Rheem Water Heater Code 14: What It Means and What to Do

By Dan Mercer · Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026 · Codes covered: 14 · Sources

Verify in your manual: The meaning (Water heater is overheating) and the fix (contact a dealer or qualified service technician) are from the Service Error Code Chart in Rheem's RTGH and RTG tankless Use and Care manuals. The Overheat Wrap Fault name comes from the error code list on the support page of Ruud, Rheem's sister brand. Codes vary by series; check your Use and Care manual.

Code 14 on a Rheem tankless gas water heater means the water heater is overheating. This is not a code to keep resetting. Rheem's chart gives one answer for owners: contact a dealer or qualified service technician. You can shut the heater down safely, do one reset, and check a few things from the outside, but finding why it overheated is a technician's job.

This 3-minute fix saved 0 homeowners a technician visit this month.

What the 14 code means

The Service Error Code Chart in Rheem's tankless Use and Care manuals (both the condensing RTGH and the non-condensing RTG series) lists code 14 as "Water heater is overheating." The solution is "Contact a dealer or qualified service technician."

Rheem's safety section adds a clear instruction: "Should overheating occur or the gas supply fail to shut off, turn off the manual gas control valve to the water heater." Rheem also says to turn off the manual gas shut-off valve if the heater has been through overheating, and not to use it until it's been checked.

Ruud, Rheem's sister brand, publishes a tankless error code list that calls code 14 "Overheat Wrap Fault." The checks on that list are technician work: manifold gas pressures, the gas type, the heat exchanger, and whether the unit was converted correctly.

Look-alike codes that mean something different:

• 1L: Rheem's chart says the water heater has a buildup of lime deposits. Also a call for a dealer or technician.
• Code 12: gas service was interrupted, or LP gas is low on propane models.
• Code 29: the neutralizer is clogged (condensing models).

If you just have water that's too hot and no code, Rheem's troubleshooting chart points to the temperature setting, a partly closed water shut-off valve, or very low flow at the tap. That's a different problem from code 14.

Likely causes (most common first)

Rheem's owner chart doesn't list causes for 14. Ruud's error code list gives these technician checks:

1. Blocked airflow around the unit or at the vent terminal. The only cause on the list a homeowner can look at.
2. Foreign material in the combustion chamber or exhaust piping. A technician has to inspect this.
3. Wrong gas type for the unit, or an improper conversion. Rheem warns never to convert a heater between natural gas and LP.
4. High-fire or low-fire manifold pressure out of range. Needs a gauge and a licensed gas pro.
5. A cracked or separated heat exchanger.
6. A fault in the safety circuit. Testing it means opening the cabinet.

How to fix it, step by step

Code 14 is pro-first. These steps make the heater safe and gather what the technician needs.

1. Turn the heater off at the remote and close the hot taps.
2. Shut off the gas if anything seems wrong. Smoke, scorch marks, a burning smell, or a cabinet that's too hot to touch all count. Turn the gas shut-off valve on the outside of the unit clockwise to OFF.
3. Do one reset only if nothing seemed wrong. Wait about 5 minutes, turn it back on, and open a hot tap.
4. If 14 is still showing, power-cycle. Turn off the tap and the heater, unplug it, wait about 30 seconds, plug it in, and test once more.
5. Clear the outside vent and intake by hand. Remove snow, leaves or nests. Rheem says the air intake needs 12 inches (30 cm) of clearance. Don't take the vent pipes apart.
6. Write down the code and when it appears. Note whether it happens at high flow (a shower) or low flow, and whether gas or vent work was done recently.
7. Call a dealer or qualified service technician. If 14 came back, leave the heater off, and turn off the gas valve as Rheem's safety section advises.

Test the part

There's no safe homeowner test for an overheating fault. The safety circuit, burner and gas valves sit inside the cabinet, next to live gas and 120-volt wiring. Rheem warns that removing the cover exposes you to electric shock. What you can check:

1. Unplug the water heater and turn off the gas. Pull the plug (or switch off the breaker on hard-wired outdoor models), then turn the gas shut-off valve clockwise to OFF.
2. Let it cool. Give the heater time before you touch the outside of the cabinet or pipes.
3. Look at the outside of the cabinet. Check for discoloration, scorching, melted plastic or soot. If you see any, leave the heater off for the technician.
4. Check the vent and air intake outdoors. Make sure nothing is blocking them, and look for damaged or loose vent sections from the outside.
5. Look at the clearance around the heater. Rheem says to keep the area clear of combustible materials such as clothing, solvents and cleaning supplies.

Don't open the cabinet or try to test the safety circuit. No readings are given here because there's no owner-safe test for them.

Safety notes

When to call a pro

Rheem's chart sends code 14 straight to a dealer or qualified service technician. Call right away if:

• Code 14 comes back after one reset.
• You noticed smoke, scorching, soot, a burning smell, or a very hot cabinet. Leave the gas off.
• The heater was recently installed, converted or serviced, or gas work was done nearby.
• The vent looks damaged or disconnected.
• The heater is under warranty. Have the model number, serial number and installation date ready.

A technician will need gauges for gas pressure and access to the inside of the cabinet. Neither is homeowner work.

Rheem's manual says to start with your installer, plumbing contractor or licensed service agent. Rheem's contact page lists water heating support at (800) 432-8373, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central.

FAQ

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