American Water Heater 318281-000 Safe Installation, Use And Service, death or injury, damage

SAFE INSTALLATION, USE AND SERVICE

Your safety and the safety of others is extremely important in the installation, use, and servicing of this water heater.

Many safety-related messages and instructions have been provided in this manual and on your own water heater to warn you and others of a potential injury hazard. Read and obey all safety messages and instructions throughout this manual. It is very important that the meaning of each safety message is understood by you and others who install, use, or service this water heater.

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.

		DANGER indicates an imminently hazardous
	DANGER
		situation which, if not avoided, will result in death
		or injury.
		WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous
	WARNING	situation which, if not avoided, could result in
		death or injury.
		CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous
	CAUTION	situation which, if not avoided, could result in
		minor or moderate injury.
		CAUTION used without the safety alert symbol
CAUTION		indicates a potentially hazardous situation
		which, if not avoided, could result in property
		damage.

All safety messages will generally tell you about the type of hazard, what can happen if you do not follow the safety message, and how to avoid the risk of injury.

The California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act requires the Governor of California to publish a list of substances known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm, and requires businesses to warn of potential exposure to such substances.

WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

This appliance can cause low-level exposure to some of the substances listed in the act.

Hydrogen gas can be produced in a hot water system that has not been used for a long period of time (generally two weeks or more). Hydrogen gas is extremely flammable and can ignite when exposed to a spark or flame. To prevent the possibility of injury under these conditions, we recommend the hot water faucet be opened for several minutes at the kitchen sink before using any electrical appliance which is connected to the hot water system. If hydrogen is pres- ent, there will probably be an unusual sound such as air escaping through the faucet as water begins to flow. Do not smoke or have any open flame near the faucet at the time it is open.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

•Qualified Installer: A qualified installer must have ability equivalent to a licensed tradesman in the fields of plumbing and electrical installation of these appliances. This would include a thorough understanding of the requirements of the National Electrical Code and applicable local electrical and plumbing codes (and tools necessary to confirm proper installation and operation of the water heater) as they relate to the installation of electric water heaters. The qualified installer must have a thorough understanding of the water heater Instruction Manual.

•Service Agency: A service agency also must have ability equivalent to a licensed tradesman in the fields of plumbing and electrical installation of these appliances. This would include a thorough understanding of the requirements of the National Electrical Code and applicable local electrical and plumbing codes (and tools necessary to confirm proper installation and operation of the water heater) as they relate to the installation of electric water heaters. The service agency must have a thorough understanding of the water heater Instruction Manual.

2