A. O. Smith American Standard LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Arcoglas Classic LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Arcoglas LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Conservationist LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Continental LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Energy Saver 10 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Energy Saver 5 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Fuel Saver 1 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Futura LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Gas 1 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Gas 2 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Gas 3 LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Glascote LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Kee LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Minnegasco LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith National LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Permaglas LP gas water heaters; A. O. Smith Signet LP gas water heaters; JW. L. Jackson ackson LP gas water heaters; Rheem Montgomery Ward LP gas water heaters; Rheem Right 10 LP gas water heaters; Rheem Right LP gas water heaters; Rhee
Companies
Manufacturer(s)
Coop; Censible; Aqua-Lux; Ready-Hot; Sentry; Superlife; Sutherlite; Glascote; Ambassador; Energy Saver 10; Modern; President; Continental; Jackson; Marathon; Metermiser; Plum Easy; Presto; Simonson; White-Rodgers; Conservationist; Mission; Energy Saver 5; Futura; Arcoglas; Tip Top; A.O. Smith; Courier; Fuel Saver 1; Tempmaster; Hermitage; Powermiser; W. L. Jackson; Gibson; Thermo-King; Right Miser; Honor Bilt; Economaster; Right; Sears; American Standard; State Industries; Big O; Master Service;
Description
LP Gas Water Heaters Repaired by White-Rodgers LP (liquid Propane) gas water heaters which contain a thermostat manufactured by the White-Rodgers division of Emerson Electric Co. of St. Louis, Missouri. The water heaters were sold between 1961 and 1980 predominantly to rural homeowners by the A.O. Smith Corporation of Kankakee, Illinois, and by Sears, Roebuck and Co. of Chicago, Illinois. A.O. Smith manufactured its own water heaters during this period and sold them through plumbing wholesalers and contractors; the Sears water heaters were manufactured by State Industries. In settlement of its alleged failure to report promptly these explosions to the Commission as required by law, White-Rodgers has agreed to pay $420,000. Thermostats produced by White-Rodgers from 1976 through 1980 had different pilot gas control knobs and were installed in LP gas water heaters manufactured by A.O. Smith, Rheem Manufacturing Co., the W.L. Jackson Manufacturing Co., and State Industries. These water heaters were sold by Sears, Montgomery Ward Co., and a variety of plumbing supply outlets. The post-1976 thermostats incorporated into water heaters manufactured by State Industries, A.O. Smith, Rheem Manufacturing Co. and W.L. Jackson Manufacturing Co. do not contain the pilot gas control knobs involved in the explosions described above, and are being replaced solely to meet certain "state of the art" standards met by the current White-Rodgers thermostats. A total of 56 different brand names of water heaters manufactured by the above-listed companies are being covered by the recall program. This recall program is expected to cost the comuanies which signed the agreement with CPSC anywhere from $5 million to $9 million during the next year, although they recognize that this figure does not represent a ceiling on the potential cost of the program. A list of the brand names is attached to this press release. Following negotiations with CPSC staff, White-Rodgers agreed to mail safety alert