Rheem Furnace Ignitors
Rheem provides heating and air conditioning units for residential and commercial use as well as commercial boilers
and swimming pool heaters. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company has manufacturing plants in Alabama, Arkansas,
Georgia, California, two in Canada, one in Australia, and two in Mexico. Japanese company Paloma Industries, the
world's largest producer of gas-using appliances, purchased Rheem in 1987.
Ignitor Products
Rheem manufactures heating and cooling units under brands name Rheem, Raypak, Ruud, Richmond, Protech and
Prostock. Rheem furnaces use direct spark ignitors with electric ignition. Ignitors usually have a service life
of approximately five years but can fail sooner if improperly mishandled. Oil from human hands is particularly
harmful to ignitors and may cause them to fail earlier. Replacement parts can be bought for about $25 to $50 from
furnace installers and parts merchants.
Company History
Brothers Richard and Donald Rheem started the company in the mid-1920s in San Francisco by buying a galvanizing
plant. Space heaters and oil furnaces were added to the product list in the 1940s and 1950s. The company expanded
into the heating and air conditioning market in the late 1960s and central air conditioning in the 1970s.
Japanese company Paloma Industries, the world's largest producer of gas appliances, purchased Rheem in 1987.
Rheem's Warranty
All parts, including ignitors, in Rheem furnaces are covered by a five-year limited warranty which states that the
company will replace parts that, through normal use and maintenance, fail within the warranty period. Some models
are covered by an additional lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger. Rheem will replace the unit if the
exchanger fails only if the furnace is still owned by the original buyer and was registered with the company.
Contact Rheem
Rheem Manufacturing Co.
Replacement Parts Dept.
4744 Island Ford Rd.
Randleman, NC 27317
Phone: (336) 495-6800