ESG/ISG Inspection Program

In 2001 in cooperation with the Consumers Product Safety Commission (CPSC), seven companies announced a voluntary corrective action program to inspect and repair or replace certain furnaces manufactured by Consolidated Industries, Inc. that were sold in California under their brand names. As shown in photographs below, the units involved are gas-fired horizontal furnaces equipped with steel “NOx” rods installed above the burners and are commonly called NOx rod furnaces. CPSC issued a Safety Alert that some of these furnaces present a risk of fire. The program offers a free inspection, and if the burners have been compromised a new furnace of equivalent capacity and efficiency meeting current minimum energy requirements will be supplied free of charge except for installation costs.

Consolidated Industries, which was liquidated under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy laws, manufactured approximately 140,000 of these furnaces for sale in California between 1983 and 1994 under many different brand names.  Most of the furnaces were manufactured and distributed under the Premier/Consolidated labels and all of the furnaces can be identified by the fact that they are equipped with steel rods installed above the burners. These steel rods were required to satisfy California air quality regulations for nitrogen oxide emissions. The seven companies participating initially in the voluntary corrective action program sold approximately 30,000 of these units in California. The corrective action plan did not cover any of the Premier/Consolidated branded furnaces.

Consumers should first identify the brand name plus the model number and serial number of their furnace then determine if they have one of the Bard models listed below. The brand name, model and serial numbers are written on a label on an outside panel of the furnace.

If one of the Bard model numbers listed above is identified, the consumer should contact Bard directly at (800) 232-1194, Ext. 329 (John Lonabarger) or by email to JohnL@bardhvac.com.

Required information: Name, installation address, contact phone number, furnace model number and furnace serial number.

Bard will then confirm the furnace is subject to the voluntary corrective action program and have the Bard distributor in California follow-up to schedule the inspection. Upon meeting the program qualifications supply the replacement furnace at no charge to the qualified installing HVAC contractor. All of the installation costs (labor, materials, permits, etc) are the responsibility of the consumer.