Homeowner says new water heater failed within months of purchase

A homeowner on Reddit said a new heat pump water heater quit within months of purchase, leading to a drawn-out warranty ordeal and weeks without hot water.

What happened?

The homeowner said the problem began on May 31, when their GE heat pump water heater stopped making hot water entirely. The unit had been purchased in January, and after the failure, the app showed zero gallons of hot water available and no energy usage while the system displayed error codes F16, F20, F21, and F50.

By the time they posted, two technician visits had not fixed the issue, and three separate parts orders had only added delays because some parts were wrong and others were backordered. The poster said the unit was "cold to the touch" and that the hot and cold water felt the same. 

"I was genuinely excited about this water heater,"  the original poster wrote in a comment. "The technology, efficiency, and features were the reasons I chose it in the first place. Unfortunately, while the product itself was very appealing, the warranty and service experience has been extremely disappointing."

Why does it matter?

Heat pump water heaters can use much less electricity than conventional gas-fueled and electric resistance models. Heating water can account for around 20% of your home's energy use, and a heat pump water heater can be two to three times more energy-efficient than traditional models. 

Warranty support, parts availability, and technician training can make a major difference in whether an upgrade performs as expected. If you're thinking of upgrading to a heat pump water heater, don't let this Redditor's experience deter you. 

What are people saying?

Several commenters said the length of the outage alone justified a more drastic solution. One person wrote, "Insist on a full machine replacement — 30+ days for getting you back into hot water is unacceptable." 

The OP replied that they had already "requested a refund or replacement."

Another also argued against continuing repairs: "If they've already had a tech come out and couldn't fix it, then get a completely new unit."

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