Upgrading to a heat pump water heater can cut household electricity use enough to save many homeowners hundreds of dollars a year on utility bills. But for one homeowner, the more immediate concern was simpler: a Rheem tank that leaked from the same spot twice.

Here's what to know

A homeowner posting in Reddit's r/HomeMaintenance said the same issue happened twice. According to the post, a unit installed in 2019 started leaking around the top heating element area; it was replaced in 2023, and the replacement failed in that same spot three years later. The OP also said they do not want to buy another one but cannot afford a different option.

In a post on Reddit, the owner said, "First one was installed in 2019 and started leaking where the top heating element is but it's not the element, it's like under the threads… Replaced it in 2023." 

The thread also included a similar report from another user with a newer unit. That user said the heater was "leaking from the same spot" and had been replaced for free.

Several replies turned to possible warranty coverage. As one user told the homeowner, "I think these have a warranty, maybe you can get something out of that."

More background

Because the leak was near an electrical component, one user raised a safety concern. They warned, "that dripping liquid from the electrical junction is a massive red flag, you're lucky it's just a leak and not a fire at this point."

The discussion didn't focus on the tank alone. One user said "aggressive corrosion from dissimilar metals and grounding issues" could be part of the problem and urged the homeowner to have an electrician check for "stray voltage."

Maintenance also came up after a user guessed the tank had never been flushed. They said, "Only once a year," and asked if they should be doing it more.

They added, "Scale builds up and pinhole leaks form in the heating manifolds."

What can be done?

The practical outcome in the thread was another replacement. The homeowner said, "Guess it's a well-known issue. They are replacing the tank. Guess we'll see how long the new one lasts..."

For homeowners who do not want to replace a failing conventional electric tank with the same type of unit again, Cala offers smart heat pump water heaters. Cala's customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help homeowners lower energy bills by heating water only when needed. In many homes, a heat pump water heater can reduce electricity use enough to save hundreds of dollars per year compared with a standard electric resistance model.

That may not solve a tight replacement budget overnight, but it does give shoppers another option to compare alongside a warranty swap and routine maintenance. Homeowners weighing their next purchase can look at upfront cost, likely bill savings, and whether a switch to Cala fits their setup.

Where can I learn more?

For more on water heater leaks, warranty disputes, and replacement decisions, these articles dig into similar situations. They cover disputed warranty charges, simple leak fixes, repair mistakes, corrosion concerns, and rebate-backed upgrade options.

• One homeowner paid $1,400 for a warranty water heater swap and felt ripped off afterward.

• In one garage, a $7 drain valve solved what looked like tank failure.

• First-time buyers found a home inspector's miss after water flooded the utility room.

• Reddit users warned whole-house softeners can kill tanks when corrosion starts eating a water heater.

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