Reliance Water Heaters Reviews

I had a Reliance Electric 501 (50 gal) installed 10-23-1998 and haven't touched it since and it has always worked great with no problems at all. Today is Jan 2026 some 27+ years later. I do have 23 apartments/houses with both electric and gas and have used other brands in them and the life span seems to be about 12 to 17 years. Had I known this 30 years ago, I would have put Reliance Hot Water Heaters in all rental units.

We bought an expensive Reliance hybrid water heater and wouldn’t do it again! Only works ok in hybrid mode. As long as washer isn’t being used or more than 3 showers. Works fine on electric mode. Doesn’t supply nearly enough on heat pump mode. Definitely not worth the extra money it costs!

I've had four electric hot water heaters in 20 years. All went out a few months past warranty. All were Reliance. That's all I need to say. A piece of junk! I'm a plumbing inspector, and I've never seen such shoddy products.

This company Reliance from Tennessee should be banned for safety risks in homes. This company is terrible! We called in months no hot water, they had us replace all parts. No reimbursement for parts or labor. This was in December when it was first installed. We are now in August 8 months later and we smell a burning chemical smell throughout the house as we walk in. The smell leads to the water heater. The wires internally burnt through the installation inside. Again no hot water. At least a standing house. Technical support tells us to replace the thermostat. Our installer and Ace place of purchase says they need to give you a new water heater. Waiting for a supervisor from tech support. It’s been hours. This place is such a dirty scam! You will not sleep at night if you purchase a reliance water heater. Any other company, please! This is a zero star company!

I should have listened to other reviews. Reliance is just a rebranded A.O. Smith water heater. Look on Lowes for the A.O. Smith version and the reviews are the same, you're lucky to get a year out of these. First, mine was faulty out of the box, would not pass the initial fault check. I called customer support and they ran me through a bunch of troubleshooting, and I happened to look down at the control board and see a wire that was unplugged. Ran fine for about one year, and then got the error code 84 (compressor fault for the heat pump). this makes the unit default to 120 degrees and run in electric only but you can't change the temp setting.

They refuse to send anyone to fix my year old hot water heater. They are useless. I will never buy another product from this company. Crooks and thieves. That's all this company is. I am beyond frustration and the lack of customer service.

In 2018 I needed a new hot water heater. (The one replaced was like 20 years old!!) I went to my favorite place for Plumbing, Warren pipe and supply, in Michigan and purchased a new reliance hot water heater. Well, this past November, the hot water tank started leaking and rupturing. As anyone knows, when a hot water tank goes out it is an emergency! Not like a furnace, where you can use electric heaters, etc. I had to hurry to find a plumber who would help me out.

My plumber purchased and installed my water heater two years ago from the local ACE hardware store. The Reliance 40 gallon gas water heater started leaking at only 2 years old. While they honored the warranty for the water heater, it did not cover the labor costs ($800) to remove and replace a product that should at min lasted 6 to 10 years. Company did not want to even discuss labor cost on a defective product. Lame!

This hot water heater was more expensive than other better brands. I soon saw the same hot water heater at different retailers under different brand names. As if this is a Chinese product that is mass produced with no accountability. This heater randomly stops producing hot water and then resets taking minutes to start producing hot water again. This only reason I bought this was because we had no hot water on a weekend this was the only one that I could buy. If I added to do over again I would have gone without hot water for an extra day just to get a quality product because this is garbage.

We purchased a Reliance 650DURTG 50G 4500W water heater on 1/16/2024. It stopped getting hot by june of that year. We called the plumbing store we purchased it from. They told us to call the manufacturer so we did. They told me the closest warranty servicer was 130 miles away and they would send me the parts for free and I could fix it myself so we did five months later and it is now shutting off and on by itself and getting hot and cold. I called them back. They tell me they will pay $100 to cover labor to have a local plumber come look at it. I paid $699.00 and it's still under warranty less than a year old and has broken down twice and they want me to pay out of pocket. Absolutely not. We will bite the bullet and purchase from a reputable seller and a quality manufacturer. Never again will we purchase a Reliance product again. When I called a local plumber I was told that they don't service them because they were throw away heaters and it's cheaper to replace with a quality one.

I have installed many Hot Water heaters. I just installed a 40 gallon Reliance HW heater and as soon as I filled it up, it was leaking from the lid, specifically from a hex screw at the top that holds the lid to the body of the tank. Even disconnected from pressure, it leaks. Yesterday Reliance promised to have it replaced, but this morning they said I have to return their defective product and install a new one. I am infuriated that I have to take a day off to uninstall, return, then re-install AFTER they told me they would do it.

Bought at Ace Hardware. Didn't work out of the box. They said element was bad and did my plumber turn on the water first! I contacted Reliance and they said they DO NOT sell new water heaters. So this was a USED one!!!!

Our 1989 Reliance Sta Kleen 502 hot water heater just won’t die!!! We bought our house a little under three years ago and got a house warranty thinking that, surely by now, the hot water heater would kick the bucket, but it just keeps kicking! Sooner or later we know it’s going to give up the ghost and we will need to replace it, but my goodness can’t it just die on its own, while under warranty? It’s been 35 for Christ’s sake! LOL.

Just bought the unit yesterday and got it installed. As soon as I turned the power on it throws error code 004. Called the CS and they said the lower thermostat is out. And they will mail me a new one, oh by the way closest tech is about 200 miles away so it's on us to install it or have our plumber install the thermostat and they will reimburse $100. I highly doubt I can get someone to come in this week. I should have looked at the reviews before I bought this unit. Now I am stuck with a lemon. We will have no hot water, it is utter garbage that a brand new unit has this issue. I am sure it will have more issues in the future. Go buy a cheaper rheem product.

I purchased this unit on 10/05/23. I still have no hot water as of 10/20/23. Took weeks to get repair guy to troubleshoot. Thermostat and both elements are bad. Now I’m stuck waiting again for repair people to install parts. Ace Hardware refuses to take unit back. Even when I had only had it a week. Paid to have it installed. Paid to have electric side checked. Worst piece of junk on the market.

I purchased 2 water heaters and couldn't regret my purchase more. One of them has NEVER worked correctly. Their warranty consists of talking on the phone and fixing it yourself. I've had to replace thermostats, temp sensors, and wiring. I still have a less than one year old unit that does not work at all and the company is no help whatsoever. RUN away from considering one of their units.

Right out of the box igniter failure, tech support would not even talk to me until I sent them photos of the venting and install, then would call me back within 30 min. Well been going on 2 hours and still no reply! Removed glass and lit manually cause I ain’t got time for that and sent them this nice email. Thank you for your quick turnaround time and very helpful tech-support for doing absolutely nothing so far. I’m glad I spent $600 on a reputable product, and lost a days of work (another $400). Quality and customer service is clearly not this company's “forte”. Sincerely, Very dissatisfied customer

If you're thinking of purchasing a Reliance Electric Hot Water Heater - DON'T!!! Defective parts and subsequent substantial increases in installation time and bills, not to mention COLD water until corrected (days) underscore the so-called "quality" of these things. When you have a new hot water heater purchased (Ace) and installed, it's simple. You expect hot water. NO!!! We can do nothing. We're stuck. Don't make the same mistake.

Bought a new Model # 6-40-NOCT 400 water heater from Ace Hardware. Had plumber install and unit failed. Ace hardware who supplied the unit had no installers and would not exchange the tank due to Reliance warranty. There were no other licensed plumbers available for up to 2 to 3 weeks and Reliance had no warranty service personnel available in my area to do repairs.

Bought my house 8 years ago. During the initial inspection, the inspector made it known several times that furnace, AC compressor unit and the 40 gallon gas water heater were all not going to make it much longer and consider saving some money and prioritize replacing between the three. Almost 9 years later and I've had minor repairs with my furnace thermocoupler and the electrical capacitor on my AC unit. My water heater has (knock on wood) never given me the slightest indication it's close to dying and maintains a constant volume of hot water without noticing its age. I'm sure it could be more efficient, but this Reliance 808, 40 gallon 35,500BTU water tank is absolutely the goat.

My water heater just went out on me. The model was a Sta-Kleen 502. The warranty was 5 years. The mfg date on the data sticker was 1991. This bad boy had been in service for 31 years and had not missed a beat. The mode of failure was minor leaking at the bottom. I notice a small amount of water in the drip pan and shut it down. I wish I could buy another one just like it. Too bad it is not made anymore.

Called Reliance and told them what Meeks told me and I just wanted a refund on my money and they informed me my warranty run out in 10/21. That the warranty doesn't start over when you get a replacement. I have pictures and everything documented. I had to go buy another brand and they won't make good on their product. I will never buy another product from them and will go to every measure to ensure that consumers know to stay away from this product. My first hot water heater that I replaced the Reliance with lasted me 28 years! It is ridiculous that they won't even last through their warranty!

Jan 2017 Bought new & professionally installed. Jan 2020 had to replace gas control valve with MY labor expense! Jan 2022 had to replace entire unit due to burner failure & internal/external tank corrosion. After 1 1/2hrs on hold, hung up. Called back & optioned to wait for return call… 10 days later & still no call!! Company name should be changed to UNRELIABLE WATER HEATERS & Customer Service should be renamed Customer Avoidance!

I bought a Reliance 40gal NORT970 heater in 1996. It was still working as of yesterday. But it developed a leak recently, and had to be removed. We sell Reliance where I work, and we don't get many complaints or returns. I plan to buy another Reliance heater.

I purchased a model 9-40-ekrt water heater in 11/2015. It has a 9 yr. warranty, after 5 yrs. it began to leak. Reliance replaced it with a model 6-40-eort, 6 yr. warranty. After installation on 3/2020, heater kept blowing circuit. Called support they told me it needed higher voltage circuit breaker. Replaced breaker, still not heating water properly. Called support again, was told there was no warranty on this heater because it was a replacement. They would call a service tech. at my expense.

Our Reliance water heater was installed in 2014 spring or summer (factory date October 2013). It is leaking. Still shining and looks like brand new, just out of the factory. Need replacement. By reading all the reviews on this site, I have come up with the conclusion that, it does not matter which brand, the industry is gearing toward DISPOSABLE - water heaters every 6 years and replacing them with the ones does not last long (like in old times). The more recent installation, the more likely it will need replacement. Check all the reviews on this site. Seems like everyone comment who had the installed 10-25 years ago, they lasted much longer. Those times are gone.

After 31 years of use, I just replaced my Reliance 40 gal Model 501 gas water heater. It was still working fine but I noticed a small amount of water under the heater and I felt that a new heater would provide hotter water. The original heater had a 3 year warranty and sold for $178! Reliance made an incredible product... I hope the new one that replaced it is half as good.

I got this to replace my other hot water heater I loved. After my Reliance Model 140 Indoor was a month old it started to acted up. Plenty of air flow. Well since it was still acting up the guy was going to vent it outside today. Never had a code to venting. It would just say code 941 which is exhaust is higher than 149. So this past Saturday it went out error code 721 gas solenoid drive circuit failure check 111 and 121. OK I did let's see 111 Three Times Ignition failure

I had a hot water tank replaced in July 2018. It is now August 2019. I have not had proper hot water for year now. I've had to call the repairman 7 times and they've not been able to fix the problem. When I turn on the hot water, the tank rumbles. I'm told because the vent pipes are not adjusted correctly. I really don't know what more I can do and I might want to sell my place in the near future.

After my 4-year old hot water boiler failed, they sent a tech out 3 days later. He was fine, but couldn't figure out the issue. His solution was to order a new control panel. After another full week of cold showers, the panel was still not delivered. I have called 3 more times trying to figure out how I can just get hot water and am getting the runaround. I am just lucky this is summer, or I would also have no heat for 2 weeks and counting as well. They are very happy to take your cash but not so good at honoring the service contract. I cannot rate them 0 stars or I would. Please go elsewhere and save yourself some trouble.

I bought a house with an expiring 10 yr rental agreement. Called to see about canceling, and was quoted a $840 buyout clause. A brand new model costs about the same. But the good news is I can buy a new one and disconnect and drain the water heater myself. Thanks Reliance.

I bought a water heater three years ago. Now, for no reason, the burner assembly has gone bad. I cannot imagine how cheaply these must be made to fail so quickly. When I called to order parts, the representative interrogated me about the location of the heater and then refused to send parts due to a location. It seems that this company make low quality products and then finds excuses to not honor warranties. Avoid!

Don’t believe the 24 hour service they say they have. We had the hot water heater break down on Friday. We told them it was leaking everywhere. So they booked a person to come out on Saturday between 1 and 6. The technician arrived at 3, looked at the tank and said it needed replacing but he didn’t have the tank on his truck and his shift was ending so we have to wait until Monday instead. His recommendation was to put towels down to stop the water until then???? Logic would be to have someone come out with the parts on the first visit and not just have an inspection and tell you something that was common sense.

We have been with Reliance since 2005 and every so often our water starts to turn yellow. Usually when we call they send a reliable service tech to fix it however in this last year their customer service has gone to the crapper. Since January we have been trying to fix the same problem with the yellow water. One tech came out. Said it’s because of a valve on the water heater so would we like to sign up for their great plumbing plan they have. So we did. The guy came to fix it and Lo and behold still yellow water. Go figure. Then I call them again. It is now May.

They cancelled my appointment I booked two days ago for a water heater that is leaking in my basement. When I told the rep that there was damage being caused she told me to use a towel? I’m not happy and will be holding this company liable for not attending to their scheduled appointment.

Inferior product. Water heater less than 2 1/2 years old will not light. Replaced thermostat, over $100. Still not lighting. Next step replace thermopile, over $150. If this doesn't work will have to replace water heater.

Reliance's customer service, based on a few emails and one phone conversation, leave a lot to be desired. I purchased a 50 gallon electric water heater, model 6-50-EORS-110, from my local hardware store. I helped their staff member load it into my truck and took it home to install the unit. After removing the box, I found some concealed damage to the top casing near the electrical connection. I determined it was most likely just cosmetic damage, a series of dents/scrapes 8" in length, and decided to proceed with installation.

We moved into our home in January 18, 2018, and the first bill we got from Reliance was on January 26, 2018. This bill was for over $400 and included charges for 2017 and a significant late payment charge. I assumed whoever started our account just accidentally put the wrong year in but when I called the person was so incredibly rude but assured me that the charges were fixed. Over the next couple of weeks I was harassed by daily multiple phone calls with a message saying that we owe a significant late payment and that if we did not pay our names would be sent to a collections agency. I called again and they assured me to ignore these phone calls and that they would waive the "late fees" that kept being added to our account. Then we get a "final notice" in the mail for $120 dollars and when I called again to ask about this the lady said that they had been leaving messages about this concern for weeks and that we had significant late fees again.

In 2011, we purchased a Reliance 50-gallon hot water heater from George Morlan Plumbing in Portland, Oregon. We had different brands previously and never had a problem. Installation went fine because George Morlan always has great technicians. However, after 2 years, in 2013, the hot water stopped. George Morlan sent out a service tech and he determined that the thermostats had failed. He replaced them under warranty but the labor charge was $99.

I purchased a Reliance water heater 2 months ago for my summer home. The water heater has been nothing but problems. The service center has not resolved my issues and will not honor their own warranty. They keep saying sorry. I will never do business with this company again. I have purchased a Rheem water heater to replace the Reliance defective water heater. Dissatisfied customer.