Rheem 20

The Rheem 20 delivers 20 litres of hot water per minute at a 25°C temperature rise, making it well suited to families of 3-4 people with 2-3 bathrooms. It provides comfortable headroom for two outlets running simultaneously, for example, two showers in the morning, or a shower and a washing machine operating at the same time. It sits between the 16L and 26L models in Rheem’s range and is a strong choice for medium-sized Perth homes where the 16L is not quite enough but the 26L is more than needed.

The main difference is flow rate capacity: 20L/min versus 26L/min. The Rheem 26 is designed for larger families or homes with high simultaneous hot water demand across 3+ bathrooms. The Rheem 20 is $100 less expensive at $1,399 installed versus $1,499 for the Rheem 26, and for a family of 3-4 with 2 bathrooms, the 20L is typically sufficient. If your household regularly has multiple showers, a dishwasher, and a washing machine all drawing hot water at the same time, the Rheem 26 is the better investment. Ember’s hot water selector tool can help clarify which is right for your home.

Yes. The Rheem 20 is covered by Ember’s extended warranty offer on all Rheem and Vulcan products installed since 1 August 2022. This is in addition to the standard Rheem manufacturer warranty, which includes a 12-year heat exchanger warranty and 3 years parts and labour on other components for domestic installations. The extended warranty from Ember applies automatically to all qualifying installations, there are no additional conditions, forms to complete, or extra costs.

The Rheem Metro 20 is notably compact for its output capacity, with dimensions of approximately 600mm height, 355mm width, and 225mm depth, similar in footprint to the smaller Rheem 16 model. This compact design is a deliberate feature of the Rheem Metro range and makes it practical for installation on apartment balconies, small courtyards, narrow side passages, and other space-constrained locations. It mounts to the wall and takes up no floor space, unlike storage tank systems.

Under Western Australian plumbing regulations, a tempering valve is required for the bathroom and ensuite hot water outlets on any newly installed or replaced continuous flow system. A tempering valve mixes cold water into the hot water supply to cap the delivery temperature at 50°C, reducing the risk of scalding. The Rheem 20’s standard model is factory preset to 50°C. In most standard Perth metro installations, a tempering valve is already present from the previous system. If it is missing or needs replacing, Ember will advise and include this in the installation.

The Rheem 20 carries a 6-star energy rating — the highest tier for residential gas continuous flow hot water in Australia. Like all Rheem Metro continuous flow units, it heats water only on demand and does not maintain a stored tank of water at temperature around the clock, which is the primary source of energy waste in storage systems. Rheem’s Q Factor technology reduces cold water delivery at start-up, further reducing water and energy waste. In Perth’s mild climate, this efficiency advantage is particularly well-realised.