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Rinnai gas water heaters

4 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jul 30, 2026. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search, on saferproducts.gov

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At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

  • 4reports to CPSC
  • Jul 30, 2026the latest report was made
  • Apr 13, 2016the earliest
  • 3with the company’s comments
Brand
Rinnai
Makers
RINNAI AMERICA CORPORATION and INFRA-RED PRODUCTS SUPPLY CO, INCMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product
Gas water heatersCPSC’s product type: Gas Water Heaters (code 118), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath
Other ways the reports write the brand (1)

“ranbai”

By month

2 reports from August 2025 to July 2026; the most in July 2026, 1. 2 earlier reports, since April 2016, are in the table.
The numbers, as a table
Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
MonthReports
July 20261
January 20261
December 20221
April 20161

How badly anyone was hurt

  • No one hurt 2 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
  • No incident, no one hurt 1 CPSC: No Incident, No Injury
  • Not said 1 CPSC: Unspecified

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

Source:

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  1. No one hurt

    Made Jul 30, 2026, sent to the company Aug 4, 2026, published by CPSC Aug 18, 2026

    The product, in the report: Natural gas instant hot water heater. Model RUR98i and the entire line

    I wanted to report an engineering flaw in Rinnai tankless water heaters.

    I am now on my second Rinnai tankless water heater. When I moved into my home I had a, what I thought was the best tankless water heater, in my home a model RUR98i.

    This year I had to have it replaced as it was not heating the water well. The unit would have cost more in labor to tear it down and put back together, before parts than to buy a new one. So we replaced it.

    I finally got to tear it down to see what was wrong with it. Initially they thought the fins were worn down from heat cycles.

    When I got it apart it was perfect inside. All but one problem and it was not a failed part.

    The ceramic plates that crate infrared heat were the small holes were plugged and a layer of fine material covers the ceramic blocks. This was blocked with dust and very small insect parts.

    These units should have 2 filters on them that are serviceable. A fine mesh screen like that for a cloths dryer for the intake side.

    It also needs a fine stainless steel screen filter for the exhaust side.

    A perfectly good unit was totaled because of the lack of a couple of simple serviceable debris screens.

    This also caused a buildup of unburnt natural gass outside near the exhaust vent. This could cause a dangerous build up of gas that can go through a window causing Asphyxiation or cause a fire. When I contacted the gas company that did the initial installation they said it was a normal smell of initial unburnt gas added odor on start up, but I never thought it was normal. It was incomplete combustion due to poor air fuel mixture.

    This does not pertain to just this unit but all of their old and newer models. They need to pit serviceable filters in these heaters.

    Model
    RUR98i REU-KBP3237FFUD-US
    Serial number
    FM.BA-041129
    Bought from
    Local gas company
    Bought
    Nov 1, 2016
    Where
    Mooresville, North Carolina: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 55, Female
    The reporter’s relation to them
    My Spouse
    As this report names them
    Brand Rinnai, made or sold by RINNAI AMERICA CORPORATION
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  2. No incident, no one hurt

    Made Jan 26, 2026, sent to the company Jan 30, 2026, published by CPSC Feb 18, 2026

    The product, in the report: rannai tankless waterheater model RE180iN Serial # TK.Ua-158043

    purchased and installed a Rinnai tankless water heater. upon firing on demand there was loud combustion noise. i called a factory authorized plumbing company. upon speaking with factory service agent it was discovered the rannai factory had shipped a unit labeled for natural gas. the unit was operating in propane mode. dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!

    Model
    RE -180iN
    Serial number
    TK.UA-158043
    Bought from
    Winnelson supply, Ohio
    Bought
    Jan 7, 2026
    Where
    cincinnati, Ohio: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 72, Unknown
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Self
    As this report names them
    Brand ranbai, made or sold by RINNAI AMERICA CORPORATION
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    No Incident, No Injury
  3. No one hurt

    Made Dec 5, 2022, sent to the company Dec 7, 2022, published by CPSC Dec 29, 2022

    The product, in the report: Rinnai Tankless water heater.

    As a consumer of Rinnai Tankless water heater. we would like request to investigate the Rinnai about the tankless water heater. When we start the tap water for hot water, Rinnai TWH absorbing the natural gas and pushed to the water. We are worried that Rinnai TWH and natural gas that is coming inside the house thru the hot water is creating health hazard. we can smell the gas in the hot water. We are suspecting this is raising our blood pressure. we have paid attention recently but no idea this releasing gas in the hot water might be happening since how long. please investigate.

    Model
    RL94e
    UPC
    CU195-1886X07
    Serial number
    EJ. CA-108061
    Bought from
    RINNAI BY CARY PLUMBING
    Bought
    Jul 1, 2011, about then
    Where
    Morrisville, North Carolina: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Unspecified
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Rinnai, made or sold by RINNAI AMERICA CORPORATION
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  4. Not said

    Made Apr 13, 2016, sent to the company Jul 18, 2016, published by CPSC Aug 4, 2016

    The product, in the report: Rinnai Indoor Gas Water Heater (Natural Gas) Item #: 735124 | Model #: RUCS75IN

    Rinnai Indoor Gas Water Heater (Liquid Propane)

    Item #: 735127 | Model #: RUCS75IP

    Professional install required; call 84-GO-Rinnai for assistance Saves time with Innovative technology providing an endless supply of hot water whenever and wherever its needed, even for simultaneous uses at multiple fixtures Save energy: by operating only when hot water is needed, and no storage tank to heat and reheat water, Rinnai’s tankless technology helps save on energy and utility costs Maximum output, minimum space: about the size of a small suitcase allowing for installation in non-traditional spaces such as crawl spaces and attics, makes it perfect for use in any size home, including manufactured and modular homes Lasts nearly 2 times as long compared to a traditional tank (Based on Department of Energy ENERGY STAR® lifecycle estimates) Multiple venting options right out of the box offers ease of installation The use of an electronic ignition means no standing pilot light that constantly uses energy

    The above unit description does not advise the consumer that a separate on/off controller is required to turn off in an emergency, after calling Rinnai, they said just to pull the plug if there is an issue with the appliance. Pulling the plug if able to reach on a live unit could cause a spark near a gas appliance thus creating an explosion. The old unit a [REDACTED] has the on/off switch on the front to turn off as many other manufacturers do.

    Model
    rucs75in
    Serial number
    GG BA-044973
    Bought from
    Lowe’s
    Bought
    Apr 4, 2016
    Where
    Hemet, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Unspecified
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Rinnai, made or sold by INFRA-RED PRODUCTS SUPPLY CO, INC
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Unspecified

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Source:

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

Sources

  • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

    Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Source:

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Back to Gas water heaters

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Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

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Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 8, 2026. Updated monthly.

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