Why I like my Rinnai R94

by Jack
(Houston)

It has been almost 2 years since I bought Rinnai R94LSi, an indoor tankless water heater.

We wanted an on-demand water heater with over 8 gallons of hot water, for my family of five and home with three bathrooms, dishwasher and washing machine. Rinnai R94LSi seemed to be perfect match.

Rinnai R94LSi replaced the old AO Smith water heater with I think 80 gallon capacity, so this was kinda new and great experience for us.

I love it. No more late night showers because kids had used it all. Now I can use hot water any time, as much as I need. It heats the water to the maximum of 140 F which is more than enough, not only for showers but dishes as well.

We had a professional installed our Rinnai since the tankless technology requires some adjustments and properly done venting. I didn't want to screw-up and be on the call with Rinnai customer service all day long.

Now, what I like:

* Our house is big, but the idea of wall-hanging is great, so I like the idea of space saving.

* Rinnai is Energy Star compliant, so I got the tax break and some rebates for the purchase and installation.

* Savings on gas.

* Endless hot water, on demand and continuous supply.

* Modulating gas valve so water heater adjust its power based on the water flow.

* My Rinnai water heater is really smart. It knows what is wrong (numerical error code). I had only one problem but due to easy-to-understand diagnostic I was able to fix it, without calling the licensed technician. It will even show the message when there is a scale build-up or when the time is for the maintenance.


What I don't like:

* Cold water sandwiches are more frequent than with the tank type heaters.

* It depends on the electricity unless you provide a backup battery.

* It requires a minimum water flow to start heating.

* Additional expenses, such as venting, fittings.

Final word:

Rinnai R94LSi is very reliable tankless water heater and according to some online reviews I have found, will give years of trouble-free service. What I have heard Rinnai water heaters in general are among the best in US.
I highly recommend Rinnai.