In Mill Valley, where shaded lots need heat for most of the year, a Rheem furnace may run more months than it rests, and in the larger houses of Tiburon and Belvedere it often works alongside a Rheem air conditioner or heat pump. Rheem began in California in 1925 and is the parent of Ruud. We are an independent service company, not affiliated with Rheem, and we quote each repair before the work.
Prestige, Classic Plus and Classic
Prestige Series is the top line. Its furnaces include models with a modulating gas valve that adjusts the flame in small steps, paired with variable-speed blowers, and its outdoor units include variable-speed models. Classic Plus is the middle of the range, with staged equipment on many models. Classic Series is the dependable single-stage base. Knowing the series tells us how much of the diagnosis will run through the control board and how much through a meter.
A furnace that runs most of the year
A modulating Prestige furnace runs long at low fire, which keeps temperatures even and the blower quiet. It also piles up run hours, and that changes what wears:
- Filters load up with more hours of airflow, and a clogged filter pushes the furnace into high-limit trips.
- Blower motors and bearings work for most of the year, so we listen to them and measure their current draw at each visit.
- Condensate traps and drains on high-efficiency furnaces handle steady flow and clog sooner, especially in damp crawlspaces.
- Plastic vent pipe on high-efficiency furnaces has to keep its slope so condensate drains back; a sag after years of settling causes pressure switch faults.
PlusOne diagnostics
Many Rheem furnaces and outdoor units have PlusOne diagnostics: a display on the control board that shows the current fault and recent fault history. For intermittent problems that never happen while the technician is in the room, that history is valuable. If your furnace has shut down, do not cycle the power repeatedly before we arrive; tell us what the display shows.
EcoNet controls
EcoNet is Rheem’s connected control platform. The EcoNet smart thermostat runs compatible equipment, shows alerts and maintenance reminders, and works with an app on your phone. The same platform also connects compatible Rheem water heaters. If an EcoNet thermostat loses its connection after a router change, the equipment is usually fine; it just needs to rejoin the network.
Rheem outdoor units and the bay air
Rheem’s weather-resistant cabinets slow corrosion, but on waterfront lots salt still reaches the coil fins and electrical terminals inside. A yearly coil cleaning and connection check keeps an air conditioner or heat pump efficient and prevents hard-start problems. Our HVAC maintenance visit covers the furnace and the outdoor unit together.
Repair or replace
A Rheem furnace with a sound heat exchanger is usually worth repairing. A cracked heat exchanger, repeated failures or a system that never kept the house comfortable lead to a furnace installation or a heat pump conversation instead. Financing is available with approved credit, and repairs carry a 90-day warranty. See furnace repair for how a no-heat visit works, or heating repair for other heating systems.
Rheem by town: Tiburon, Belvedere, Mill Valley.