Dehumidifier Recalls and Safety Alerts

LG Electronics will pay a maximum $1,825,000 civil penalty, settling charges by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff charges that the firm knowingly failed to report to CPSC a defect and an unreasonable risk of serious injury with several models of dehumidifiers.

Fires caused by the defective dehumidifiers resulted in millions of dollars of property damage.

Defective dehumidifiers

Due to a defective fan, the dehumidifiers overheated, smoked, melted or caught fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. Federal law required LG to report to CPSC immediately about a consumer product containing a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or presenting a risk of serious injury or death.

Starting in 2003, LG received dozens of reports of the dehumidifiers catching fire and causing extensive property damage to consumers’ homes. By the time the dehumidifiers were recalled in 2012, LG was aware of 107 reports of incidents, with more than $7 million in property damage and three reports of smoke inhalation.

LG manufactured and imported about 795,000 of the defective dehumidifiers under the Kenmore brand name. The dehumidifiers were recalled in 2012 and the recall was reannounced in July 2013.

Settlement terms

LG’s conduct occurred before August 2009, at a time when a maximum civil penalty was $1.825 million. In addition to paying a civil penalty, LG has agreed to maintain a compliance program designed to ensure compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act. Additionally, the firm has agreed to maintain a related series of internal controls and procedures.

The compliance program requires written standards, policies and procedures, including those designed to ensure that information that may relate to or impact CPSC compliance is conveyed effectively to personnel responsible for CPSC compliance.

The compliance program also must address:

• Confidential employee reporting of compliance concerns to a senior manager with authority to act;
• Effective communication of compliance policies and procedures, including training;
• Senior management and responsibility for, and general board oversight of, compliance; and
• Requirements for record retention.

LG does not admit to CPSC staff’s charges.

GE Appliances & Lighting of Louisville, Ky., is recalling about 15,500 GE brand dehumidifiers.

A component in the dehumidifier’s compressor can short circuit, posing a fire hazard.

There4has been 1 report of a fire contained within the dehumidifier unit. No other property damage or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves 30-pint portable GE brand dehumidifiers. The dehumidifiers are white plastic and measure about 19 inches tall, 13 inches wide and 9 inches deep with a front-loading water bucket.

“GE” and digital controls are located on top of the dehumidifier. Model, serial and manufacture dates are located on a label on the back of the dehumidifier. The model, serial and manufacture dates included in the recall are:

The dehumidifiers, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide from March 2010, to December 2010, for about $170.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifiers, unplug them and contact Midea for instructions on returning their recalled dehumidifier for a free repair. Consumers should not return the recalled dehumidifiers to the retailer where purchased.

Consumers may contact Midea toll-free at (855) 861-2799 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Gree Electric Appliances is expanding an earlier recall of dehumidifiers to include 352,700 in the U.S. and Canada with the GE brand name. The company previously recalled 2.2 million dehumidifiers under 12 other brand names.

The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

The firm has received 16 reports of incidents with the recalled GE-brand dehumidifiers, including 11 reports of overheating with no property damage beyond the units, and 5 reports of fires beyond the units which were associated with about $430,000 reported in property damage. This is in addition to more than 71 fires and $2,725,000 in property damage reported with other brands of Gree-manufactured dehumidifiers in the previous recall. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves 30, 40, 50, 65-pint dehumidifiers with the GE brand name. The brand name, model number, pint capacity and manufacture date are printed on the nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier. The dehumidifiers are light gray plastic and measure between 19 and 23 inches tall, 13 and 15 inches wide, and 9 and 11 inches deep.

Recalled model numbers are listed below.

The dehumidifiers, manufactured in China, were sold at Sam’s Club, Walmart and other stores nationwide and in Canada, and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com, from April 2008, through December 2011, for between $180 and $270.

Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers and contact Gree to receive a refund.

Consumers may contact Gree toll-free at (866) 853-2802 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.

Gree Electric Appliances is recalling about About 2.2 million dehumidifiers in the U.S. and Canada, adding four models of SoleusAir dehumidifiers, and expanding several date code ranges to the recall issued in September 2013.

The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. There have been 325 incidents, including 71 fires and $2.725 million in property damage.

This recall involves 20, 25, 30, 40, 45, 50, 65 and 70-pint dehumidifiers with brand names Danby, De'Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima. Recalled model numbers and date codes are listed below:

The brand name and the pint capacity are printed on the front of the dehumidifier. The model number and date code are printed on a sticker on the back, front or side of the unit. The dehumidifiers are white, beige, gray or black plastic and measure between 19 and 24 inches tall, 13 and 15 inches wide, and 9 and 11 inches deep.

The dehumidifiers, manufactured in China, were sold at AAFES, HH Gregg, Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe's, Menards, Mills Fleet Farm, Sam's Club, Sears and other stores nationwide and in Canada, and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com, from January 2005, through August 2013, for between $110 and $400.

Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers and contact Gree to receive a full refund.

Consumers may contact Gree toll-free at (866) 853-2802 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.  

Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Kmart Corporation, of Hoffman Estates, Ill are reissuing a recall first published in August 2012 for about 795,000 Kenmore dehumidifiers.

The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke, melt and catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

In addition to a low consumer response rate, Sears says there have been seven additional incident reports of shorting and fire associated with the dehumidifiers. Incidents involved a severe burn to a consumer’s foot, and three fires resulting in more than $300,000 of property damage.

This recall involves Kenmore brand 35-, 50- and 70-pint dehumidifiers made by LG and manufactured between 2003 and 2005. The dehumidifiers are made of white plastic and are between 21 and 24 inches tall, about 15 inches wide and about 13.5 inches deep. They have a fan, humidity controls and a Kenmore logo on their top front panels. They come with front-loading water buckets. Some models include remote controls. The model number can be found on the right side of the interior of the unit once the bucket has been removed. Recalled units have the following model numbers:

• 35-pint (2004) - 580.54351400
• 50-pint (2003) - 580.53509300
• 70-pint (2003) - 580.53701300
• 70-pint (2004) - 580.54701400
• 70-pint (2005) - 580.54701500

The dehumidifiers, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Sears and Kmart stores nationwide and Sears.com and Kmart.com from 2003 to 2009 for between $140 and $220.

Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers and contact the Recall Fulfillment Center to receive a Sears gift card for either $75, $80, $90 or $100, which may be used at any Sears or Kmart store or at Sears.com or Kmart.com. The gift card amount will depend on the capacity and year of the dehumidifier. In lieu of a gift card, consumers may request a check for the refund amount. All consumers with recalled units will also receive a $25 coupon that may be used at Sears Department Stores or Sears.com toward the purchase of a new Kenmore dehumidifier.

Consumers may contact the LG Recall Fulfillment Center, toll-free, at (855) 400-4641 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT Saturday.   

Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation, of Hoffman Estates, IL, are recalling nearly 800,000 Kenmore dehumidifiers. 

The dehumidifiers, made BY LG Electronics, of Tianjin, China, can overheat, smoke, melt and catch on fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. There have been 107 reports of incidents, with more than $7 million in property damage and three reports of smoke inhalation injuries. 

The recall involves 35-, 50- and 70-pint dehumidifiers with a Kenmore logo on the front top of the unit, manufactured between 2003 and 2005. The dehumidifiers are made of white plastic and are between 21 and 24 inches tall, about 15 inches wide and about 13.5 inches in depth. They have fan and humidity controls on their top front panels and some models include remote controls. They come with front-loading water buckets. The model number can be found on the right side of the interior of the unit once the bucket has been removed. Recalled units have the following model numbers:

The products were sold exclusively at Sears and Kmart stores nationwide and Sears.com and Kmart.com from 2003 to 2009 for between $140 and $220. 

Consumers should turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers immediately and contact the firm to receive a Sears gift card for $75, $80, $90 or $100, which may be used at any Sears or Kmart store or at Sears.com or Kmart.com. 

The gift card amount will depend on the capacity and year of the dehumidifier. In lieu of a gift card, consumers may request a check for the refund amount. All consumers with recalled units will also receive a $25 coupon that may be used at Sears Department Stores or Sears.com toward the purchase of a new Kenmore dehumidifier. 

For additional information, contact the Recall Fulfillment Center toll-free at (855) 400-4641 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT Saturday, or go here.