Have folks had luck replacing their noisy Rheem HPWH water heaters?
I have a noisy Gen 5 Rheem 80 gal Proterra (manufactured Nov 2022) — ~ 70-72 dB at the tank… nowhere near the 49 dB spec. The issue 2-fold: very loud high pitched compressor whine + loud fan. It’s like a commercial walk-in refrigerator. The tech support folks have been great, and have determined I need a replacement. I’ll have to pay for permits, so it’s not a completely free process, and I’m wondering if folks have had any experience and luck with this process in actually reducing noise? What I’m reading online is that folks have had theirs replaced only to experience the same noise levels; I’m wondering if that’s doubly bad luck or if the Gen 5 really just is way too noisy.
I’ve read through the following thread, and it seems most folks did not have it fix their problem, though one Redditor notes their replacement dropped to 49 dB: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/rheem-hybrid-water-heater-noise. I’m hoping to collect some new data, as this thread is about 2.5 years old.
I’m also considering having it ducted a few feet to my crawlspace (in the PNW, Climate Zone 4 coastal). The PNNL case study I read on this seems promising for energy consumption in my climate, but the cost of ducting will not result in an ROI or savings, so I’m only considering it if it improves noise / quality of life… I stupidly put this thing in a closet in the mudroom behind my bedroom. Oiy! Ducting would also mean I can cover the closet door louvres with wood or mass-loaded vinyl, which may help, too.
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For the future, I wonder if hat folks think of SanCo2. Must be silent indoors right? Why can’t my Mitsubishi hyperheat give me both air and water! (I’m sure there’s a great reason for this, in actuality)
If ducting won't ruin the efficiency of the heater, that sounds like a good step to isolate the unit.
Vibration isolation, mass dampening and air-sealing are the 3 paths to reducing sound transmission.
You might put another layer or 2 of sheetrock (different thicknesses) between the closet and your room and see if you can get an air-seal on the door. Even small openings allow sound energy to escape into adjoining spaces.
Otherwise, you might invest in a db meter and send the replacement back if it won't operate at the advertised sound levels in a bench test (meaning not fully installed). At least that's only one permit if you wait to install one that works as claimed.
Thanks! Good points.
According to PNNL, it will affect efficiency, but not a crazy amount. Our crawlspace seems to hover between 55-60F during winter... though lower after I start exhausting HPHW air into it :). I also like the added benefit of potentially keeping my crawlspace dryer.
Venting it would allow me to fully air seal the heater closet -- which currently has a fully louvered door -- which I expect, as you suggest -- will add a great deal of benefit. We do have the double-thick drywall separating the closet and laundry room (into which the water heater closet's louvres door exhausts), and the fan hum does sometimes penetrate, but the compressor whine is what's killing us, and that seems to be coming down the hallway and under our bedroom door with the fresh air we rely on to keep our indoor air quality good.
Good call to test the noise from the replacement heater prior to installation. It's 240V (in the US), which I think would require wiring it in first? I'll see if the replacement folks are amenable. They may need to install it to get their $$$, even if they just end up uninstalling it.
Thanks again! Good thoughts.
Can you record a video of the noise you are experiencing and post it somewhere public for us to see/hear?
Let me see if I can figure out how/where to host it.
As an update, I got a new one under warranty, and it is ~ 2 dB quieter... so still 68dB+. Oiy.