Rinnai Corporation, manufacturer of tankless water heaters in North America, announced today the results of its survey on water heating trends in the foodservice industry.
The survey, which posed a series of questions to individuals involved in the equipment purchasing decisions at restaurant and foodservice establishments, including general managers, purchasing managers, and operations managers, confirmed how essential hot water is to foodservice operations and revealed that 90 percent of respondents would be interested in purchasing a tankless water heater after learning about the benefits it would offer their establishment.
“ Restaurants and cafeterias require a significant amount of hot water to operate, and the advantages offered by tankless water heaters can help them become more energy-efficient, more cost-efficient, and more environmentally friendly,” says Rinnai’s Vice President of Marketing Brad Sweet.
“Our tankless units provide ample hot water for dishwashing, food preparation, and equipment cleaning while helping to lower water heating costs by up to 70 percent. Rinnai’s units also last twice as long as conventional tank water heaters and are only the size of a carry-on suitcase, creating more useable space. They’re a natural fit for the foodservice industry.”
Rinnai launched its water heating survey to gather insights into the hot water usage habits of foodservice establishments and to uncover what benefits of tankless technology interested respondents most. The main takeaways from the survey included the following:
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Almost 98 percent of respondents stated that hot water was extremely important to the function of their foodservice establishment.
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Repairing a broken water heater would be a very high priority for almost all respondents, with the majority acting to have it repaired or replaced immediately.
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More than one-third of respondents stated they are most likely to run out of hot water while dishwashing.
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Respondents found the energy savings, increased lifespan and endless hot water benefits of tankless water heaters most appealing.
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Many restaurant and foodservice establishments are unaware of key benefits that tankless water heaters bring to kitchens.
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Although 95 percent of respondents stated that the energy savings offered by a tankless water heater would be one of their top reasons for purchasing a unit, 42 percent did not know about the energy savings opportunity prior to the survey.
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More than 55 percent of participants did not know that tankless water heaters have longer lifespans and warranties than tank models.
“Given the importance of hot water for day-to-day kitchen operations, it’s surprising that some establishments continue to rely on outdated tank water heaters to meet their hot water needs. However, as more managers and owners realize the benefits associated with tankless technology, we fully expect that tankless will become the water heating standard for the foodservice industry,” says Rinnai’s Commercial Development Manager Adam Hersh.
In addition to their energy savings, lifespan, and space-saving benefits, Rinnai tankless units offer kitchens a more dependable hot water supply than tank-style heaters, which only deliver a finite amount of hot water before the tank is depleted.
Because tankless units heat water as it’s needed, they are able to provide a continuous supply of hot water, making capacity a non-issue. For further peace of mind, Rinnai tankless water heaters can be banked to create redundancy, so a kitchen’s hot water supply will never run out, even if one unit is out of commission.
To help an establishment effectively size its water heating system, Rinnai’s team of applications engineers will work directly with the architect, builder, or facility manager of a restaurant or cafeteria to design a tankless system that will best meet its specific hot water requirements, taking into account fixture location, number and type of units, and expected demand.
For commercial applications, Rinnai offers a 5-year warranty on the heat exchanger in its tankless water heaters, a 5-year warranty on all other parts and a 2-year industry-leading extended labor warranty (with online registration of the unit). For more information on Rinnai, visit www.rinnai.us.
Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Ga. Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances and heating and air conditioning units.
