Officials are recalling more than a half-million water heaters after determining that their gas burner screens can develop tears, posing a fire hazard.
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall last week of about 616,000 A. O. Smith Ultra-Low NOx water heaters manufactured from April 8, 2011, to Aug. 1, 2016.
Under recall are the 30-, 40- and 50-gallon natural or propane gas-fired Ultra-Low NOx emission gas water heaters. Most of them were sold in California under the American, A. O. Smith, Kenmore, Reliance, State, U.S. Craftsmaster and Whirlpool brand names.
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“The water heater’s gas burner screen develops tears,” officials said in a recall notice. “The water heater’s burner can then create excess radiant heat, posing a fire hazard if the water heater is installed directly on a wood or other combustible floor.”
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Officials said the brand name and the model and serial numbers can be found on a data plate next to the gas control valve or thermostat on the water heaters.
[ >> See the full recall notice ]
The serial numbers of the recalled water heaters begin with numbers between 1115 and 1631, officials said.
Employees of the Milwaukee-based A. O. Smith Corp. have received six reports of fires stemming from the water heaters in cases where they were installed on a combustible surface, officials said. No injuries have been reported.