Important Facts About Rheem Products

Here at Fire & Ice, we are often asked about brands of heating and cooling equipment.  When we decide to work with an HVAC company, it’s because we believe in its products. We look for efficiency, reliability, durability, and comfort. We want to partner with companies that strive to make customers as happy as possible.

 All this means that we are proud to announce our partnership with Rheem. (We also carry Mitsubishi and Carrier systems.)

 According to U.S. News and World Report, Rheem has “carved a niche for itself as a budget-friendly alternative to the industry leaders.”

Brothers Richard and Donald Rheem founded Rheem Manufacturing Company in Emeryville, CA, in 1925, where they made water heating systems. Rheem expanded into air conditioning and HVAC systems in the 1950s.

While the company has produced a number of products, Rheem is currently the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool and spa heating, and commercial refrigeration products.

They try to find engineering solutions with lifetime sustainability in mind—from material selection to smart features to responsible recycling. Their products include air conditioners, air handlers, furnaces, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, and tankless water heaters. They are all designed to give customers greater control over their energy and water consumption.

8 Surprising Facts About Rheem HVAC Systems

●        Improved airflow. When airflow is obstructed, an HVAC system must work harder to match the thermostat’s setting, which reduces energy efficiency. Solutions designed to boost airflow, such as the Rheem Prestige R98V furnace with its patented heat exchanger design, can efficiently keep air circulating and boost energy savings. The R98V’s 98% annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) means energy and cost savings year-round. (98% means that out of every dollar spent on energy, 98 cents goes toward the operation of the unit, while just two cents is exhausted as waste. A 98% rating is about as good as it gets!)

●        Variable-speed motors. Some Rheem furnaces and air conditioners have variable-speed motors that can run at half the speed of regular motors. Compared to single-stage motors, which turn on at 100% capacity every time, variable-speed motors can use as little as 25% of their power to move the same amount of air. That saves energy while still providing comfort. Variable-speed motors are also better at dehumidification, which improves indoor air quality.

●        Programmable thermostats. Adjustable, automated heating and cooling settings ensure comfort at home and energy efficiency. A smart thermostat such as the EcoNet is accessible from anywhere through your smart device, meaning that you can change your home’s temperature anytime.

●        Rheem does not require brand-exclusive parts, so you can find replacement parts easily.

●        Rheem coils are made of aluminum, making them more durable, efficient, and easier to install than copper coils.

●        Rheem has exceptional humidity control with monitoring software and variable-speed compressors that eliminate moisture from the air creating a more comfortable environment.

●        Rheem’s units have scroll compressors that are reliable, quiet, and energy-efficient. A scroll compressor - also called a spiral compressor, scroll pump, or scroll vacuum pump - is a device for compressing air or refrigerant. Scroll compressors are more efficient than standard HVAC compressors that use pistons. A scroll compressor for your HVAC system can save more energy, last longer, and keep your home quiet. One Rheem air conditioner runs as quietly as 54db. (A whisper is about 30 dB, and normal conversation is about 60 dB.)

●        Rheem is one of the few name-brand HVAC manufacturers that doesn’t require installers to be factory authorized. (A word of caution: The performance of your equipment depends greatly on the quality of the installation. Saving money on the installation by hiring a technician that isn’t certified could cost you dearly in future repairs.)

Read more: Best Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Home

Is Rheem an American Company?

Rheem Manufacturing Company is an American privately held manufacturer that produces residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, as well as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. The company also produces and sells products under the Ruud brand name.

Its headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia. The company also produces and markets products in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, China, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Iraq, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Perú, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, and Ukraine.

Why Are Rheem Water Heaters So Well Known?

You may have heard the Rheem name attached to its water heaters, and for just cause. Rheem is the largest manufacturer of water heating products in North America.

Rheem offers a full line of tank and tankless water heaters. These offer high water delivery or low energy costs — or both. The Rheem hybrid electric water heater is billed as the “most efficient water heater on earth.” It is four times more efficient than a standard electric tank, and users can control water heater settings from their mobile devices.

Rheem has also set up tax credits for purchasing high-efficiency water heaters. The expanded version of 25C, now called the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit (under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) will provide up to $2,000 for qualifying water heaters. Unlike the existing program, the expanded 25C tax credit has annual limits (not lifetime limits), meaning that the same customer could receive the credit for qualified energy-efficient upgrades annually.

What’s the Best Rheem Air Conditioner?

Rheem produces 11 central air conditioners. <Rheem’s Prestige RA20 has the highest SEER rating among the models, with a SEER of 20.

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating is the cooling output of an air conditioner divided by the energy input, for a typical season. The higher the SEER, the less electricity is required for a central AC unit to do its job. The ratings range from 13 to 25 for other manufacturers’ central air units.

Other Rheem models’ ratings range from 13 to 17. The Prestige RA20 offers variable speeds that ensure continuous adjustment to match the system’s capacity to meet your specific needs all day and night.

Rheem’s Balance Between Economic Growth, Environmental Care, and Social Well-Being

Rheem is focused on engineering solutions with sustainability in mind—from materials to smart features to responsible recycling. They continue to make their factories green and good for the environment. It also signals to us that they are willing to put that effort into making their consumer and commercial products as energy-efficient as possible.

• Four of its factories have achieved Zero Waste to Landfill status
• 95% LED light conversion across 20 global factories
• 1.95M kWh saved by improvements in facilities located in Mexico
• 163 Eemax® Tankless Electric Water Heaters installed in the first net-zero school in Massachusetts
• 134 million plus gallons of water saved per year from improvements in their factories
• 2.5 million lbs of air conditioning packaging materials are eliminated each year760 tons of waste diverted from landfill by our Montgomery, Alabama, factory in 2020
• 4 million plus kWh saved in 2020 through LED retrofits at facilities in the US, Mexico, and Australia

By 2025, Rheem pledges to:

• Train 250,000 plumbers, contractors, and key influencers on sustainable products or sustainable installation and recycling best practices
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and achieve zero waste in their global manufacturing operations
• Launch a line of heating, cooling, and water-heating products that boast a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas footprint

What Else Is Rheem Known for?

Rheem received the 2022 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Each year Energy Star honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy achievements.

Award winners are leaders in their industries in the production, sale, and adoption of energy-efficient products, services, and strategies.

“Rheem is innovating with intent and engineering solutions with lifetime sustainability in mind,” said Chee Wee Gan, Rheem’s Senior Vice President, Strategy and Sustainability. “We are committed to preserving our planet’s resources through energy efficiency.”

To date, Rheem’s water heaters in the U.S. alone have prevented 8.62 million tons of CO2 emissions. That’s equal to more than 142 million trees.

Tax credit information

The federal tax program can be baffling to non-accountants, which is why Rheem website’s offers a step-by-step explanation of how it works. Find out what products qualify for this credit, what your limit is, and how long you have to take advantage of it by visiting their site and speaking with your tax professional or HVAC partner for next steps.

Should All My HVAC Equipment Be the Same Brand?

If you’re like most new homeowners, you didn’t build your home from scratch; therefore, you probably didn’t get to choose the type of HVAC system that came with it or how often it was serviced.

We’ve seen a lot of homeowners who need to replace their air conditioning system but not their heating system, or vice versa. In this instance, it begs the question: “Do my HVAC systems have to be the same brand? Or, “Do I have to replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?”

It’s your home and your overall comfort. Nevertheless, HVAC experts strongly encourage homeowners to:

●        Purchase the same HVAC brand. A Rheem furnace will work best with a Rheem air conditioner, which, in turn, will work best with a Rheem thermostat.

●        Get both HVAC units replaced at the same time. It’s helpful to know that your warranties for different units are the same.

Make Sure HVAC Systems Are Matched

Anyone who owns a PC knows that their computer doesn’t play well with Macs. And vice versa, even a simple thing such as a charging cable. The cable that comes with an iPhone is specifically made for the iPhone; the same goes if you buy an Android. They are not interchangeable.

The same goes for your HVAC equipment. They need to “match” or “rate.” You cannot pair the lowest level of a furnace with the most sophisticated air conditioner. An air conditioner needs a furnace to function; however, a furnace does not require an air conditioner to function.

If systems are mismatched, the systems will not be able to communicate effectively with one another. (The worst-case scenario is that they won’t work at all.) We have seen it in practice, and its detrimental effect affects the entire HVAC system. It will lose efficiency, shorten the lifespan of the equipment, and it will void any HVAC warranties. You, the homeowner who simply wants cooling and warmth, will be on the losing end.

Read more: Complete Guide to Home Furnaces

Are You Ready to Talk to a Heating and Cooling Professional in Columbus, Ohio?

At Fire & Ice, we understand that brand knowledge, as well as knowledge of subsidiary brands, can be confusing to homeowners. It can be even more complicated when you’re looking to buy the best HVAC system for your money.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love to talk to you.