If you’re in the market for a new water heater, you may be intrigued by the prospect of a tankless water heater. These environmentally friendly and efficient water heaters have much to recommend them, but a recent model on the market has been recalled due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you’ve recently purchased a tankless water heater, it’s imperative that you check to ensure that it’s not a Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heater (that converts natural gas to propane). If you think you might be affected by this recall, stop using the water heater immediately and consult with an experienced Boca Raton plumber today.
The Recall
The recall involves the Navien condensing tankless water heaters and combination boilers, which have kits installed that convert the units from natural gas appliances to propane gas appliances. The conversion process can cause the tankless water heaters to produce an excess of carbon monoxide, which endangers those consumers who have installed these appliances. The Navien water heater was recalled on December 20, 2018 (recall number 19-057); approximately 3,400 units are affected; and the remedy is to have the defective portion of the unit (the conversion mechanism) replaced.
The Details
The Navien condensing tankless water heaters and combination boilers that are affected by this recall include only those models that will be or have already been converted from natural gas usage to propane gas usage. The models in question were all manufactured between the dates of July 9, 2018, and October 14, 2018. The serial numbers can be found on the labels affixed to the side of the water heaters and on each unit’s packaging. The product’s manufacture date is identified within the serial number – the first two digits of which represents the year; the next digit of which represents the month (X stands in for October); and the last two digits of which represent the day of the month. In other words, 18709 represents July 9, 2018. If you have purchased one of three units with any of these dates within the serial code, this recall affects you:
- Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heater; Model NPE-180A; UPC Code 884954974101
- Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heater; Model NPE-180S; UPC Code 884954974194
- Navien Condensing Combination Boiler: Model NCB-180E; UPC Code 884954966083
If you’ve had one any of these models installed in your home or office, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises you to stop using the water heater or boiler immediately and to contact Navien for a free conversion-kit replacement. Further if you do continue to use the tankless water heater or boiler while you await repair, make sure you have a working carbon dioxide detector installed outside of every bedroom in your home.
Contact Information
If you have one of these recalled units in your home or office, the CPSC forwards the relevant Navien contact information:
- Call Navien at 800-244-8202 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
- Email Navien at recall@navien.com
- Find out more information at Navien online at https://www.navieninc.com/news
If you’ve purchased one of these tankless water heaters or boilers, you can also go directly through a reputable plumbing service. You’re going to need the conversion unit replaced, and an experienced plumber has the skill and knowledge to insure that you get the correct replacement parts in the first place – and that they are installed safely and efficiently once they arrive.
Tankless Water Heaters Explained
Tankless water heaters, as implied, don’t have tanks that store hot water until you need it – as traditional water heaters do. Tankless water heaters, instead, instantly heat water at the source, but they only heat the amount of water that you use. When you turn on the hot water for a shower, bath, load of laundry, or anything else, your tankless water heater powers on and proceeds to instantly heat the water that flows through it.
While a traditional water heater with a tank keeps a large supply of water heated until you need it – even if you happen to be out of town for days on end – a tankless water heater heats only that amount of water that you allow to flow through it.
If You’re Ready for a Tankless Water Heater, Consult with a Plumber
Whether your tankless water heater has recently been recalled or you’re simply interested in upgrading to a tankless water heater, the dedicated professionals at Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration are here to help. We’re available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, so if you’ve got a plumbing problem, there’s no need to wait – contact or call us at (561) 782-2779 today.
