After $4.3M In Property Damage, Millions Of Dehumidifiers Recalled

Dehumidifiers are meant to protect homes from mold and mildew, not burn them down. Yet, that’s apparently a possibility for 3.4 million dehumidifiers — covering dozens of brands, including GE, Honeywell, Kenmore, and Sunbeam — that are being recalled after being linked to $4.8 million in property damage.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, China-based electronics manufacturer Midea is recalling the dehumidifiers, made under its own brand name and for dozens of other brands (see full list below) after receiving 38 reports of smoke and fire resulting from overheated devices.

While there has been nearly $5 million in property damage, the company says it is unaware of any injuries related to the fires. Still, Midea and the CPSC urge consumers to immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers.

The recall covers 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, and 75-pint dehumidifiers from the following brands:
Airworks
Alen
Arctic King
Arcticaire
Beaumark
Comfort Star
ComfortAire
Continental Electric
Coolworks
Crosley
Daewoo
Danby
Danby Designer
Dayton
Degree
Diplomat
Edgestar
Excell
Fellini
Forest Air
Frigidaire
GE
Grunaire
Hanover
Homestyles
Honeywell
Hyundai
Ideal Air
Kenmore
Keystone
Kul
Midea
Nantucket
Ocean Breeze
Pelonis
Perfect Aire
Perfect Home
Polar Wind
Premiere
Professional Series
Royal Sovereign
Simplicity
SPT
Sunbeam
Sylvania
TGM
Touch Point
Trutemp
Uberhaus
Westpointe
Winix
Winixl

The devices were sold at Lowes, Menards, PC Richard and other stores nationwide for $100 to $300 from Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2013.

Owners of affected devices should contact Midea for a replacement unit or partial refunds. According to the recall, consumers whose dehumidifiers were manufactured before Oct. 1, 2008 will receive a partial refund, not a replacement.

Affected products can be identified by brand name, model number, pint capacity, and manufacture date printed on the nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier. To determine if your dehumidifier has been recalled, enter the model number at http://ift.tt/2ffCjBC.

The recall of Midea-manufactured humidifiers comes seven months after federal safety regulators imposed a recored $15.45 million civil penalty against Gee Electric Appliances related to dehumidifiers recalled in 2013 and 2014. The penalty settled charges that Gee failed to report fires, “knowingly made misrepresentations to CPSC staff,” and put UL safety marks on products that didn’t meet UL standards.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist