(NBC7/39 Story, Jan 11th 2000) YOU CAN GET FREE HELP FOR A DEFECTIVE WATER HEATER, BUT ONLY: · UNTIL JUNE 30th, 2000 for reimbursement of dip tube replacement & damage repairs already made OR · UNTIL DEC 31st, 2000 to request dip tube replacement & damage repair (To obtain a defective dip tube repair application form, see below)
Diagram of Gas Water Heater Components
Water Heater Dip Tube	SAN DIEGO, Jan. 11 - Thousands of water heaters in local homes are defective. If yours is one of them, you can now get it fixed for free. The defective part on the water heaters is the dip tube, manufactured by Perfection Corporation of Madison, Ohio. The dip tube moves the cold water to the bottom of the water heater, where the flame heats it. But dip tubes on many water heaters made from 1993 to 1996 are defective. They can break off or corrode.
“What the cold water will start doing is start mixing here in the top of the tank, so you can get lukewarm water. You get a very short duration of hot water,” plumbing company owner Walter Anderson told NBC 7/39. A.O. Smith, Bradford-White, Rheem (Ruud), State Industries and other companies made water heaters with the defective dip tubes. For more information and details on free repairs, call (800) 329-0561. Print out the Water Heater claim form in Adobe Acrobat pdf format.
NOTICE FROM RHEEM (RUUD) WATER HEATERS Rheem Manufacturing Company has entered into a national class action settlement concerning possibly defective dip tubes. A dip tube is a plastic water heater component part that transports cold water from the intake of the top of the water heater down to the bottom of the water heater where water is heated. Dip tubes manufactured by Perfection Corporation (Madison, OH) between August 1993 and October 1996 may, in some instances, prematurely deteriorate.     Symptoms of deteriorating dip tubes include the appearance of small white particles in your hot water supply and decreases in hot water volume and pressure.     You may be entitled to benefits under the national class action settlement if you own or have owned a water heater manufactured by Rheem Manufacturing Company containing a dip tube manufactured by Perfection Corporation between August 1993 and March 1997.     Dip tube related claims under the national class action settlement are being handled by a settlement administrator and not by Rheem Manufacturing Company. To obtain more information about whether your water heater is covered by the national class action settlement and the process for filing a claim and receiving benefits under the settlement, please log on at http://www.diptubesettlement.com/