Ruud and Rheem: one company, two names
Rheem bought the Ruud Manufacturing Company in 1959, and the two brands have shared engineering ever since. Today they share model families outright: the RD17AZ heat pump is a Rheem Classic Plus unit and a Ruud Achiever Plus unit. The badge and the series names are what differ. Ruud calls its tiers Achiever, Achiever Plus and Ultra.
For you, that overlap is good news on a repair. Many Ruud parts are the same parts Rheem uses, so a failed igniter, pressure switch or control board on a Ruud is rarely hard to find. We still order by the full model and serial number, because two furnaces with the same series name can take different boards. Our Rheem page covers the other half of the family.
Ruud repairs we handle
Most Ruud furnaces are two-stage, which is good for comfort but adds a setting to check. Paired with a single-stage thermostat, a two-stage furnace uses its own staging setting to decide when to move from low fire to high fire. If that's set wrong, the furnace can sit on low through a cold night or jump to high every time it starts. We check the thermostat wiring and the furnace's staging setup together.
High-limit trips are another common Ruud call, and they usually aren't the furnace's fault. A clogged filter, closed registers, or a single undersized return in an older rambler chokes airflow, the heat exchanger runs hot, and the limit switch shuts the burners off. The switch is doing its job; our post on the furnace limit switch explains the fix.
Newer Achiever Plus furnaces such as the R962V are commissioned over Bluetooth instead of DIP switches, so a replacement board or motor gets set up with the manufacturer's contractor app. On air conditioners, we handle the usual capacitor, contactor and fan motor work and full refrigerant diagnosis through our AC repair service. Older R-410A Ruud systems can still be repaired and recharged; we find the leak before adding refrigerant.
How do Ruud furnaces and heat pumps handle Minnesota cold?
At the top of the line, the Ultra Series U98MV modulating furnace (98% AFUE) adjusts its flame in small steps, which keeps a drafty two-story more even on a windy January night than a single-stage furnace that blasts and stops. The Achiever Plus R972V is a two-stage 97% AFUE option with EcoNet.
Condensing Ruud furnaces produce water all winter. Where the condensate line runs along a rim joist or out to a floor drain through a cold corner of the basement, it can freeze and back up into the furnace, which trips a lockout. Rerouting or insulating that line is a small fix that saves a no-heat call.
For heat pumps, Ruud offers the RD16AZ, an Achiever Plus side-discharge unit sold as a cold-climate option for tight or noise-sensitive spots, plus the RD17AZ variable-speed heat pump. Capacity falls as the temperature drops, so we plan every Ruud heat pump install with a backup. Our post on heat pumps at -20 degrees shows why.
Should you replace with Ruud?
If you already have Ruud and it has served you well, a Ruud replacement keeps the same controls and parts family. Ruud and Rheem cover the same efficiency range, so the choice between them usually comes down to the specific model that fits your house. Installed furnaces run $4,500–$9,500 and heat pumps $7,500–$14,500, sized with a Manual J load calculation; see our furnace installation page. Ruud's longer parts coverage depends on online registration within 60 days of installation in most states, so confirm the current terms on your certificate.
Booking Ruud service
Phone 612-429-3465, 7am–9pm every day, or fill out our request form. No-heat calls go to the front of the line. The $79 trip charge is waived when you approve the repair, and you get a written flat-rate price before any work. Our repairs carry a 1-year parts-and-labor warranty.
Ruud questions
Is Ruud the same as Rheem?
Same company, same engineering, different badge. Rheem has owned Ruud since 1959, and current models overlap directly; the RD17AZ heat pump is sold under both names. The tier names differ (Ruud uses Achiever, Achiever Plus and Ultra). On a repair, many parts are shared, which usually makes Ruud parts easy to get.
Where do I find my Ruud model and serial number?
On a furnace, the rating plate is inside the lower blower door or on the side of the cabinet. On the outdoor unit, it's on the side panel near the electrical connections. A phone photo of each plate before we arrive lets us check parts and warranty status ahead of time.
What does a Ruud repair cost to start?
It starts with a $79 trip charge, the same flat price everywhere we work, and that charge is waived when you approve the repair. We quote the repair in writing at a flat rate before any work, and our repairs carry a 1-year parts-and-labor warranty.
Does Ruud make a heat pump that works in Minnesota?
Ruud sells the RD16AZ as a cold-climate side-discharge heat pump and the RD17AZ as a variable-speed model. Either can carry much of a Minnesota heating season, but capacity drops as it gets colder, so we plan every Ruud heat pump with a gas furnace or electric backup and size it with a Manual J load calculation.
My Ruud furnace starts, then shuts off before the house warms up. Why?
The two most common causes we check are a high-limit trip from restricted airflow (start with the filter) and a flame-sensing problem where the burners light and drop out within seconds. A plugged condensate trap on a condensing model can cause lockouts too. If a new filter doesn't fix it, call us before resetting it repeatedly.
Sources
- Ruud official site ruud.com