State gas water heaters
6 reports to CPSC, the latest made Aug 17, 2017. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 6reports to CPSC
- Aug 17, 2017the latest report was made
- Mar 23, 2012the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- State
- Makers
- STATE WATER HEATERS and A. O. Smith Water Products CompanyMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Gas water heatersCPSC’s product type: Gas Water Heaters (code 118), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath
Other ways the reports write the brand (3)
“STATE SELECT”, “State Select” and “State Water Heaters”
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| August 2017 | 1 |
| April 2017 | 1 |
| July 2016 | 1 |
| December 2013 | 1 |
| April 2012 | 1 |
| March 2012 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- No one hurt 5 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
- Not said 1 CPSC: Unspecified
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
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No one hurt Made Aug 17, 2017, sent to the company Dec 22, 2017, published by CPSC Jan 9, 2018
The product, in the report: Water heater/ State/Honeywell - control unit manufacturer
Caller is reporting that water heater and the control valve is emitting an overwhelming odor of gas. He feels that the gas odor is emanating from the control unit. The unit was install October 2016 and he discovered the odor sometime in March, June and August 2017. He contacted the installer and a technician came out and replaced the control unit 3 times, March, June and August 2017. After the last replacement the technician informed him that he was unaware why this problem was ongoing.
Caller stated after a week of replacement the odor re-occurred so this did not resolved the issue he is having.
Caller feels that there is a manufacturer defect.
- Model
- WV8840B1158
- Bought from
- Quarato, Pennsylvania
- Bought
- Oct 1, 2016, about then
- Where
- Leechburg, Pennsylvania: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand State, made or sold by A. O. Smith Water Products Company
- Reports CPSC links to it
- 20170817-AAC86-2147398073
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Apr 26, 2017, sent to the company Nov 30, 2017, published by CPSC Dec 14, 2017
The product, in the report: Natural Gas powered 40 gallon water heater
A little over a month ago, the 3 year old water heater in our house started detonating the natural gas that powers it instead of smooth ignitions when the heater would start a cycle to warm up the water. At it’s worst, it was a loud enough detonation that it sounded like somebody slamming a door on the other side of a larger house.
Our plumber came out, serviced the unit and found that the screen that covered the pilot light / burner assembly literally had holes burned through it and indications of hot spots on the assembly. Presumably these hot spots were causing the detonation when the water heater would first cycle on. Almost $400 in labor later, a new assembly was installed and the problem was fixed. A month, almost to the day afterwards, the gas valve freezes in the shut position.
The water heater was a State Water Heaters Co model GS 6 40UOC T G 200
State Water Heaters was only willing to ship out a replacement gas valve via 7 to 10 day delivery ground shipping. They seemed completely unconcerned about the earlier safety issues with the gas detonation or the inconvenience and expense they caused us in both cases. We replaced the water heater with a different brand due to our fears for our safety. That cost us another $920, after our plumber gave us a discount.
The water heater is a defective product at best and a potentially very dangerous one at worst. Gas appliances are supposed to have a smooth, even ignition process, not one where the gas initially detonates with a bang when it ignites. Had those detonations gotten bigger, it could have potentially destroyed our house. State Water Heater’s indifference to whole situation only added insult to injury.
- Model
- CG 6 40UOC T G 200
- Bought from
- Ishii & Son Plumbers, California
- Bought
- Sep 1, 2014
- Where
- Sacramento, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand State Water Heaters, made or sold by STATE WATER HEATERS
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Jul 23, 2016, sent to the company Aug 3, 2016, published by CPSC Aug 17, 2016
The product, in the report: Residential gas water heater
My state water heater has been a problem since day one with reliability, but now is is not safe at all. The water temperature on several occasions has reached 168 degrees on a medium low setting (A) . On some days it is not warm enough which is not a major concern but now it is r0 degrees over scalding temperature.
- Model
- GP650YTVIT
- Serial number
- 1523m001962
- Bought from
- GW Berkhei.er
- Bought
- Jul 10, 2015
- Where
- Cary, United States: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand State, made or sold by A. O. Smith Water Products Company
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
Not said Made Dec 12, 2013, sent to the company Jan 29, 2014, published by CPSC Feb 12, 2014
The product, in the report: Water heater
The consumer says that the design of the water heater has filters at the base to catch dirt and dust before it gets into the intake plenum. Above the plenum there is a screen that passes air to the combustion chamber.
If the flame arrestor screen gets dirty, they block air flow. The burner flame rolls under the burner when this happens then this trips a shutdown and stops the gas flow. A thermal sensor gets hot.
A service technician is likely to just take a screw driver through the flame arrestor which he has been told is a common occurrence.
The flame arrestor when no longer keep flammable vapors away from the burner. The technician that worked on his unit said it is a wide spread practice to poke holes on the screens.
- Model
- GPX50YXRT
- Bought
- Dec 24, 2008
- Where
- Unspecified: Unspecified
- Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand State, made or sold by STATE WATER HEATERS
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Unspecified
-
No one hurt Made Apr 3, 2012, sent to the company Apr 26, 2012, published by CPSC May 10, 2012
The product, in the report: Model #PR650XCVIT, ser. # B05A011586
I bought a newer home with a State Select natural gas water heater installed. Model #PR650XCVIT. The unit is equipped with a power fume ventilator. The unit has frequently failed to work because of soot falling on burner sensors. There is already a recall on State propane water heaters for what appears to be the same issue. As nearly as I can tell, my model is producing the same problem with soot build up on the burners. My calls and email notification to State and the parent company have gone unanswered. I have had a certified plumbing contractor clean the unit twice. The soot eventually builds up and the unit shuts down.
- Model
- PR650XCVIT
- Serial number
- B05A011586
- Bought from
- CONTRACTOR
- Where
- Oconomowoc, Wisconsin: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 53, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand STATE SELECT, made or sold by STATE WATER HEATERS
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Mar 23, 2012, sent to the company Apr 2, 2012, published by CPSC Apr 16, 2012
The product, in the report: State Select Gas Water Heater Model #GS650YBRT, 50 gallon.
Our State Select gas water heater (model #GS650YBRT) purchased and professionally installed on12/29/07 by CAPPS plumbing and sewage, ruptured at the seam on 3/17/12, leaking gallons of water into our finished basement, causing significant property damage. Damage included, carpet, drywall, furniture, photos, albums and scrap booking materials. The water heater was still under warrantee, so we got it replaced, but had to pay installation/labor. The likely diagnosis was the pressure gauge was ineffective, causing pressure to build up. CAPPS replaced the unit, and took the damaged one back to return to the manufacturer. We have contacted State Select (State Industries Inc.) several times, but they have not gotten back to us. Our concern is for others who may have this issue and not realize it. We are grateful no one was hurt (my 9 year old was in the room above when it happened, so luckily the side seam burst rather than the top exploding into the room above!). Also, we are concerned about getting reimbursed for our property damage and installation costs. Can you please direct us on how we can get reimbursed by the company? it is clearly a manufacturer error. thanks you.
- Model
- GS650YBRT
- Bought from
- CAPPS plumbing
- Bought
- Dec 29, 2007
- Where
- Palatine, Illinois: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 46, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand State Select, made or sold by STATE WATER HEATERS
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.