healthy house institute
My Healthy House USER NAME
PASSWORD
REMEMBER ME

 

Search
Review

Rinnai® R94LSi Interior Tankless Heater

By HHI Staff

Tankless Water Heater: Rinnai® R94LSi Interior Tankless Heater Review, Healthy Home & Green Living Product Reviews - HealthyHouseInstitute.com

AsteriskRating Disclaimer

Reviewing products, like reviewing movies or restaurants, is arguably a subjective process (even for well-funded consumer groups) based on the review criteria (what the reviewer considers important) and the unique perspective of the reviewer. Thus, when considering The Healthy House Institute's reviews, please do not use the numerical product ratings (e.g., "9.5 out of 10") for direct product comparison purposes since these represent the unique 'take' of each reviewer, and will often vary qualitatively and quantitatively from product to product.

Do rely on the text of the reviews for issues to consider when purchasing similar products, and do consider the scientific data supplied (for example, information from the Carpet and Rug Institute's Seal of Approval-related research) that will help you in your decision making process. We believe the "truth" about products can only be discovered by weighing, then averaging, a number of factors and credible viewpoints based on available resources and science, then making buying decisions based on what is important to you.

Pros

  • Unlimited hot water
  • Precise temperature controls
  • Electronic ignition, no pilot light
  • Energy savings
  • Reliability

Cons

  • Endless hot water may lead to using more water (e.g., by enabling long showers) potentially raising energy costs.
  • Opening up too many taps reduces hot water flow.

Manufacturer Info

Rinnai®

103 International Dr.

Peachtree City, GA  30269 USA

866-746-6241

www.foreverhotwater.com

The Rinnai tankless water heater provides a continuous supply of hot water at a preset temperature. Once electricity, water, and gas supplies are connected, the Rinnai water heater produces hot water whenever a hot water tap is open.

 

review continues below ↓

Ignition is electronic. There is no pilot light consuming gas while the water heater is not being used. The gas burner lights automatically when the hot water tap is opened and goes out when the tap is closed. 

 

The temperature can be precisely set from 98-140 degrees F, and the outgoing hot water is constantly monitored by an electronic controller.

 

This lightweight (46 lbs) gas appliance uses a direct vent configuration where air is brought in from the outside and combustion gases are exhausted to the outside. Wall-mounted installation and a small footprint (10"D x 14"W x 26" H) save space.

Evaluation

The unit performed flawlessly in our tests, and produced hot water on demand as promised. 


Flow was diminished when two people were running separate high-flow baths or showers at the same time, so it's best to run only one tub or shower at a time. This is because the unit adjusts the water flow to maintain the temperature setting. Flow may also vary from summer to winter due to the difference in ground water temperature. The R94LSi can provide 3.7 GPM (gallons per minute) at an 85 degree temperature rise (assuming 35 degree groundwater raised to 120 degree output).

 

The Rinnai tankless water heater saves energy on hot water, but the savings may be hard to quantify since having 'unlimited' hot water means owners may often use more water via long showers, Jacuzzi-type spas, etc. Comparing apples-to-apples in hot water use, however, the tankless unit can save up to 30% over a tank water heater. Timing the length of hot showers before and after installing the unit may enable a more accurate comparison of usage versus energy costs.

 

If you are physically close to the water heater, you may hear the regular cycling of its internal fan, but this was judged not to be an issue in most homes, especially when the unit is installed in a garage or utility area outside the main living space.

 

Rinnai recommends the unit be installed by a state qualified or licensed contractor trained by Rinnai, and based on stories we've heard about possible impacts of installation errors, this is sound advice.

Issues and Troubleshooting
The Rinnai water heater has the ability to check its own operation continuously. If a fault occurs, an error code will flash on the display of the control panel. This assists with diagnosing the fault, and may enable you to correct a problem without a service call; but also makes it easier to identify the problem when inquiring about service.

 

We also found these troubleshooting tips from the Rinnai owner's manual helpful:


Problem: I don't have any hot water when I open the tap.

 

Answer: Make sure there is gas, water, and electricity to the Rinnai water heater (power is turned on and the gas is turned on).

 

Problem: When I was using the hot water, the water got cold.

 

Answer: If you adjusted the flow from the tap to lessen it, you may have gone below the minimum flow required. The Rinnai Water Heater Requires a minimum flow rate to operate. Decrease the temperature setting at the remote controller or increase the water flow.

 

Problem: When I open a hot tap, I do not immediately get hot water.

 

Answer: Hot water must travel through your plumbing from the water heater to the faucet. The time period for hot water to reach your fixture is determined by the amount of water in the plumbing system between the water heater and the fixture, water pressure, and the flow rate of the fixture.

 

Problem: After I turn off the hot water tap, the fan on the Rinnai water heater continues to run.

 

Answer: The fan is designed to continue running for a short time after the flow of water stops. This is to ensure constant water temperatures during rapid starting and stopping, as well as exhausting any residual gas flue products from the unit. 

 

Power Outage
 

Since the ignition is electronic and AC-powered, what happens when the neighborhood power goes out? Rinnai says you can use a battery power backup like you use for your computer, so power outages do not necessarily mean you'll run out of hot water.

Conclusion

This Rinnai tankless water heater will provide hot water as needed at lower overall cost. Installed and operated according to the manufacturer's directions, it will produce virtually all the hot water you need, and with its unobtrusive and reliable operation, you will likely forget you're using a tankless model.

 

The Healthy House Institute (HHI), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HealthyHouseInstitute.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on creating healthy home environments.

 

While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HHI provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HHI: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.

Rinnai® R94LSi Interior Tankless Heater:  Created on May 19th, 2008.  Last Modified on December 6th, 2009

 

Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Healthy House Institute.

The Healthy House Institute receives no remuneration for publishing product reviews.

 

 

 

Information provided by The Healthy House Institute is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient/physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

Education Partners

 

 

Click to verify BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report.

Popular Topics: Air Cleaners & Air Purifiers | Allergies & Asthma | Energy Efficiency & Energy Savings | Healthy Homes | Green Building
Green Cleaning | Green Homes | Green Living | Green Remodeling | Indoor Air Quality | Water Filters | Water Quality

© 2006-2010 The Healthy House Institute, LLC.

 

About The Healthy House Institute | Contact HHI | HHI News & Media | Linking Resources | Advertising Info | Privacy Policy | Legal Disclaimer

 

HHI Info