Rinnai America Corporation of Peachtree City, GA is recalling their Direct-Vent Wall Furnace models RHFE 431 and RHFE 556 due to a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
This recall involves about 52,000 Direct Vent Wall Furnaces that were sold to contractors nationwide for the last seven years and were made in Japan.
Contractors who purchased and installed these heaters should contact the homeowners to let them know about the danger and recall. Homeowners should install a carbon monoxide detector and cease using the unit until it is fixed.
To have the recalled heater fixed, call 866-746-8344 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
WARNING: Just because you have had one of these heaters for years without problems, does not mean it is not a potentially defective heater. The gasket in the heater could fail at any time and risk of failure may increase over time. There have been numerous reports of carbon monoxide leaks from these furnaces. Although no injuries have been reported at this time, carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can cause long-term injuries or death if you are exposed in a confined place, such as your home.
I’ve got both the RHFE 431 and the RHFE 556 heaters, made in Japan, working in my basement right now, and no one notified me of any recall. The ser. # of the 431 is 07-09-000003, and the ser. # of the 556 is 07-10=000606. What must I do to get them repaired to be up to spec with the recall so my family is safe?
I called the phone number this evening, but got a recording.
I was able to get them on the phone today, and they were able to look up the serial numbers, and told me that both heaters were ‘upgraded’ for this recall before being delivered to me. Now, that was quick service. They were also able to give me someone locally who can work on these heaters for me. They went the extra mile for me, I think!
I have a Rinnai that was involved in this recall. I purchased it in 2003. The company did the retrofit on it in 2008. I had many health problems involving CO poisoning during this time period. These heaters are not safe until they are fixed. I beleive many people are not aware of these problems or the recall. Nobody from Rinnai ever notified me of this recall. I found out about it on my own.