# Rinnai now going to be in Lowe's



## fhrooter72 (Apr 12, 2011)

Just got a phone call from Rinnai asking if I want to be an install referral company for purchases made in Lowes. They are doing away with selling their units under the Jacuzzi brand and launching the Rinnai brand in all Lowe's stores.

I told the lady that I will not like to be listed as a referral and that I'm disappointed that Rinnai is doing this. One of the things Rinnai has always been proud of and what I liked about them is that they refused to sell their products in the box stores and would only sell their products to licensed professionals.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

On a related note.. I no longer install or service any Rinnai products.


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

FYI, they started in Lowes as Jacuzzi in early 2012. 

If the actual Rinnai equipment is in Lowes to compete against how many of you will actually stop using Rinnai? 

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f2/rinnai-sold-lowes-17160/

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f2/rinnai-sold-lowes-17160/index4/


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Personally I don't worry as much about where a brand is sold. There are all sorts of brands sold at retail stores that we all use on jobs.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

I think the point is, this undermines our ability to earn money, whether as an employee or employer, when a DIY'er does a job we would normally be hired to do. 

On the other hand, it may be lucrative to become a Rianni warranty service provider.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Cajunhiker said:


> I think the point is, this undermines our ability to earn money, whether as an employee or employer, when a DIY'er does a job we would normally be hired to do.
> 
> On the other hand, it may be lucrative to become a Rianni warranty service provider.


My experience with DIY's is this is going to be a big fubar, they have no ideal about gas, or vent sizing and just think you can take out a tank heater and slap 
a tankless in it's place under size gas and vent and then they wonder why it doe's not work right if at all :whistling2:
and I just pray that they don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

JERRYMAC said:


> My experience with DIY's is this is going to be a big fubar, they have no ideal about gas, or vent sizing and just think you can take out a tank heater and slap
> 
> a tankless in it's place under size gas and vent and then they wonder why it doe's not work right if at all :whistling2:
> 
> and I just pray that they don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning



I agree, at some point you have to wonder when or why the supplier selling these products are not being held responsible or liable for damages or life? I deal with it almost everyday and just keep wondering when these big box stores are going to kill someone because of selling things to unlicensed individuals. I know that it will never happen where they can't sell to a homeowner and the have deep pockets for lawyers and lobbyists to say it's not illegal to sell it and they have no responsibility once it leaves the store. Unfortunately maybe someone needs to get sick or die so something may be done. I'm not holding my breath on this that's for sure.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I don't care...
My plumbing works...

Want yours to work?
Pay me!


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

plumbdrum said:


> I agree, at some point you have to wonder when or why the supplier selling these products are not being held responsible or liable for damages or life? I deal with it almost everyday and just keep wondering when these big box stores are going to kill someone because of selling things to unlicensed individuals. I know that it will never happen where they can't sell to a homeowner and the have deep pockets for lawyers and lobbyists to say it's not illegal to sell it and they have no responsibility once it leaves the store. Unfortunately maybe someone needs to get sick or die so something may be done. I'm not holding my breath on this that's for sure.


People get sick and die everyday from Carbon Monoxide, the biggest problem is that it's usually attributed to something else.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

Well looks like service calls for homeowner installed rinnais just doubled


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

jc-htownplumber said:


> Well looks like service calls for homeowner installed rinnais just doubled


Nice job bolting it to the wall..
Everything else gets ripped out...:laughing:


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## Plumbdog (Jan 27, 2009)

Redwood said:


> Nice job bolting it to the wall..
> Everything else gets ripped out...:laughing:


I can just hear it now "how much to make it right? that's more than I paid for the heater!"


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

I dropped Rinnai last year due to the fact that they were allowing a local Propane Co. to be a stocking dealer & installer with no licensed plumber in the company. Also, they were providing & installing the units for less than I could purchase the units from my supplier!
Their customer's were signing an agreement for a guarantee to use only them for LP to get them installed for cheap. I complained to Rinnai in person as their HQ is 10 miles from me and they basically said too bad. I now only install Navien's which I believe to be far superior to Rinnai's!


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

JERRYMAC said:


> My experience with DIY's is this is going to be a big fubar, they have no ideal about gas, or vent sizing and just think you can take out a tank heater and slap
> a tankless in it's place under size gas and vent and then they wonder why it doe's not work right if at all :whistling2:
> and I just pray that they don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning



I just had a person call me because a handy man had installed a gas water heater in place of a power vented one... It worked well for about a week then they noticed a smell in the home and the plastic chimmney was beginning to melt and warp:laughing::laughing::blink:...... 

I told them it was all screwed up and unsafe...and I really wanted them to send me some pictures of the abortion so I could post them on this site... but when they heard my price for a bradford power vent they ran away like scared deers......:yes::laughing: 

This Rannni deal in LOWES will probably get a few people killed or at the very least they will tie in the vent into a double walled chimmney and burn down the home....

If Ranni does not do their homework, and state specifically on every box that it needs to be installed by a liscensed plumber they will eventually get the pants sued off of them......


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## srloren (Nov 19, 2014)

I am of the opinion that these tank less are the best thing that has happened to plumbers as far as guarantying future work and a bad thing for consumers due to energy costs and inefficiency for heating water. My son had one of these tank less water heaters installed in his garage and it took 2 minutes and 33 seconds for hot water to reach the farthest fixture which was approximately 55 feet away. Too much water wasted. Also they are too complicated and require cleaning with vinegar and flushing often with our water quality. In short, a disappointment.


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Navien"s have an internal recirc pump that works good even without a dedicated return pipe. Fortunately for me we have soft water here so flushing has never been an issue & I have been installing Tankless for 13 years. I would rather pay for a flush over having a flooded home from a tank rupture! Our idiot builders here love putting HWT in attics?


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## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

Man , just lost respect for rinnai. They must be going through hard times.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

BOBBYTUCSON said:


> Man , just lost respect for rinnai. They must be going through hard times.


They have just become the Whirlpool of tankless water heaters.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

No because remember it has to be install by a professional plumber. We all know we all follow instructions


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

jc-htownplumber said:


> No because remember it has to be install by a professional plumber. We all know we all follow instructions


Evan the tank heaters that are only "supposed" to be installed by professional 
plumbers like A O Smith and Bradford White but still seem to fall into the hands 
of DIY'ers :furious:


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## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

plumberkc said:


> They have just become the Whirlpool of tankless water heaters.


Yup. Im pissed. I really liked rinnai too


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