Moved into brand new house March '06. The Rheem water heater has slow seapage/leakeage around bottom. What kind of warranty does Rheem offer? Under 5 yrs of use.

I would call home depot and ask how they handle their warranty with Rheem. Contact your builder and get the information of the plumier that installed the unit he should be able to give you the pluming supplier where he purchased the heater.

GE is made by Rheem.
Sounds like water heater is short cycling.
Copy following link to troubleshoot by type of gas control valve, including error codes, and instructions how to replace each type of gas control valve.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-gas-water-heater.html#intellivent
Unforturnately Rheem does not post service manuals, and refers customers to call service technicians... so wonder where these guys get service manual... or maybe they guess at it.
However 2 year old water heater is under warranty. The date of manufacture shows on poduct label serial number. 3rd and 4th digit of serial number are year of manufacture. Parts are covered in second year. Rheem might require plumber to validate single-family residential installation.
In any case other companies post service manuals that cover same gas control valves. These manuals apply to Rheem.
Only difference between Rheem/GE and other brands is type of FV system.
If the air arrestor screen gets clogged (not likely with new heater), the intake air slows down causing vent to slow down. Same amount of gas is still being released and burned, causing combustion chamber to overheat. As a result, the TRD glass vial breaks and air intake trap door springs closed. At this point the gas control valve will usually signal error flashes indicating lockout. Shutdown is usually less problematic to homeowner than allowing too much gas to accumulate inside burner at once, causing risk of explosion. Gas appliance are dangerous without doubt.
Call plumber to check everything might be safest route, especially since low gas pressure is one possible cause of short cycling. And you will be comfortable afterwards knowing who to call and that gas appliance is check out professionally not to have defects that will cause problems down the road.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

1) What kind of heater is it? Brand, type, approx age?
If it's a rheem-richmond-ruud-ecosense there are no service manuals:

2) Electric tank:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

3) Gas tank:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-gas-water-heater.html#intellivent

4) Rheem Tankless gas. Sell it on ebay, and install gas tank for $385.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-Rheem-Tankless-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-install-gas-water-heater.html

5) Tankless electric: I have no resources.
6) Bosch tankless: go to their site and each model has troubleshoot resources.
7) Other brands tankless: I have no resources on hand.
8) Solar, boiler, hybrid, etc: I have no resources on hand. Search google with exact model and brand followed by .pdf to generate possible results.

9) Call manufacturer.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Unknown brand and type water heater.
Tank, hybrid, solar-assisted, indirect, tankless, condensing, gas, electric, under-counter, RV, mobile home, etc?

1) Water heater warranty-coverage does not require registration of product. Usually the registration can take place at manufacturer's site, but not all sites have registration forms.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-manufacturers.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html#warranty
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-maintain-water-heater.html

2) Almost all water heater warranties cover original owner, one-family household installation, when product is installed according to product manual. SO if you register product, then move to new home and take expensive water heater with you, then the registration does not show new address, thereby voiding product warranty because it was relocated.

3) Warranties after first year usually cover parts and tank. Many warranties today are pro-rated, which means longer warranty is becoming almost valueless.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Short answer:
6-year Whirlpool from Lowes, 6-year Kenmore from Sears
Both are same brand. Offer 10% less than price, get store coupons.

Reasoning:
#1 Warranty.
Warranties are same across all brands. First year parts-tank-labor are covered, and afterwards parts-tank are covered for original homeowner and non-commercial installation when installed by instructions shown in manual.
The math shows: shorter warranty has greater percentage of full coverage.
6 year 9 year 12 year?
Only difference is anode rod diameter, or longer-warranty tank may have 2 anode rods.
You can convert 6 year tank into 12 year or 15 year by inspecting anode each 1-3 years, and maintaining tank as shown in product manual.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Replace-anode-rod.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-install-gas-water-heater.html

# 2 Don't buy tankless.
Don't buy gas or electric hybrid.
These do not save money overall, and do not last longer than ordinary tank heaters, and they are expensive to buy and maintain and repair.

# 3 Ordinary Whirlpool gas water heater from Lowes is inexpensive and can be maintained and repaired by homeowner.
Air intake is located on bottom and can be cleaned easily.
Set 3-legged water heater on bricks so air intake can be inspected and cleaned easily.
Whirlpool is made by AO Smith parent company. Other brands made by AOS are Reliance, State, American, Craftmaster, and Kenmore.
Service manuals are posted online, parts are designed for quick, ez replacement.
Installation manual shows how to perform maintenance.

# 4 Avoid Rheem.
Rheem makes Reliant, Richmond, Ruud, and GE
Air intake can only be cleaned by removing combustion parts. Combustion parts are held in place with tamper-proof screws.
Service manuals are not available online.
Installation manual does NOT show how to perform maintenance, and says that customer must call for service.
Rheem does not offer better product that somehow needs specialized treatment, they just want customers to buy service from brand-loyal plumbers.

# 5 Bradford White makes good heater.
Usually these are more expensive and not available except thu dealers who might require pro installation for warranty coverage ... maybe.
Are BW made better? Warranty is identical to other brands.
Must remove combustion parts to clean air intake.
Parts are ez to replace, but they might not sell parts direct to homeowner.
Service manuals are available.

# 6 Insulation thickness.
Does not make much difference with current price of gas.
If you pay $400 more for a tank with 2" insulation instead of typical 1-1/2", then payback can be 15 years or more.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

the age of all water heaters is listed under the serial #, not model #. you will have to call a plumbing supply house that deals in your brand of waterheater, a.o. smith, ruud, bradfordwhite,etc.

1) Rheem offers on-line chat, which you rarely see for typical tank-type water heater
http://www.rheem.com/products/tankless_water_heaters/customer_support/
http://www.rheem.com/hrc.aspx

2) Call local service technician, and put that person in your rolodex-wallet for future help.
When technician arrives, ask that person for tips and tricks keeping unit working with regular maintenance.
They will gladly offer yearly service.

3) Read manual several times get accustom to yearly maintenance required for tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters are maintenance heavy. All costs are energy.

4) Read manual several times and notice word troubleshoot appears many times.
Since tankless are complicated machines, many internal and external factors can affect operation, especially as unit ages.

5) Look at label on unit to identify exact product number. Identify same/similar product at Rheem, and become familiar with Rheem website
http://www.rheem.com/products/tankless_water_heaters/

6) Read other question/answers at fixya about Rheem tankless to become familiar with the tankless era
http://www.fixya.com/tags/rtg_74pvn

7) Install DIY tank-type gas water heater and avoid the whole headache
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-install-gas-water-heater.html

8) Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

you can get it on enternet tipe this water heater parts then put mate in your model and what part your looking for.

Hi,
The noise is inherent in electric hot water heaters. It is the noise that the water makes when it is being heated by electric heating elements. Mineral buildup on the elements can make it worse, so changing the elements can help...but will not totally elimenate the noise. When I install a new tank and turn it on all I have to do is listen to it to see if it is working or not...even brand new will make a sound...it is the sound of hot water... :-)

heatman101