Tankless Water Heaters Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 42,200 power vent tankless water heaters under the brand names of Paloma, Rheem, Ruud, Rheem-Ruud, and Richmond sold between May 2004 and December 2006.
Components inside the water heater may shift during transit, causing an air filter door switch to operate improperly. If the switch fails and the air filter door is out of place, the water heater could continue to operate and dust and lint could build up, posing a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard. So far no cases resulting in injuries have been reported.
Consumers with the recalled water heaters, however, should stop using them immediately if the air filter door is not in place. Consumers who have not already been contacted by an authorized contractor, should immediately contact their installer or Rheem Manufacturing Company to arrange for a free, on-site repair.
Consumers are reminded to use their air filter door for these water heaters to avoid a carbon monoxide hazard.
The recall involves indoor models of the Power Vent 199,900 BTUH tankless water heaters. The brands and model numbers included in this recall are listed below and are located on the unit’s rating plate, a silver label located on the front of the unit, in the lower right hand corner.
For more information contact Rheem toll-free at 1-866-369-4786 or visit their website at www.tankless-recall.com.
Regardless of the type of water heater that is used, every home should have a CO alarm outside all sleeping areas, and consumers should ensure that their CO alarms have working batteries.