5 flashesBradford White · Ultra Low NOx D series gas · Water Heater

Bradford White Ultra Low NOx D series gas error code 5 flashes

Undesired false pilot flame present

Needs attention soon

Also written as five flashes, 05

Quick answer

On Bradford White Ultra Low NOx D series gas, 5 flashes is a fault. It means undesired false pilot flame present. A first thing to check: Pilot valve stuck in the open position.

Applies to: Bradford White Ultra Low NOx D series gas; Bradford White Ultra Low NOx residential D series gas codes · Water Heater
Type of code: Fault; Urgency: Needs attention soon
First safe check: If you smell gas, do not operate switches or use a flame. Leave the building and call the gas emergency number from outside.

Checked 2026-09-26

What 5 flashes means on this model

The pilot valve is staying open when the control has commanded it shut, so the control sees a flame with no burner command. The manufacturer answer on this unit is to replace the gas control, because the valve that is leaking is the valve that controls gas.

Symptoms you will notice

Five flashes, or six-four flashes, then a three second pause
You can hear or smell gas near the burner when the burner is off
Pilot stays lit after the control commands it off
Unit relights without anybody asking for hot water
Unit resets by itself and runs unexpectedly

Common causes

The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:

Pilot valve stuck in the open position
Pilot valve seat fouled or failed
Debris in the pilot valve
Flame being detected from a source other than the pilot

What you can safely check

These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.

If you smell gas, do not operate switches or use a flame. Leave the building and call the gas emergency number from outside.
Listen at the burner compartment during a normal cycle and note whether you can hear gas when the burner is not running.
Confirm whether a nearby gas fireplace, gas log, or another pilot is close enough for the control to be seeing its flame.
Note the timing of the resets, because a valve that is leaking gas will keep leaking between resets.

Do not do these

×Do not repeatedly reset the unit. A pilot valve stuck open is a gas leak, and every reset gives it another chance to light something.
×Do not attempt to clean or reseat the pilot valve. Bradford White directs the service procedure to replace the gas control for this code.
×Do not test for leaks with a flame.
×Do not delay service on this code on the basis that the unit is still making hot water.

When to call a technician

Book a technician, do not keep resetting it

This fault will not clear on its own. Every power cycle gives the control one more failed attempt, and repeated attempts are what turn a cheap part replacement into a seized or contaminated system.

This is a fuel-burning appliance, so treat anything involving a burner, gas valve or flue as technician work. If you smell gas at any point, leave the property and call the gas utility from outside rather than continuing to diagnose.
If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.

Not a homeowner job under any circumstances. A gas valve that will not shut off is a live gas leak.

What it costs to fix

Parts

Gas control $150 to $350.

Labor

Two to three hours to replace the control, including gas isolation and a leak check before returning to service.

DIY or technician