As of June 2, 2015, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and A.O. Smith Corp. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin have issued a voluntary recall on John Wood oil-fired water heaters due to a fire hazard.

About the John Wood Water Heater Recall

The heaters have been recalled because they can be misaligned, causing the exterior to be heated rather than the water. This can cause combustible items near the heater to catch fire.

These heaters were sold by John Wood sales representatives, including plumbers and other consumers.

Consumers are urged to immediately turn off water heater and contact A.O. Smith for a free water heater inspection and replacement.

Description of the Recalled Water Heaters

Information below was provided by the US CPSC:

• The recall involves John Wood 50 and 70 gallon oil-fired water heaters.
• The 50 gallon water heaters have model number JW517 and serial numbers 1349A021678 through 1503A016643; the 70 gallon water heaters have model number JW717 and serial numbers 1421M001517 through 436M000040.
• The water heaters are grey with ‘John Wood’ printed in white and blue near the top.
• The serial numbers, size, and model number are located near the top of the heater on a rating plate.
• These tanks were manufactured in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and sold for $1,500-$2,500.