Over 2 million dehumidifiers across the U.S., Canada and Mexico are currently issued a recall. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the recall after at least 107 incidents of the product overheating and causing fires have been reported.
At least 20 brand names have been affected by the recall. Check if your dehumidifier is included in the list.
Massive Dehumidifier Recall
About $17 million in property damage was reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission after users' dehumidifiers overheated and caught fire, ABC 4 reported. The recall involves the following: 25-, 30-, 35-, 45-, 50-, 60-, 65-, 70-, and 74-pint dehumidifiers.
The CPSC issued the recall on August 4 for posing as fire and burn hazards when these units overheat. About 2 million units across the United States, around 380,000 units in Canada, and about 25,000 units in Mexico are affected by this recall.
The dehumidifiers were sold from February 2009 through August 2017 at multiple store chains and retailers across the nation, ABC 4 said. Some of these store chains included Lowe's, Costco, Walmart, Menards. The units cost between $120 and $430, CPSC noted.
Though millions of property damage were made, fortunately, no injuries have been reported.
RECALL ALERT: A dehumidifier should help with dampness and mustiness in your home, not torch it. That’s why New Widetech recalled about 2.4 million dehumidifiers made for 20 different brands and sold from 2009 through 2017. https://t.co/pLMRL8uVP6
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) August 5, 2021
How to Check If Your Dhumidifier Is Included in the Recall
There were 20 brands of dehumidifiers included in the list of recalled brand names, but all the units were produced by a company called New Widetech in Taiwan, Gizomdo said.
The brand names include:
AeonAir
Amana
ArcticAire (Danby)
Classic (Danby / Home Hardware Stores)
Commercial Cool
Danby
Danby Designer
Danby Premiere
De'Longhi
Edgestar
Friedrich
Generations (Danby)
Haier
Honeywell (JMATEK / AirTek)
Idylis
Ivation
Perfect Aire
SuperClima
Whirlpool
Whynter
To check if your unit is included in the recall, refer to the model numbers listed by the CPSC.
The brand name, model number, and pint capacity of your demudifier are detailed on the nameplate stcker that can be found at the back of the unit. If you have a hard time locating the necessary information, the Label Details file can help you as it shows you where the codes are on the stickers. Some units in a brand are only being recalled if they fall in the range of specific serial numbers.
if you get/have a dehumidifier just make sure it doesn’t have an open recall pic.twitter.com/xx6pJ4tbAz
— Frank Thomas Stan Account (@SoxCollector35) July 11, 2021
The CPSC is also urging consumers to stop using the dehumidifiers immediately and follow the recall by contacting New Widetech for a refund.
New Widetech can be called via the toll-free phone number 877-251-1512 between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, said Gizmodo. Affected dehumidifier owners can also file their units for the recall online via https://www.recallrtr.com/nwtdehumidifier/.
The serial number of the unit will be verified on the online recall registration webiste. Owners are required to upload photos to demonstrate ownership and destruction by cutting the dehumidifier's power cord. New Widetech reminds owner to secure access to the unit and a device that can capture the photo and upload it before proceeding with the registration.
Refunds are unfortunately not full refunds. The amount will be pro-rated based on the age of the unit, explained CPSC. Put simply, the newer your unit, the more money will be refunded to you.
Immediately check your dehumidifier if you are affected by this recall and cease usage. Better safe than sorry.
