PEACHTREE CITY, GA. -- Rinnai Corporation, manufacturer of the No. 1 selling brand of tankless water heaters in North America, announced today the results of its recent survey on consumer water heating trends. The survey, which posed a series of water heating-related questions to homeowners from across the country, confirmed the importance of hot water to a home and revealed that 92 percent of survey respondents would be interested in purchasing a tankless water heater after learning about the benefits it offered. The survey determined that the most compelling reason to buy a tankless water heater is the energy savings associated with the unit; however, the longer lifespan of tankless models compared to tank water heaters and a tankless unit’s ability to provide endless hot water only when needed are also top purchase drivers.
“Research is an essential part of our product development and marketing process, and this survey provided us with some great insights into how consumers view tankless technology that installers can use as well,” said Rinnai’s Vice President of Marketing Brad Sweet. “Better understanding the end customer can make a real difference at the moment of purchase, when an installer is in true ‘selling mode,’ so it’s imperative to know what benefits most appeal to a homeowner and to communicate them effectively. That’s the key to successfully selling tankless technology.”
Additional takeaways from the survey include the following:
* Almost three-quarters of respondents stated they would view a broken water heater as very problematic, and more than 90 percent would make repairing or replacing a broken water heater their highest priority.
* More than one-third of respondents stated they are most likely to run out of hot water due to increased demand (ie Showers used more than normal or multiple hot water appliances used at the same time).
* The misconception that tankless water heaters provide instant hot water at the tap continues to persist -- 71 percent of respondents believed it to be true.
* Many homeowners are unaware of the major benefits that tankless water heaters offer.
* Although 83 percent of respondents stated that the energy savings provided by a tankless water heater would be one of their top reasons for purchasing a unit, almost half did not realize the units could offer up to 40 percent energy savings prior to the survey.
* Approximately 60 percent of participants did not know that tankless water heaters have a lifespan of 20 years or more.
* 42 percent of respondents did not know that tankless water heaters supply ample hot water for garden tubs and high-flow showers.
“As the market leader, we have a responsibility to pass along the knowledge we gain to our installers – especially when it can help them grow their business,” said Sweet. “We hope that our installers will take note of these survey findings and adjust their selling approaches accordingly. The truth is that there are a lot of homeowners out there that would love to experience the benefits of a Rinnai tankless water heater…they just don’t know what they are missing yet.”
For more information on Rinnai, visit www.rinnai.us.
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