Ruud central air conditioners, gas furnaces, heat pumps and water heaters are built by Rheem, and they share many designs and parts with Rheem’s own line. In homes in San Rafael, Novato and San Anselmo, Ruud problems tend to fall into two groups. One is temperatures that drift: rooms too warm or too cold, a system that runs and runs. The other is water: a condensate drain that has clogged and quietly overflowed. The water heater, often in the same closet or garage, rounds out the list.
Ruud and Rheem
Rheem owns the Ruud brand, so many components are shared between the two, and our Rheem page covers the sister equipment. That helps with parts supply. We still order by the model and serial number on the data plate, and we are an independent company, not affiliated with either brand.
Condensate: the slow leak that does the damage
An air conditioner or heat pump pulls water out of the air at the indoor coil, and a high-efficiency (condensing) gas furnace produces water of its own, which is mildly acidic. All of it has to drain away through a trap and a line, and sometimes a small pump. When the drain clogs with sludge, algae or debris:
- water backs up into the pan under the coil or into the furnace;
- a float switch, if one is fitted, shuts the system off, which looks like a sudden breakdown;
- without a float switch, water spills onto the floor, into the ceiling below an attic unit, or into a crawlspace, where it can feed mold.
We clear the drain and trap, flush the line, test the float switch and the condensate pump, and check that the line has enough slope. On condensing furnaces we also check the trap and the inducer’s drain connections, because a blocked trap can stop the furnace with a pressure-switch fault. A yearly maintenance visit includes all of this.
Temperatures that drift
When a Ruud system lets the house wander away from the setting, the cause is usually the thermostat or the airflow. A thermostat in a sunny or drafty spot, a loose wire or a wrong setting can make the system stop early or run too long. On the airflow side, a dirty filter, a matted coil, a blocked return or a disconnected duct keeps air from reaching the rooms. We start with a full check, from the thermostat and filter through the blower and coil to the condenser outdoors and the ductwork, and fix the part that is actually out of line. One room off while the rest are fine usually points to the ducts; see uneven temperatures.
Ruud gas furnaces and heat pumps
Furnace calls follow the ignition sequence: inducer, pressure switch, igniter, gas valve, flame sensor, then the blower and limit switches. Heat pump calls add the defrost control, the reversing valve and any backup heat. For a house with no heat, see heating repair.
Ruud water heaters
Ruud makes gas and electric tank water heaters, and the faults are well known:
| Problem | Gas models | Electric models |
|---|---|---|
| No hot water | Pilot or igniter, thermocouple or flame sensor, gas control | Tripped breaker, upper element or thermostat, reset limit |
| Not enough hot water | Gas control setting, dip tube, sediment | Lower element or thermostat, sediment |
| Rumbling or popping | Sediment on the tank bottom | Sediment around the lower element |
| Water at the relief valve | High pressure or temperature, or a failing valve | Same |
| Water from the tank itself | Corroded tank: replacement | Corroded tank: replacement |
A tank that leaks from its body cannot be repaired, and we will say so rather than sell a part that will not help.
What you can expect
A real person answers the phone 24/7. After the diagnosis you get an itemized price, with no hidden fees. Parts are factory certified and carry the manufacturer’s warranty, and our work carries a labor warranty.