Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Navien improperly restricts homeowners and independent plumbing or HVAC professionals from diagnosing, programming, commissioning, or repairing Navien tankless water heaters and boilers by limiting access to proprietary applications, service information, firmware, and electronic configuration procedures.
What Consumers Report
Consumers and repair professionals report:
- Being able to identify an error code but not complete all diagnostic procedures.
- Replacement control boards, displays, or electronic components requiring setup or configuration.
- Independent plumbers being directed to Navien-authorized service providers.
- Paying significant diagnostic or service-call charges for software-related procedures.
- Experiencing extended periods without hot water or heat.
- Having difficulty obtaining complete service manuals or internal troubleshooting information.
- Being unable to access detailed historical fault data.
- Learning about restricted service functions only after a breakdown.
Why Consumers Should Be Concerned
Tankless water heaters and combination boiler systems depend on sensors, combustion controls, pumps, valves, control boards, and firmware. Even where a plumber can replace a failed physical component, the repair may require an electronic reset, combustion adjustment, configuration step, or manufacturer-specific diagnostic procedure.
Consumers may be left without hot water or home heating while waiting for an authorized provider. If ordinary repair professionals cannot obtain equivalent access to necessary tools, homeowners may face higher costs and limited repair choices throughout the system’s useful life.
Potential Claims May Include
- Unfair and deceptive trade practices
- Consumer protection violations
- Failure to disclose repair restrictions
- Breach of express warranty
- Breach of implied warranty
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act violations
- Unlawful repair-service tying
- Unjust enrichment
Signs You May Be Affected
You may be affected if:
- You own a Navien tankless water heater, boiler, or combination system.
- Your plumber could not complete a repair without manufacturer-controlled access.
- A replacement control board or electronic component required proprietary setup.
- You paid additional charges for software resets, configuration, or authorized service.
- Your home remained without hot water or heat while waiting for repair.
- You were told that only a Navien-authorized provider could complete the work.
- You were not informed of these limitations before purchasing the system.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.