and cost of calling a repair tech if this is going to happen again and again, but if I decide to change units and vendors, am I up against the same situation?

Any words of wisdom appreciated.

[stevengerard]

Most better water heaters now have the pilot behind a glass window that helps prevent that, thought they will still blow out occasionally. But what is he talking about "a filter" hot water heaters do not have filters built into them, at least here in Illinois. All the ones I have worked on recently have an electronic igniter. There should be a reset switch on the igniter. Turn the hot water heater to off, wait a good 10 minutes, press the reset button on the igniter, turn water heater to pilot, press the igniter starter. Sometimes it take a few time to get the pilot to stay on.

[fastblackmerc]

30 years in the house and 2 hot water heater later we finally decided on a tankless unit. Mounted on the outside of the house. Have had 0 problems. I get 115 degree water until I turn the hot water off, run out of gas or run out of water. Gas company installed it free financing.- just added $100.00 to my normal gas bill for 2 years.

[justbob]

As a plumber, your being fed a line of Uber B.S. If your gas pressure is good to go (1/2 PSI) and your flue isn’t blowing the flame out then you are being sold on cheap crap (including the heater itself).

What is the brand and model#?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jerrym3]

As a plumber, your being fed a line of Uber B.S. If your gas pressure is good to go (1/2 PSI) and your flue isn’t blowing the flame out then you are being sold on cheap crap (including the heater itself).

What is the brand and model#?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's a 40 gallon Sears unit. (And, I'll never buy anything again from Sears, assuming that they are still in business. Tech had to drive hours one way to do a service call?)

As for the flue, I have an attic fan that sucks air in from one side of the attic and blows it out the other side. I have a vent in my hallway with slats that open/close, but the vents will nor self open unless I have windows open. It's a powerful unit that will drop the house temp many degrees quickly, depending on the outside temp difference.

In the summer, with the windows and vent closed, I will sometimes run it for ten minutes to clear out the attic (gets warm up there).

The HWH is by the door (door has open slats) to the washroom, but I've made it a habit to open/close the door slowly. I've also set up two 8"x 8" pieces of metal in front of the HWH as a barrier.

If it were caused by the fan sucking air down the chimney, I'd imagine that the light would go out every time I turned the fan on, but it doesn't.

This never happened with my old unit.

I appreciate the feedback.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Pilot light???



I didn't Think any units sold now had pilot lights, all electronic ignition.


I installed a Rinnai tankless ($1100 from Lowes) 18 months ago and LOVE it! Installed over a weekend (thanks justbob for the gas supply advice). Gas bill dropped $50 month immediately an never running out of hot water is awesome! 25 to 30 year lifespan with zero breakdowns as a norm = awesome. Going to install remote controls in bathrooms next - sweet design.



Sure sounds like you got a lemon!


Good luck with repairs.

[Agent2006]

2 year old: 50 gallon Bradford White with an electric igniter. Has a flashing light and diagnostic circuit that blinks out fault codes. Didn't know they were allowed to sell open flame units anymore...

[stevengerard]

the electric igniter still lights a pilot light in a hot water heater. New furnaces have an electronic igniter with no pilot light.

[MOTOWN]

Pilot light???



I didn't Think any units sold now had pilot lights, all electronic ignition.


I installed a Rinnai tankless ($1100 from Lowes) 18 months ago and LOVE it! Installed over a weekend (thanks justbob for the gas supply advice). Gas bill dropped $50 month immediately an never running out of hot water is awesome! 25 to 30 year lifespan with zero breakdowns as a norm = awesome. Going to install remote controls in bathrooms next - sweet design.



Sure sounds like you got a lemon!


Good luck with repairs.

Funny you mentioned Rinnai im thinking of picking up this unit for a property https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rinnai-RUC98iN-Interior-Natural-Gas-Condensing-Tankless-Water-Heater/163030820203?ssPageName=STRK%3 AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[MyBlackBeasts]

Funny you mentioned Rinnai im thinking of picking up this unit for a property https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rinnai-RUC98iN-Interior-Natural-Gas-Condensing-Tankless-Water-Heater/163030820203?ssPageName=STRK%3 AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


I needed a power-vent tank for my application and cheapest decent one I could find was $800. I've always wanted a tankless and planned to do one in future when more $ was available when I saw this Rinnai RUCS75i on the shelf when I went to pick up tank. For the price difference I decided to do it right away so returned tank I ordered and got it. Best move I ever made. Freed up a huge chunk of real-estate in my small basement and after 24 months gas savings (longer than I thought - time flies!) it has now paid for itself so going forward is all profit to my wallet.



The huge $ savings comes from my hot water usage. Being only 1 or 2 people in the house and gone most of the day it costs lots of $$$ to keep that tank hot when not even being used. A family may not see as much cost savings but they will never run out of hot water and fight over who emptied the tank.


Can't recommend it enough.


1 thing about them: you MUST flush with vinegar every 6 months. Super simple, 3 gal of vinegar in 5gal bucket with small pump in bucket. hook hoses to the bypass valves, turn pump on and let run. Return after recommended time interval, drain & flush out, disconnect and done.


Getting the remote controls for bathrooms will be cool. Set the temp you want, say you want a 98* shower, turn only the hot valve on - no mixing cold to get the temp you want - take a 98* shower for as long as you want because the unit will produce water at the temp programmed.