Rheem EcoSense Water Heater

A couple of years ago, I switched to a Rheem EcoSense hybrid water heater, and it’s been fantastic. We generally run it on the heat pump mode, which is incredibly efficient and inexpensive for our household. That all changed one afternoon when I returned home to the water heater loudly beeping with an error code flashing on the display: Error A004.

Knowing that Select Home Warranty covers water heaters under my policy (see: Section 6.2.7 – Water Heater, which states: “This Agreement covers all modules, components, and parts of the water heater necessary to the functionality of the water heater, including: (i) control board, (ii) thermostats, (iii) gas valves, (iv) burner assembly, (v) heating elements, (vi) pressure switches, (vii) thermocouple, (viii) ignition module, (ix) igniter. Excluded: solar or tankless water heating systems, leaks, and pumps.”), I submitted a claim through their website on August 22, 2025. What followed was an experience worth documenting.

Timeline of My Claim

• 08/22/2025 @ 08:53 – Submitted claim for water heater on Select Home Warranty website.

• 08/23/2025 @ 07:00 – Received automated message: “Just checking in to let you know we are still working on dispatching your claim and should have a Technician lined up shortly…”

• 08/23/2025 @ 08:48 – Another automated message: “We do apologize for this delay as our dispatch department is still working on your claim…”

• 08/26/2025 @ 12:32 – Called Customer Service. Was told I was pre-approved for $100 and that they would continue looking for a technician.

• 08/26/2025 @ 12:49 – Automated message: still working on my claim.

• 08/26/2025 @ 12:53 – Automated message: “We are in the process of finding a local technician to come to your home to diagnose your Water Heater…”

• 08/26/2025 @ 07:00 – Another automated message with the same “still working” update.

• 08/27/2025 @ 09:05 – Automated message: again apologizing for the delay.

• 09/01/2025 @ 10:27 – Called Customer Service again. They said they would submit another request to search for a technician.

• 09/01/2025 @ 10:42 – Automated message: once more stating they are searching for a local technician.

The Reality of “Searching for a Technician”

After several calls and repeated messages, it became clear that Select Home Warranty may not actually have repair technicians in my area. Each time I contacted customer service, they told me the same thing: they would “resubmit” my claim and keep searching.

At no point did they explicitly say, “We cannot find a technician in your area, so your only option is to find your own.” Instead, their wording suggested they were actively searching—when in reality, I was caught in a loop of vague promises and copy-paste emails.

My Take So Far

To be fair, it’s only been about a week and a half since the initial claim, and the second week includes the Labor Day holiday. But the experience so far feels misleading and frustrating. If Select Home Warranty cannot find a technician, they should be transparent and tell customers that their only option is to locate their own repair provider.

Instead, their messages give the impression that action is being taken, when in practice, the burden is shifting to the customer—without them ever saying so outright.

Final Thoughts (for now)

This is still an ongoing situation, and I’ll continue to update as things unfold. At this point, however, the customer service feels deceptive and the claim-handling process inadequate.

If you are considering Select Home Warranty for your own home, be prepared for this possibility: they may not have a local network of repair professionals, and you could end up doing most of the legwork yourself.

More updates to come…