On the covered Rheem PowerVent water heater, display 44 and two flashes means pressure switch failed closed. First, note the code and that the heater will not run normally. Then: Rheem's bulletin lists a pressure switch fault delay of 2 minutes for a switch that has failed open or closed. Pressure switch work belongs to a technician.
Differential
Likely causes of “Rheem PowerVent water heater display 44 and two flashes”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The pressure switch has failed in the closed position
What separates it The status light flashes two times and the heater will not run normally
How to confirm Note the code and that the heater will not run normally
- 2
A switch that is stuck closed
What separates it The switch contacts have welded
How to confirm A technician replaces the switch
- 3
A blocked tube to the switch
What separates it Water or debris has blocked the tube
How to confirm A technician clears the tube
- 4
A venting problem that confuses the switch
What separates it The vent or the blower is partly blocked
How to confirm A technician checks the venting
- 5
A control board fault
What separates it The switch tests well
How to confirm A technician checks the control
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That the light flashes two times
- Whether the blower runs
- Whether the vent looks intact
- The model and serial numbers
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleNote the code and that the heater will not run normally.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleRheem's bulletin lists a pressure switch fault delay of 2 minutes for a switch that has failed open or closed. Pressure switch work belongs to a technician.
Note the code and the heater's behavior
ReversibleWrite down two flashes and that the heater will not run normally.
Look at the venting
ReversibleMake sure the vent pipe and the termination outside are intact and not blocked by a nest, snow or debris.
Do not bypass the pressure switch
ReversibleThe switch proves that the blower and the vent are working before the burner lights, so a bypass is dangerous.
Wait out the delay
ReversibleRheem's bulletin lists a fault delay of 2 minutes, so the control waits before it reports and retries.
Call a technician
ReversiblePressure switch work belongs to a technician.
Ask about the vent
ReversibleA technician checks the switch, the tube, the blower and the venting together.
Check the vent termination from the ground
ReversibleLook at the vent outlet outside, if you can see it safely, for a nest, debris, ice or damage, and tell the technician what you saw.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The code on this page
- Code 44, two flashes: pressure switch failed closed.
- Parts involved
- The pressure switch, its tube, the blower and the vent.
- Rheem's guidance
- The fault delay is 2 minutes, and the work belongs to a technician.
- What a failed-closed switch means
- The pressure switch is meant to close only when the blower is moving air. If it is closed when the blower is off, it is stuck, and the control refuses to start because it can no longer trust the switch to prove airflow.
- Venting and the switch
- A blocked vent, a bird's nest in the termination or a crushed pipe can upset the pressure the switch sees. A technician checks the venting as part of the repair, since replacing the switch without clearing the vent only brings the fault back.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Rheem's bulletin lists a pressure switch fault delay of 2 minutes for a switch that has failed open or closed, and pressure switch work belongs to a technician
- !Do not bypass the switch
- !If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does display 44 and two flashes mean on a Rheem PowerVent water heater?+
Pressure switch failed closed.
What does the pressure switch do?+
It confirms that the blower is moving air through the vent before the burner is allowed to light.
Can I replace the switch?+
No, it is gas appliance safety equipment.
What is the 2-minute delay?+
The fault delay Rheem lists for a switch that failed open or closed.
Is it urgent?+
The heater will not run properly, so arrange service promptly.
Could a blocked vent cause the code?+
A blocked vent usually causes a failed-open fault, but a technician checks both, since the vent affects the switch.
Is the switch a common failure?+
It is a known wear item on many water heaters, and replacing it is a short job for a technician.