Rheem Water Heating recently launched a special spring and summer sales promotion to encourage plumbing contractors to buy and install the new Rheem or Ruud HP Series of hybrid electric water heaters with energy-saving heat pump technology.

Contractors – watch your mailboxes! On April 29, a mailing was sent to Rheem and Ruud installers nationwide, detailing the two-part special offer:

RHEEM MAILER: The Heat Pump Series promotion was announced to Rheem and Ruud plumbing contractors in late April through a Special Offer mailer (above).

• $25 Discount:By showing the original mailer to a participating distributor (no photocopies accepted), a contractor can receive a one-time $25 discount on any Rheem or Ruud HP Series hybrid water heater purchased between May 1 and September 15, 2010.

• Free Water Heater:A contractor can receive a free Rheem or Ruud HP Series water heater by purchasing and installing 10 of these models between May 1 and September 15, 2010. Copies of distributor invoices and installation invoices, including serial numbers and installation addresses, must be submitted by September 30 of this year. Once a submission has been qualified, Rheem will send a participating contractor a special certificate for a free HP hybrid water heater.

“Because of its energy-efficient design, the HP Series is a great way for contractors to grow their businesses by helping their customers save money on their energy bills while getting a quick payback on their water heater purchases,” says Tom Wujcik, Manager, Wholesale Sales, for Rheem Water Heating.

Free online training: Contractors can learn how easy it is to install Rheem hybrid technology by attending a free online Webinar at: https://rheemtraining.webex.com. No password is required: Visitors to the site simply click on “Recorded Sessions” on the left side of the screen where they will see “Heat Pump Water Heater (Hybrid) Installation & Troubleshooting” in the list of training topics available 24 hours a day. Contractors can also attend a live Webinar to ask questions by clicking on the “Upcoming” tab to view a list of scheduled educational events.

First to market: On September 2009, Rheem became the first manufacturer to deliver a fully integrated, high-efficiency heat pump water heater to the plumbing wholesale channel. Like the 50-gallon model unveiled last year, the new HP-40 Heat Pump Water Heater offers an Energy Factor (EF) of 2.0, or more than twice the energy efficiency of a standard electric storage water heater. As a result, the new water heater qualifies for a federal tax credit as well as many state and utility rebates and incentives. Once available in June, the HP-40 hybrid will be the only 40-gallon heat pump water heater on the market.

For more information on the growing Rheem line of hybrid heat pump water heaters, please visit http://www.rheemhpwh.com

Note: Publication-quality photograph of the images shown in this press release can be downloaded at the following location on the web:

Rheem Manufacturing Company(www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta. In its 83rd year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of high-quality residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar, and heat pump water heaters; swimming pool heaters and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Raypak, Ruud and Rheem, have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design, and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling, and water heating supplier to Kevin Harvick, Inc. and is the primary sponsor of NASCAR’s Nationwide Series “Driver of the Decade,” Kevin Harvick and his #33 car.