Last week the findings by the NHMRC prompted State Health Minister Jim McGinty to issue a public health alert, warning people of the potential hazards of the common household heater, particularly when they were not used or maintained properly.
McGinty even outlined plans to phase out the unflued gas heaters with a taxpayer-funded buyback scheme before later backing away from the plan. Significantly though, the State Government is still paying for unflued gas heaters to be installed in Homeswest units
Currently builders are required under government contract to fit wall bayonets for only unflued gas heaters.
However, Rinnai in its advertorial statement said there is no conclusive evidence for declaring the heaters a health risk and that Australian heater emission standards are some of the lowest in the world.
Further to this, the company said modern unflued gas heaters provide low-emission burners, oxygen depletion sensors, tilt switches and flame failure devices.
