Questions and Answers for Westinghouse 50 Gal. Ultra-High Efficiency/High Output 10 Year 76,000 BTU Natural Gas Water Heater with Durable Stainless Steel Tank

A:  It is recommended to reach out to the manufacturer directly to see if they offer services.

A:  No. They won't be making these anymore. http://www.westinghousewaterheating.com/

A:  Hello Alex, Thank you for the inquiry about the 50 Gal. Ultra-High Efficiency/High Output 10 Year 76,000 BTU Natural Gas Water Heater with Durable Stainless Steel Tank. Per our vendor, this does not have an estimated arrival date for Homedepot.com at this point. However, if you would like to be notified with updates on the status of this item, you can enter your email address into the field provided on the product's page. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future. Thank you for shopping Home Depot!

A:  I helped my ex-wife to have this installed in her home. Unfortunately, I have not kept up with any installation manual updates. However, the Westinghouse technical support team is very competent, and I'm sure they can help you. They actually have the water heaters installed in their office, for training and customer support services. The unit has been working perfectly, after the initial startup adjustments that must be made to insure high efficiency. That requires a competent HVAC technician with the proper exhaust gas measuring equipment, to achieve the desired results. Hope this helps. Warmest Regards; Rich

A:  I used the "HTP Phoenix Light Duty" documentation. This unit is made by HTP and relabeled for Westinghouse.

A:  To: TrapJaw dated July 03rd - - - Re:{ Mistake in Westinghouse Manual -(page 29)- dated 9/03/2014 and revised 01/04/2019?} Sir: In my own personal experiences with "ALL" attempts to contact "WESTINGHOUSE" - either at the listed Boston, MA location or the others, I've N-E-V-E-R been successful. As you know, this Maker has absolutely ZERO to-do with our very old, famous USA Corporation ... instead, it is simply a "purchased" name only, in an obvious attempt to make potential Customers that they ARE actually One-in-THE same!! ZERO Customer Reps or Authorized Servicing Technicians or Dealer Organization, either. There's zero means in my own actual experiences to ever get an Answer / Reply / Clarification regarding their various South Korea Products! Apologies BUT, Thanks for your Question! .... eli2

A:  Upon installation mine initially sounded like it had a small train in it. Adjusted using a flue gas analyzer and noise went away. Had access to the analyzer and know how to use. If you do not have access call a pro. I have had mine for a little over a year. A month ago got a recurring unstable flame error. Called tech support and they were great and directed me to the problem which was totally different from the fix listed in the manual under the error code. You might give them a call if you have not.

A:  I had a noise issue with my unit and it was caused by an unbalanced air intake pipe length vs exhaust. If you think this an issue you may need to add some elbows and pipe length to the intake. It made my unit very quiet.

A:  If it's making any significant noise it's not operating properly. The gas valve will need to be adjusted by a technician. Mine makes a noise similar to an engine, especially on start-up. I hope you have better luck than I in getting a tech to look at it. It shouldn't be a difficult job for them, but no one wants anything to do with these!

A:  You can try to make a exhaust muffler?!?! This thing sounds like a growing sputtering freight train when it runs! Weird thing is it is quiet inside the house, the noise is outside. YouTube has what you need to do to make a muffler just not sure how much noise it will silence.

A:  To: 'Stefan' dated Jan12th Re:{ Why is exhaust so very loud / how to silence?} Sir: In the accomplishment of these ultra-high Efficiency Appliances, it was mandatory to incorporate double combustion chambers - E.G. - there is the primary Chamber which we all understand as being THE location of the fuel being burned. BUT, now, there must be designed and incorporated a new, Second Stage which captures or receives the exhaust from that initial combustion, "wring-out" all of the heat energy which previously went 'UP 'n OUT" our chimneys! ...to accomplish all of that pushing of large volumes of hot gases inside any Ultra-Efficient Furnace, Boiler, or, in your instance, DHW Heater, there MUST BE a powerful blower to overcome the associated resistance. No, there is absolutely zero means of silencing your Water Heater w / o dangerously-affecting the design & operation of that Unit.....that is one reason that many are installed very remote from any Bedrooms, etc., far corner of attached Garage, etc......eli2

A:  I helped my ex-wife to get this installed in her home. The exhaust should be extremely quiet "if adjusted properly". Unlike a conventional hot water heater, you can't just install it and turn it on, and expect it to work properly. A professional HVAC person with the proper exhaust gas measuring equipment is needed, to adjust it properly. This is probably the most efficient hot water heater on the market today. To achieve this high efficiency, it has adjustments to compensate for the incoming gas line pressure on your street, the altitude of the heater above sea level, the length of the incoming fresh air PVC pipe, and the length of the exhaust PVC pipe. All of these variables effect the heating efficiency of the burning gas. Your HVAC expert must have a Westinghouse technical support person on the phone, when the adjustments are being made. There is a very specific order to the adjustments, and your HVAC expert must relay the exhaust gas measurements to Westinghouse technical support, as the adjustments are being made. It can sometimes take a few hours, depending on the specific details at you location. Once adjusted, it should be very quiet and efficient. You only need to do this once, unless some type of problem develops in the future. This could be a change in the gas line pressure coming in from the street, or a problem with the gas pressure regulator and meter attached to your home. In my situation, it was noisy when first started, and the adjustments worked perfectly to where you almost can't tell when it's on. The supplied installation instructions reference the need and importance of the adjustments. It is most important that Westinghouse be on the phone when the adjustments are made, otherwise you will not achieve the quoted high efficiency. It's truly a remarkable design, that may be the last water heater you will ever need Warmest Regards; Rich

A:  To" 'Jeff' dated Oct 20th - Re:{ May I use this DHW Heater to replace another?} Certainly! .... please do recall that there will be some changes required, caused by the multitude of federal regulations since the date of your original installation, as well as subsequent changes in your local municipality's Building and Plumbing Codes....eli2

A:  Yes you can replace the GDHE but this one is a LOT louder. Did you not get a good life out of the AO smith? I went with this thinking the stainless would Lead to long life but that noise with neighbors is pretty unbearable!

A:  Yes, but it will require extra work and cost to install and adjust properly, in order to achieve the Ultra-High efficiency. For me, in the long term it will save $$$ because of the higher efficiency, reliability, and stainless steel construction. It will definitely outlast any conventional gas water heater because it does not produce sediment at the bottom of the tank, which starts corrosion. The extra work includes a 4in. diameter PVC exit pipe to the outside, that slopes down to the tank. Condensation inside the exit pipe drains back to the unit, and must be routed to a floor drain, after it passes through a small box filled with marble chips to neutralize the acidic condensate (a code requirement). You may also need a 4in diameter PVC pipe from the outside fresh air, if the room where it is installed does not have adequate fresh air ventilation. The instructions available online explain all of this. Adjusting the gas control valve on the unit requires an experienced HVAC expert, with the proper exhaust gas measuring equipment. This is important to insure the high efficiency and compensates for the altitude above sea level where it is installed, and the incoming gas pressure to your specific home. This allows the most optimum fuel / air ratio for the best efficiency. Normal hot water heaters do not have such a sophisticated adjustment. During the adjustment process, the HVAC expert will have to be on the phone with the Westinghouse experts, to insure the process is done correctly. Once completed, no other adjustments are necessary. I hope this helps. Warmest Regards; Rich

A:  Jeff, is your unit the 100k Btu? Couldn’t find the rating for it! This is only 76k so if that works for you and you had tank issues, this unit has the stainless steel tank. However please be aware this one is NOISY when it runs kinda like a train growling and grumbling. The GDHE just makes the standard high pitched whine like most power vented units!

A:  There is no Power Vent "option". It is designed to be a "Power Vent" all the time when it is running". Just before the heating cycle starts, the Power Vent automatically comes on. The venting is critical to how it works, and is one of the reasons for the High Efficiency. Venting must be through a 4 in diameter PVC pipe to the outside. That pipe "Must" slop down all the way back to the unit, to allow the condensate in the pipe to drain properly, according to the installation instructions. Eventually, the condensate must reach a floor drain, like under a sink. Warmest Regards Rich

A:  {Power Venting?} Sir ...it already has one....eli2

A:  This is a power vented unit. The unit is loud and not a consistent drone but more of a growling gasping noise. My neighbors hate it cause it is near where they sleep.

A:  It comes with a power vent. The power vent is standard on this unit.

A:  To: 'avenirit12' Dated Sept 15 - Re:{ Is 'Power Vent' available as Option?} Sir: ....Please locate that "Installation and Assembly" Manual, just under the PIX on the P.C. - then, download. This uses standard PVC for both the incoming combustion air as well as for exhausting the very cool gases that remain afterwards. Starting page 26, there are the stipulations for up to 150' lineal feet of exhaust under appropriate conditions, WITHOUT any need of separate power venting.....eli2

A:  The unit operates with power venting when needed, and it does not require a normal Flue. The vent line is a 4 inch diameter PVC pipe, and the vent fan is mounter on the unit. The fan is critical to the operation and the "very high heating efficiency" of the unit. It's not like a normal hot water heater where you have a burner on the bottom, like heating water in a pot on the stove. Inside the entire height of the heater tank, is a "spiral hollow pipe" made of a very special metal. The fan blows the burning gas up through the "spiral" pipe inside the tank, transferring all the heat to the water in the tank. When the burning gas reaches the top of the spiral pipe, all the heat has been extracted and the exit gas is cool. The system also requires a 4 inch diameter PVC inlet pipe from fresh outside air. However, if there is plenty of outside air available in the room where it is mounted, like inside a garage that has fresh air vents, then only a very short inlet pipe is needed, maybe three feet in length. Consequently, this process does not produce any sediment in the bottom of the tank like normal water heaters, which causes corrosion and early water heater failure. Also, since it's stainless steel, it will outlive normal water heaters by a long margin. I hope the helps, and Westinghouse has some helpful diagrams that describe this new technology. The only difficult part, is to find a competent HVAC technician with the proper gas test equipment, to fine tune the gas valve to the actual "gas pressure" on your street and the "elevation" of the tank above sea level. Westinghouse has technicians that support the fine tuning effort over the phone from the East Coast. I hope this helps. Regards; Rich

A:  This product offers multiple venting options.

A:  It requires PVC vent pipe and air intake pipes similar to a high efficiency gas furnace.

A:  Postscript, pls? To: 'AY' dated July 27 - Re;{Venting System?} There are several pdf files available just below the PIX of this Unit on your computer - - -pls download "Use and Installation" then starting at page 26 to read about required venting, both incoming and exhausting.....eli2

A:  To: 'AY' dated July 27 - Re:{...what venting is required?} The exhaust fumes are greatly-reduced in temperature by the technical design such that standard PVC of the appropriate diameter, length and routing (maximum run length, 45 degree ells, etc,.} should be used. - - - Pls NOTE: A similar incoming piping system for combustion air is also necessary. Lastly, a new, appropriate draining pipe must be connected for the highly-acidic drain liquid emitting from this Unit......eli2

A:  This model comes with an inducer motor (power vent) and can not be configured any other way. You'll need a PVC exhaust vent, and depending on your installation, you may also need a separate PVC air intake vent. This is a high efficiency unit that has specific venting and installation requirements that differ from traditional gas water heaters - The manual explains the available venting options in detail.

A:  Any of these water heaters need to be adjusted for proper air/fuel mixture to run at maximum efficiency. The gas throttle valve on the Westinghouse has a considerable adjustment range, so it should be no issue to get one set up for a lower oxygen level like that found in higher elevations. Make sure you are working with a technician who is familiar with negative pressure valves and has the proper equipment (combustion analyzer). Good luck- it's a fantastic heater!

A:  To: 'CG' dated April 11 - Re:{..high altitude operation? Performance?} After reading both o the uncommonly long / extremely detailed pdf flles available, there's zero mention of altitude...suggest that a call might be best: For this Unit, WESTINGHOUSE C.S. = 1-774-417-6000 AND, pls read those (2) pdf file mentioned with an 'Eagle's Eye' toward all of the {WARNING!, Professional Technician Only, Warranty Exclusions, etc., etc..!!} .....eli2

A:  After I had my contractor installed the water heater I notice that the system requires a extra pipe for excess water to drip out, not to confuse it to the pressure release value which it also has. That constant drip added about $30 a month to my water bill. Also when the system is heating the water it makes a strange humming noise and my neighbor is now complaining. I will call the manufacture on Monday for advice. I may need to add some kind of sound proofing to this system to ease my neighbor's complaint. I am not a water heater expert to answer your question about performance in high altitude you better call the manufacture.

A:  While I can't answer the question directly as my water is installed at an altitude of 500', I can say that this water heater is extremely finicky when it comes to exhaust pipe length (intake too) and gas pressure. Although we were well within the 150' total length for intake and exhaust for 2" line, our unit would not run and had to have all of the ducting replaced with 3". Be on the safe side and increase to the next larger size over what you believe is your minimum required (3" if 2" will do, 4" if 3" will do). Per the installation instructions, 3" to 14" water column (W.C.) of gas pressure is required to properly operate the unit. Although we have 6.5", well within the spec, we initially were constantly getting an error code, F82 Unstable Flame. After numerous visits by the technician, we finally got this resolved. Although occasionally we hear a rumble from the unit which we attribute to fluctuations in the gas pressure (this is called out in the installation manual's troubleshooting section). After we got all of the kinks worked out, I have to say we are pleased with its operation and efficiency (we use the water heater for both potable and radiant heat) and our gas usage has been cut at least by 30%-40%. One final lesson learned, be sure you have someone familiar with fully condensing water heaters install the unit and that they have and know how to use a combustion analyzer: Without it, it would be a miracle to get this unit adjusted. This proved to be the biggest headache as there appear to be few qualified technicians in the Portland, OR area.

A:  From Rich in CA: I had one installed in the San Francisco area near sea level, and it is "very efficient". Considering the way it is designed, I am confident that it can be adjusted to work in Denver. However, and this is a big however, it requires significant adjustments at every installation to insure the high efficiency is achieved. It requires a qualified HVAC technician, who has the required exhaust gas measuring equipment. Even then, the technician must be on the phone with Westinghouse "Technial Support" in the Boston area, when the adjustments are being made, because it is complex and must be done is a very specific order. Often, it is difficult to get them on the phone during normal business hours on the East coast, as they are supporting many installations that are going on across the US. It is a truly superior design that should last many years more than a conventional water heater. It also requires separate 4'' diameter PVC inlet and exhaust pipes that must be routed to the outside of the house, at a location above the anticipated snow line. Sometimes, the inlet pipe can be short, if there is sufficient fresh air ventilation in the room where it is installed, like a garage with outside vents. If your goal is to have superior efficiency and a very long life, it worth the extra effort to get through the adjustment process. If that's not you goal, then get a conventional hot water heater. Basically, gas lines to every home across the US operate at different supply gas pressures, and every home is at a different altitude. These two important factors effect the burning efficiency of the gas flame. Westinghouse has figured out how to compensate for these two variable, in order to insure very high efficiency.