Seeing the status light blinking on your Bradford water heater can be alarming. Before you panic, it is important that you first try and determine the reason that the status light is blinking so that you can address it properly.
There are many different causes of the status light blinking on your Bradford water heater. This guide will help you determine the cause of your issue so that you can apply the proper troubleshooting fix to resolve it.
Keep in mind that if you are not comfortable diagnosing and fixing the water heater yourself, you can always contact a professional to come out and take a look at it. If you are prepared to resolve the issue yourself, you can save some money and time by addressing the problem on your own.
So let’s dive right into a few of the common causes of a Bradford water heater status light blinking and the different troubleshooting methods that you can apply to fix your issue.
Why Is My Bradford Water Heater Status Light Is Blinking?
There are several different reasons that your Bradford water heater status light may be blinking. Some of these reasons are more serious than others and should be addressed as soon as possible to avoid damage to your water heater or your home.
Knowing how to identify the different causes of these issues is important for accurately diagnosing and applying the proper troubleshooting fix for the problem. Listed below are the top five common causes of a blinking status light for a Bradford water heater.
You should use this list and the paired fixes for each issue to try and diagnose your issue on your own. That being said, if you are not comfortable dealing with these types of issues on your own, you should not hesitate to contact a professional to come to take a look at it.
Either way, you should first try and identify the issue yourself to save some time and possibly money if it is a simple fix that would not require a certified technician to come out for repairs. So let us get started with the five most common causes of a status light blinking on a Bradford water heater.
1. Flame Sensor Malfunction
If you notice your water heating is flashing a red light five times, stops for three seconds, and starts again, this is an indicator that the flame sensor inside of your water heater is malfunctioning. The flame sensor is an extremely important component inside of any water heater that controls the gas flow.
This sensor could also be called a thermocouple if you have an older model water heater. When the flame sensor begins to have issues, you will notice that your gas control valve will no longer be able to delegate the amount of gas that is being emitted.
This build up of gas with nothing to ignite it will result in a false pilot light that will cause your Bradford water heater’s status light to start blinking. The flame sensor can malfunction due to age, dust buildup, or damage
Fix – Fix Flame Sensor
The first thing that you should do is check to see if the flame sensor has any wire damage or bare spots that are touching other metal components inside of the water heater. Next, you should see if the flame sensor rod is touching the pilot shield or any other metal components.
If this is the case, you will need to replace the flame sensor in your water heater yourself or call a professional to do it for you. The method to do this yourself is fairly simple and can be done using the steps below.
1. Access the combustion chamber.
2. Remove the burner assembly manifold cover using a screwdriver and put the nuts and screws to the side so you don’t lose them.
3. Take the burner supply tube and remove the burner assembly completely from the combustion compartment.
4. Locate the gasket located around the manifold cover plate and remove it and replace it if needed.
5. Twist the broken flame sensor from the mounting bracket carefully.
6. Remove the sensor by pulling it through the rubber seal.
7. Replace it with a new one and put the removed parts back together in reverse order.
2. Faulty Gas Control Valve
A blinking status light on your water heater could also indicate a faulty gas control valve. This could also indicate a stuck gas control valve as well. The gas control valve is another important component that should be fixed as soon as possible when you begin to notice issues.
There are several components of a water heater that depend on the gas control valve including the pilot tube, temperature probe, and manifold tube. A stuck or damage gas control valve can result in continuous voltage supplies that cause the gas supply to not be regulated correctly.
This will not only waste energy but could pose a serious fire risk if enough gas is built up that is not ignited properly.
Fix – Fix Or Replace Gas Control Valve
You will need to fix or replace the gas control valve if it is damaged or stuck. The process to do this is rather complex and is better done by a trained professional since there is gas involved. If you cannot get a professional out for some time, then you should use the gas shut-off valve to completely turn the gas off.
3. Pilot Light Is Out
There is a chance that your water heater is blinking to indicate that the pilot light has gone out. This is not a serious issue and merely is an indicator that the pilot light is out and needs to be relit. The pilot light is responsible for igniting the gas to make your water heater work properly.
When the pilot light goes out, you will notice that your water heater will not heat up your water properly until it is relit. Before relighting the pilot light, you should make absolutely sure that there is no gas leak. This will be discussed in the fix section below.
Fix – Turn Pilot Light Back On
Relighting the pilot light will resolve this issue if you notice that it has gone out. Before relighting the pilot light, you absolutely must make sure that there is no gas leak occurring. If you relight the pilot and there is an ongoing gas leak, this could lead to serious damage to you, your home, and especially your water heater.
You can test for a gas leak before relighting your pilot light by using soapy water and being on the lookout for any type of odd smells emitted from near your water heater. If you notice a gas leak, you will need to address that before relighting the pilot, if not, simply follow the instructions for your model of water heater to relight the pilot and the issue should be resolved.
4. Power Issues
Power issues are another cause of the status light blinking on your water heater. If your water heater is not getting enough power to function properly, the status light will blink to indicate this. Your water heater needs to be powered properly to heat up the water enough to work properly.
Fix – Check Power Source
You will need to check the power source for your water heater and ensure that it is delivering enough power for your water heater to work properly. You can do this by testing the outlet and inspecting the power cord for any tears, rips, or damage.
Any sort of power issue that you come across will need to be fixed by a professional. It is not advised that you attempt to resolve any electrical issues with your water heater on your own as it could be dangerous.
5. Tank Is Empty Or Not Filling Properly
If you water heater’s tank is empty or not filling up with water properly, the status light will blink to indicate this. If your water heater’s tank is empty, there will be no water heat up and thus your water heater will not work properly.
Fix – Check That Tank Is Full Or Filling Up
You should check to make sure that your tank is filling up properly by listening for the sound of the tank filling up when you are trying to use it. If the tank is not filling up properly, you will very likely need to contact a professional to come out and inspect your tank and your heater to see what the issue is.
