GENERAL SAFETY
INFORMATION
EXTERNAL DAMAGE
Do not operate the water heater until it has been fully checked out by a qualified technician, if the water heater:
•Has been exposed to fire or damage.
•Displays evidence of sooting.
•Produces steam or unusually hot water.
If the water heater has been flooded it must be replaced.
CHEMICAL VAPOR CORROSION
WARNING
CORROSION OF THE FLUEWAYS AND VENT SYSTEM MAY OCCUR IF AIR FOR COMBUSTION CONTAINS CERTAIN CHEMI- CAL VAPORS. SUCH CORROSION MAY RESULT IN FAILURE AND RISK OF ASPHYXIATION.
Spray can propellants, cleaning solvents, refrigerator and air conditioning refrigerants, swimming pool chemicals, calcium and sodium chloride (water softener salt), waxes, and process chemicals are typical compounds which are potentially corrosive.
Do not store products of this sort near the heater. Also, air which is brought in contact with the heater should not contain any of these chemicals. If necessary, uncontaminated air should be obtained from remote or outside sources.The limited warranty is voided when failure of water heater is due to a corrosive atmosphere. (Reference is made to the limited warranty for complete terms and conditions).
IMPROPER COMBUSTION
WARNING
ATTIC AND/OR EXHAUST FANS OPERATING ONTHE PREMISES WITH A WATER HEATER CAN RESULT IN CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND DEATH.
OPERATION OF THESE FANS CAN PRODUCE A NEGATIVE DRAFT IN THE AREA OF THE WATER HEATER PREVENTING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM EXHAUSTING THROUGH THE CHIMNEY OR VENT PIPE.
The venting of the water heater should be inspected by a qualified service technician at the time of installation and periodically thereaf- ter to ensure a down-draft condition does not exist.
DO NOT OBSTRUCT THE FLOW OF COMBUSTION AND VENTI- LATING AIR. ADEQUATE AIR FOR COMBUSTION AND VENTI- LATION MUST BE PROVIDED FOR SAFE OPERATION.
LIQUID PETROLEUM MODELS
Water heaters for propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are dif- ferent from natural gas models. A natural gas heater will not func- tion safely on LP gas and no attempt should be made to convert a heater from natural gas to LP gas.
LP gas must be used with great caution. It is highly explosive and heavier than air. It collects first in the low areas making its odor difficult to detect at nose level. If LP gas is present or even sus-
pected, do not attempt to find the cause yourself. Go to a neighbor's house, leaving your doors open to ventilate the house, then call your gas supplier or service agent. Keep area clear until a service call has been made.
At times you may not be able to smell an LP gas leak. One cause is odor fade, which is a loss of the chemical odorant that gives LP gas its distinctive smell. Another cause can be your physical condition, such as having a cold or a diminishing sense of smell with age. For these reasons, the use of a propane gas detector is recommended.
IFYOU EXPERIENCE AN OUT-OF-GAS SITUATION, DO NOT TRY TO RELIGHT APPLIANCES YOURSELF. Ask your LP delivery per- son to relight pilots for you. Only trained LP professional should conduct the required safety checks in accordance with industry stan- dards.
EXTENDED NON-USE PERIODS
WARNING
HYDROGEN GAS CAN BE PRODUCED IN A HOT WATER SYS- TEM SERVED BY THIS HEATER THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME (GENERALLY TWO WEEKS OR MORE). HYDROGEN GAS IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. To re- duce the risk of injury under these conditions, it is recommended that the hot water faucet be opened for several minutes at the kitchen sink before using any electrical appliance connected to the hot water system. If hydrogen is present, there will probably be an unusual sound such as air escaping through the pipe as the water begins to flow. THERE SHOULD BE NO SMOKING OR OPEN FLAME NEAR THE FAUCET AT THE TIME IT IS OPEN.
INSULATION BLANKETS
Insulation blankets available to the general public for external use on gas water heaters are not necessary with A. O. Smith products. The purpose of an insulation blanket is to reduce the standby heat loss encountered with storage tank heaters. Your A. O. Smith water heater meets or exceeds the National Appliance Energy Conserva- tion Act standards with respect to insulation and standby loss re- quirements, making an insulation blanket unnecessary.
WARNING
Should you choose to apply an insulation blanket to this heater, you should follow these instructions (See Figure 1 for identification of components mentioned below). Failure to follow these instructions can restrict the air flow required for proper combustion, potentially resulting in fire, asphyxiation, serious personal injury or death.
•Do not apply insulation to the top of the water heater, as this will interfere with safe operation of the draft hood.
•Do not cover the outer door, thermostat or temperature &
•Do not allow insulation to come within 2" of the floor to prevent blockage of combustion air flow to the burner.
•Do not cover the instruction manual. Keep it on the side of the water heater or nearby for future reference.
•Do obtain new warning and instruction labels from A.O. Smith for placement on the blanket directly over the existing labels.
•Do inspect the insulation blanket frequently to make certain it does notsag, thereby obstructing combustion air flow.
