Navien E031: burner overheating

E031 is one of the codes Navien does not expect homeowners to fix. It points to heat building up in the burner area rather than in the water side of the heater.

The meaning and recommended action below come from Navien's User's Information Manual for NPE-2 condensing water heaters (NPE-180A2, NPE-210A2, NPE-240A2 and the S2 models). Navien technical support: 1-800-519-8794.

This code is listed for the current NPE-2 generation. The original NPE-A and NPE-S models do not have it.

What you can safely check

• The intake and exhaust vent terminals outside, for leaves, nests, snow or ice.
• That nothing is stored against the heater or covering the air intake.
• The intake air filter; a clogged filter causes several Navien airflow codes.

What a technician checks

Combustion, gas pressure, venting and the burner assembly itself. Overheating in the burner area can damage components, so repeated resets are not a fix.

How to reset it

Navien says you can try resetting the water heater by pressing the Back button on the front panel. If the code returns, the cause is still there and the unit needs service.

Before you call

Have the model number and serial number from the rating plate on the side of the unit ready, along with the date it was installed and the exact code. Navien asks for this information when you contact technical support, and your installer should be your first call for warranty service.

See every code on our Navien error codes page.