The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with boiler manufacturers U.S. Boiler Co., New Yorker Boiler Co. and Crown Boiler Co., announced voluntary recalls of boiler models due to carbon monoxide poisoning hazards. Consumers should stop using these products unless otherwise instructed. And be aware that it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

REASON:The air pressure switch can fail to shut down the burners when there is a blockage in the vent system, allowing the recalled boiler models to emit excessive amounts of carbon monoxide and posing a CO poisoning hazard to the consumer. 

No injuries have been reported but consumers with recalled boilers should immediately contact the installer or distributor from whom they purchased the boiler or the manufacturer to schedule a free in-home safety inspection and repair. Consumers who continue using the boilers while awaiting repair should have a working carbon monoxide alarm installed outside of sleeping areas in the home.

U.S. Boiler Co.

About 26,000 of U.S. Boiler Co. (Lancaster, Penn.) gas-fired boilers sold in the United States, and 310 in Canada, are being recalled — U.S. Boiler ESC, PVG and SCG model cast-iron hot water boilers that use natural gas or liquid petroleum to heat water for residential space heating. The boilers are light blue in color with black trim, about 40 in. tall, about 26 in. deep and range from 12 in. to 31 in. wide. The model name and U.S. Boiler logo are on the front cover of the boiler. The front cover of the boiler is vented.

Recalled boilers were manufactured between December 2005 and February 2013. The boilers were sold at plumbing and heating wholesale distributors nationwide from December 2005 through February 2013 for between $1,700 and $4,900.

The model number, serial number and manufacturing date are located on a silver label on the top panel of ESC models and on the inside of PVG and SCG models on the right side panel. The manufacturing date appears in the upper right corner of the silver label in the MM/YYYY format. The following model numbers and serial number ranges are included in this recall:

• Model nos. ESC3 through ESC9; Serial no. range 65249110 through 65382278

• Model nos. PVG3_P, PVG4_P and PVG5 through PVG9; Serial no. range 64870666 through 65385748; 97939433

• Model nos. SCG3 through SCG9; Serial no. range 35200197; 65283322 through 65858729

Contact U.S. Boiler at 888/432-8887 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.usboiler.net and click on CPSC Product Recall Announcement for more information.

To view photos of the recalled products, visit www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/US-Boiler-Recalls-Home-Heating-Boilers.

New Yorker Boiler Co.

About 191 New Yorker Boiler Co. (Hatfield, Penn.) gas-fired boilers sold at plumbing and heating wholesale distributors nationwide from July 2012 through February 2013 for between $1,600 and $3,200 are being recalled — New Yorker Boiler PVCGA model cast-iron hot water boilers that use natural gas or liquid petroleum to heat water for residential space heating.

The boilers are green in color, about 38 in. tall and about 26 in. deep and range from 11 in. to 30 in. wide. The front cover of the boiler is vented and has the New Yorker Boiler logo. Recalled boilers were manufactured between May 2012 and February 2013. The model number, serial number and manufacturing date are located on a silver label on the inside panel. The manufacturing date appears in the upper right corner of the silver label in the MM/YYYY format. The following model numbers and serial number ranges are included in this recall:

• Model nos.: PVCG50ANI, PVCG60ANI, PVCG70ANI, PVCG80ANI, PVCG90ANI, PVCG30API, PVCG40API and PVCG50API

• Serial no. range: 65320695 through 65383954

Contact New Yorker Boiler Co. at 800/535-4679 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.newyorkerboiler.com and click on CPSC Product Recall Announcement for more information.

To view photos of the recalled products, visit www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/New-Yorker-Boiler-Recalls-Home-Heating-Boilers.

Crown Boiler Co.

This recall involves about 2,200 Crown Boiler CWD series cast-iron hot water boilers that use natural gas or liquid petroleum to heat water in home baseboard, floor or radiator heating systems. The boilers are red and gray, about 37 in. tall, about 23 in. deep and range from about 16 in. to 42 in. wide. The Crown Boiler logo is on the front of the boiler.

Recalled boilers have model numbers that begin with CWD and were manufactured between May 1, 2005, and July 1, 2013. They were sold at plumbing and heating wholesale distributors nationwide from May 2005 through July 2013 for between $4,000 and $6,700.

The model number and the manufacturing date are located on a white rating label located on the upper right side of the boiler. The manufacturing date appears under “Series” in the MM/DD/YYYY or M/D/YYYY format or as a two-letter code. Recalled models have dates between 5/1/2005 and 7/1/2013 or one of the following two-letter codes:

• EB, FB, GB, HB, IB, JB, KB, LB

• AC, BC, CC, DC, EC, FC, GC, HC, IC, JC, KC, LC

• AD, BD, CD, DD, ED, FD, GD, HD, ID, JD, KD, LD

• AE, BE, CE, DE, EE, FE, GE, HE, IE, JE, KE, LE

• AF, BF, CF, DF, EF, FF, GF, HF, IF, JF, KF, LF

• AG, BG, CG, DG, EG, FG, GG, HG, IG, JG, KG, LG

• AH, BH, CH, DH, EH, FH, GH, HH, IH, JH, KH, LH

• AI, BI, CI, DI, EI, FI, GI, HI, II, JI, KI, LI

• AJ, BJ, CJ, DJ, EJ, FJ

Contact Crown Boiler Co. at 855/688-0776 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, e-mail cap@crownboiler.com or visit online at www.crownboiler.com and click on CPSC Product Recall Announcement for more information.

To view photos of the recalled products, visit www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Crown-Boiler-Recalls-Home-Heating-Boilers.

Holohan discusses boiler recall with U.S. Boiler sales and marketing VP

Dan Holohan: Dan, I see where the Consumer Product Safety Commission just released a notice that says, “U.S. Boiler Recalls Home Heating Boilers due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard.” That word “recall” always seems so onerous to me. Do people need to have their boilers removed from their homes?

Dan Cork, U.S. Boiler vice president of sales and marketing: No. There are no plans to take any of these boilers out of homes. That is not necessary at this time. This action is about a field modification done to the boilers to make minor changes while they’re still installed. The modifications are straightforward for a qualified contractor.

Holohan: So, homeowners can continue to use their boilers? That’s comforting because it’s been pretty cold just about everywhere this winter.

Cork: Yes, the boilers involved are the ESC, PVG, and SCG boilers, and homeowners may continue to use them as normal. The company and the CPSC recommend that every home have a CO detector installed and operating.

Holohan: To me, a CO detector is just common sense. It’s right up there with a smoke detector. To paraphrase that old American Express line, I’d say, “Don’t go home without it.” So tell me why the CPSC required this field action.

Cork: Well, U.S. Boiler Co. always strives to provide its customers with superior-quality products and, as part of that process, we periodically perform tests to ensure our products meet or exceed all applicable standards and safety requirements. As part of these tests, it came to our attention that under certain circumstances on some ESC, SCG and PVG boilers, excessive amounts of carbon monoxide could be emitted into the venting system that is piped to the outside of the home.

Although no issues or problems have been reported, U.S. Boiler self-reported these test results to the CPSC and it is important that these boilers receive a field modification.

Holohan: I like the fact that you’re constantly watching these things. Is this field action a result of finding elevated levels of CO in the exhaust vent systems?

Cork: Yes. During these tests, we also measured the CO levels around the boilers and found that no CO was spilling out from the boilers themselves. We found that excessive amounts of CO could be emitted into the boiler’s exhaust venting system. However, it’s important that these units receive a field modification.

Holohan:  Got it. So what has to be done to these boilers?

Cork: This field modification includes minor changes to the boilers and the modifications are slightly different for each boiler model. Some kits include gas orifices, some kits include items such as pressure switches. The modifications are straightforward for qualified servicing contractors and we have kits available to send to them.

Holohan: OK, so what should homeowners do next?

Cork: Homeowners should contact their servicing contractor about this field modification as soon as possible. U.S. Boiler has been informing as many of our distributors and contractors as possible over the past several weeks, so many contractors are aware of the process to follow. If homeowners or contractors have questions, they can visit our website at www.usboiler.net, contact us by email at info@usboiler.net, or call the U.S. Boiler customer service line at 888/432-8887 for more information.

Holohan: Thanks, Dan. I love the fact that you tested, investigated, self-reported and came up with a solution to this. You’re being proactive and I admire that. Every company faces challenges from time to time but it’s the ones that step-up in a responsible way that have always impressed me. It’s the mark of a great company. You’re there for your customers. Thanks for that.

HELPFUL LINKS:

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• U.S. Boiler Co.
• New Yorker Boiler Co.
• Crown Boiler Co.
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