Usines Giant Factories Gas Water Heaters with Emerson control valves

CPSC Recall #22-016 - November 3, 2021

Recall Summary

Recall Number22-016
Recall DateNovember 3, 2021
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedAbout 168 (in addition, about 10,832 were sold in Canada)
ManufacturerControl Valves: White-Rodgers, a division of Emerson Electric Co., Saint Louis, Missouri; Gas Water Heaters: Usines Giant Factories Inc., of Canada
Manufactured InHeater (Canada), Valve (Mexico)

Where It Was Sold

BGM Supply
Utica NY
Central NY Plumbing & Heating Supply
Whitesboro
New York and Maryland Pipe & Supply Company
Hancock
Maryland from June 2018 through July 2020 for between $840 and $2
100.

Product

Usines Giant Factories Gas Water Heaters with Emerson control valves

Description

The recall involves propane and natural gas water heaters in 40, 50, and 75 gallon capacities. The recalled water heaters are white with a red “Giant” logo decal on the front. The water heaters have a nameplate near the Emerson gas control valve with the following model number ranges. UG40-38LFPV2-P1U-US, UG40-40LFPV2-N1U-US, UG50-38LFPV2-P1U-US, UG50-38LFPV2-P2U-US, UG50-38TFPDV1-N2U-US, UG50-40LFPV2-N1U-US, UG50-40LFPV2-N2U-US, UG75-76MEPV1-N2U-US, UG75-76MEPV1-P2U-US.The control valves are black with a white “Emerson” logo on the front.  The Emerson control valve model numbers and date code are located on a label on the right-hand side of the bracket holding the Emerson control valve to the gas water heater.  The recalled control valve model numbers are 37H73A-301P1 (natural gas) and 37H74A-301P1 (propane) with a date code between 1821 and 1839. 

Hazard

The heater’s Emerson control valves can fail to close properly, causing soot to accumulate on the burner, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to consumers.

Incidents & Injuries

None reported in the United States. Usines Giant Factories has received 20 reports of incidents with the Emerson control valves in Canada, including one report necessitating medical attention due to the release of carbon monoxide.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately contact Usines Giant Factories, who will arrange to have the Emerson control valve replaced by a certified technician, and to receive a free replacement valve. Consumers who continue to use the water heaters while awaiting repair should have working carbon monoxide alarms outside of sleeping areas and on every level of the home.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.