Tankless water heater manufacturer Rinnai Corp recently announced it has enhanced its tankless water heater portfolio with the introductions of a new financing program, an extended labor warranty and a new valve kit. Rinnai has launched these efforts in order to arm their partners with virtually every element they could need to effectively sell and install Rinnai tankless water heating units to a wide range of consumers.

The company is partnering with FMSI Consumer Credit Corp. (CCC) to introduce the Rinnai Signature Financing Program, which will enable consumers to finance the purchase and installation of Rinnai products. The financing option will apply to Rinnai’s tankless water heating products, ENERGYSAVER direct-vent furnace models, hydronic furnaces and condensing wall-mounted boiler units, increasing the affordability of these products for many households. Homeowners who participate in the financing program will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a Rinnai unit while making smaller monthly payments in lieu of one upfront cost.

“We understand that some consumers who are interested in Rinnai heating technologies may be wary of the up-front cost associated with a unit’s purchase and installation,” said Rinnai Marketing Services Manager Nina Knight. “This financing program makes our units available to a whole new category of consumers, which should help installers grow the Rinnai-related segment of their business.”

Installers interested in offering Rinnai Signature Financing should visit www.fmsi-ccc.com/rinnai.html to sign up for the program. Once accepted, installers may sign up financing applicants through a direct link to CCC.

Rinnai installers will facilitate the application process by having the homeowner complete the financing application and loan agreement. Installers will then submit the completed materials to CCC through its website, via fax at 630/353-0002 or phone at 866/637-7222. CCC will determine the amount of financing available, taking into account the consumer’s credit score as well as the total cost of the project. If the applicant is approved, the installer will be notified of the customer’s credit limit and will be given an authorization code, which it will submit to CCC with the application, customer invoice and the project’s certificate of completion.

Extended Labor Warranty

While all Rinnai tankless units come with a standard one-year labor warranty, which covers reasonable labor charges associated with the repair or replacement of any defective Rinnai part or component, customers and installers have the opportunity to extend the labor warranty of a tankless water heater by registering the tankless unit with Rinnai within 30 days of installation. To qualify for the extended warranty, the unit must be from Rinnai’s LS or HP series, must be installed after April 1, 2011, and must be used only for water heating, not structural heating.

Registered residential products will receive a five-year labor warranty, while registered commercial products will receive a two-year labor warranty. Rinnai’s standard one-year labor warranty will continue to apply to all nonregistered or nonqualifying tankless products.

Consumers interested in obtaining the extended labor warranty may register their Rinnai tankless units at the Rinnai website or by calling Rinnai at 800/621-9419. If they prefer, installers may register the unit at the Rinnai Partner Portal, http://partners.rinnai.us. It is not an issue if both parties register a unit.

The company has created two new warranty icons that easily explain the various aspects of Rinnai’s tankless water heater warranties for residential and commercial applications. The icons, which will be placed on collateral pieces including product brochures and the Rinnai website, include a medallion design with the Rinnai logo and a wrench positioned among prominent numbers that detail the warranty specifics.

Featuring a primarily red-and-black color scheme with a gray wrench, the residential warranty icon communicates that tankless units installed in homes have a 12-year heat exchanger warranty and five-year parts and labor warranties. In contrast, the commercial warranty icon is mainly black and gray with a red wrench, and it explains that tankless units installed in nonresidential locations, such as restaurants and hotels, possess five-year heat exchanger and two-year parts and labor warranties.

New Valve Kit

With the introduction of its new tankless valve kit, Rinnai has simplified life for many installers by removing concerns about complicated installation and maintenance issues related to tankless water heating valves. While previous valve kits were sold separately from the company’s tankless units, Rinnai is the first manufacturer to co-package a valve kit for all of its sub-200,000 Btu models. The new Rinnai-branded valve kit comes automatically in the box with all Rinnai tankless water heaters, so there is no possibility of an installer selecting the wrong valve kit or violating various low-lead requirements.

The use of the Rinnai-branded valve kit with Rinnai products ensures that the company can fully support the product from a service perspective. In addition, use of the Rinnai isolation valve kit ensures that routine maintenance and service can be performed quickly, neatly and without fear of water damage.

“As a tankless manufacturer, our job is to make it as easy as possible for our installers to sell, install and maintain Rinnai units,” said Global Products Manager Trey Hoffman. “Packaging the new valve kit with our tankless units helps streamline the installation process and increases the likelihood of straightforward maintenance. This saves time and labor costs, so our installers can become more profitable.”