Component
Gas control valve and thermostat
The valve that meters gas to the burner and, on storage tanks, holds the set temperature. Electronic versions show LED status codes; mechanical versions run on the pilot's thermopile. It is the part behind most standing-pilot and set-point faults.
If you smell gas
- Stop what you are doing. Do not use phones, switches, matches or anything that can spark inside.
- Go outside and leave the door open behind you.
- Call the FortisBC 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 or dial 911.
Only after that, call CANRO about the water heater. Official guidance: FortisBC gas leaks and odour.
Two families of control
Storage tanks carry either a mechanical control (a thermostat and gas valve run by the pilot's thermopile, with a piezo igniter) or an electronic control such as Bradford White's ICON System, which removes the standing pilot and reports its state with LED patterns. The control family decides what symptoms the tank can show: only electronic controls flash codes, and the codes on this site are scoped to the control that emits them.
On tankless units the gas control is a modulated valve assembly driven by the PC board, with gas solenoids and a stepper or bypass arrangement; Rinnai documents valve faults as codes such as 52 and 71.
Faults and their signatures
A control that will not hold temperature, a pilot that will not stay lit, or a burner that never fires all point at the control family but are confirmed by testing: thermopile output on millivolt units, sensor and valve checks on electronic units, and the LED patterns in between. Replacing a control without the tests is how the same fault is paid for twice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which control my tank has?
Look at the valve at the bottom of the tank: an LED status light means an electronic control, and a control without one, lit by a piezo, is mechanical. The rating plate identifies the model.
Are gas controls repairable or replaced?
Gas controls are replaced as assemblies: the internal valve and thermostat are not field-repairable. The Canadian parts list carries the replacement control per fuel.
Request a consultation
CANRO reviews your hot-water demand, equipment and installation constraints. Requests are confirmed by CANRO.
On-site service in Metro Vancouver, BC. Call to check availability.
Related
Sources and verification
- CANRO Heating & Cooling — About · Canadian source · accessed September 7, 2026
- Bradford White Defender Service Manual (control families and tests) · 238-51542-00E · accessed September 7, 2026
- Bradford White Canadian parts list (gas control) · 238-53513-00F · Canadian source · accessed September 7, 2026
Facts checked September 7, 2026. Last updated September 7, 2026. Technical reviewer: not yet assigned.