Lochinvar LLC has issued a recall for approximately 17,000 of its condenser boilers after it was found they had a defect that could result in carbon monoxide leaking from the boiler. This poses a potential risk to anyone who owns these boilers, given the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Anyone with these boilers should contact the manufacturer for a free repair, and make sure to have carbon monoxide detectors active until the issue can be fixed.
What is Lochinvar?
Lochinvar LLC is a manufacturer of water heaters and boilers headquartered out of Lebanon, Tennessee, and is a subsidiary of the A.O. Smith Corporation. They manufacture products under the Lochinvar, A.O. Smith, and State Industries brands, and sell their products across the United States and Canada. It is estimated that more than 17,000 affected boilers were sold with this defect, which were sold for between $4,000 and $10,000.
Why Were These Boilers Recalled?
Lochinvar issued the recall after it was discovered that these boilers had a problem with the flue collector that could cause it to crack if a “high impact event” occurred inside the burner chamber. If that happened, the boiler could begin to leak carbon monoxide into the residence. While there have been no reports of anyone being directly injured due to this defect, there are at least nine recorded cases of this issue appearing.
What Are the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is sometimes emitted due to burning certain types of fuel, including from fireplaces, stoves, boilers, or generators. When carbon monoxide accumulates to dangerous levels, it can cause headaches, dizziness, lethargy, loss of hearing, blurry vision, rapid heartbeat, and loss of consciousness, which can be fatal. While most modern systems vent this gas to prevent it from accumulating, it can still pose a danger if these devices are defective or misused.
What Should You Do?
If you have one of the affected boilers, you should try to avoid using it as much as possible, and contact the manufacturer for a free repair. You should also make sure to have carbon monoxide monitors set up throughout your home to alert you if carbon monoxide begins to accumulate to dangerous levels. If you or your loved ones have been injured due to carbon monoxide poisoning, you should seek immediate medical attention and contact a lawyer with experience handling environmental law concerns.
Williams Cedar is a law firm dedicated to helping clients with personal injury, environmental law, and civil rights cases. We specialize in assisting clients who have been injured due to exposure to environmental toxins, including veterans and their loved ones. If you need legal assistance due to toxic exposure or other related matters, please give us a call at our New Jersey and Pennsylvania offices at (215) 557-0099, or visit our contact page.