LP Gas Water Heaters Repaired by White-Rodgers

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 notices to all the identifiable users of LP gas in the United States -- or an estimated 15 million households. Each notice will describe the White-Rodgers thermostat which is eligible for replacement. If consumers believe that their water heater contains one of the potentially hazardous thermostats, they are instructed to telephone a toll-free hotline at White-Rodgers headquarters (800-325-9589) to arrange for replacement with a new, modified thermostat free-of-charge to consumers. (Residents of Missouri, Alaska or Hawaii should call the company collect at 314-631-9321). Trade Names Of Water Heaters Possibly Having White-Rodgers Thermostats A. O. Smith Co. Sears Rheem MFG. Co. W. L. Jackson MFG. Co. State Industries A. O. Smith American Standard Arcoglas Arcoglas Classic Conservationist Continental Energy Saver 5 Energy Saver 10 Fuel Saver 1 Futura Gas 1 Gas 2 Gas 3 Glascote Kee Minnegasco National Permaglas Signet Economiser Homart Honor Bilt Powermiser Sears (series ranges from 15 up to 600) Right Right 10 Right Miser Right Miser 10 Montgomery Ward (models 33032, 33158, 33166, 33376) Big O Gibson Hermitage Jackson Marathon Metermiser Plum Easy Presto Simonson Tempmaster Tip Top Ambassador Aqua-Lux Censible Coop Courier Economaster Imperial Citation Master Service Mission Modern President Ready-Hot Sentry Superlife Sutherlite Thermo-King