Navien Tankless Water Heater Litigation FAQ

Navien, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of a Korea-based company. Navien’s U.S. headquarters is in Irvine, California.

Navien manufactures tankless water heaters and boilers for residential and commercial use.

Navien water heaters have led to the documented deaths of at least six people. Carbon monoxide poisoning from the units caused the deaths. In a tragic case in Ohio in 2019, a defect in a Navien water heater led to the carbon monoxide poisoning deaths of a family of four and their pets. Similar fatalities occurred in New York and Indiana as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning that originated from a Navien tankless water heater. At Beausay & Nichols Law Firm, we filed a 2020 lawsuit in Ohio that alleged:

• The exhaust pipe vent collar in the Navien water heater was poorly designed and can lead to the exhaust pipe spontaneously disconnecting from the tankless water heater and venting carbon monoxide directly into the home.
• A necessary conversion kit for use with liquid propane gas is concealed within the unit's cabinet, which can lead to confusion regarding whether the unit is propane ready.
• Navien's installation manuals failed to properly instruct end-users on how to properly install the tankless water heater.
• Navien water heaters should be installed only by Navien-certified plumbers or installers. Yet, Navien does not restrict the sale of its tankless water heater and ordinary people can purchase Navien water heaters at retail stores.

In both the Ohio and New York cases, the homeowners were killed by fatal levels of carbon monoxide venting directly into their homes from the Navien tankless water heater.

Navien previously issued water-heater recalls in 2011 and 2018. There have been no recalls for the water heater model involved in the Ohio, Indiana and New York deaths.

At Beausay & Nichols Law Firm, our attorneys are familiar with many common issues presented by these tankless water heaters. If you believe there was a problem with your water heater’s installation, please contact us through our website or call us at 614-529-3476.