What people are saying about Rheem tankless water heaters based on Home Depot reviews, HVAC and plumbing forums, and retailer reviews in 2026 is generally positive for value and performance but mixed on cold water sandwich and scaling. Positive reviews highlight good value pricing at 10 to 20 percent cheaper than Rinnai and Navien, for example RTGH-84 8.4 GPM costs 1,500 to 2,000 dollars for unit versus Rinnai RUR160 at 1,800 to 2,400 dollars, good hot water performance delivering continuous hot water that never runs out at 120 degrees, decent efficiency with 0.93 UEF that saves 100 to 200 dollars per year versus tank heater, and easy availability at Home Depot with installation services, rating 4.3 to 4.6 stars from over 2,000 reviews for RTGH series, with many reporting 15 to 20 year lifespan with only annual descaling. Negative reviews mention cold water sandwich where brief burst of cold water occurs when hot water turned on and off quickly, inherent to tankless but more noticeable without recirculation pump, requiring adding recirculation kit at 300 to 600 dollars, and scaling in hard water areas over 7 grains per gallon causing error code 11 and reduced flow, requiring descaling every 6 months with vinegar flush costing 100 to 200 dollars DIY. Some mention igniter failure after 5 to 8 years at 150 to 300 dollars. Plumbers say Rheem has service rates around 8 to 10 percent average to good and parts widely available.
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