Bradford White 3 flashes: water not heating properly

Three flashes is a performance warning. The gas control has noticed that the tank is not heating up the way it should.

The meaning below comes from Bradford White's service manual for its ICON gas controls. Bradford White changed its flash codes in January 2019: serial numbers with a date code before TA use ICON 1.0 codes, and TA or later use ICON 2.0. Our guide on how old is my Bradford White water heater shows how to read the date code.

What causes it

Bradford White lists two probable causes: the thermal sensor in the gas control is out of calibration, or the gas control itself is faulty. Its service procedure is to replace the gas control.

What you might notice

• Lukewarm water or hot water that runs out sooner than it used to
• Long recovery times after showers

Check the basics first

1. Make sure the temperature knob has not been turned down.
2. Make sure the gas supply valve to the heater is fully open.
3. Consider whether demand has increased, such as more people in the home or a new large tub.

Before you call

Note the exact flash pattern, count it twice, and have the model and serial number from the rating label ready. Tell the technician when the light started flashing, whether the pilot is lit, and whether anything was stored or spilled near the heater recently. The serial number also tells you the heater's age, which matters when deciding between a repair and a replacement.

See every code on our Bradford White status light codes page.