Midea issued a recall of 3.4 million dehumidifiers due to fire and burn hazards, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.
The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire. The recall was prompted by 38 reports of smoke and fire resulting in $4.8 million in property damage. No injuries have been reported.
Recalled dehumidifiers were sold at Lowe’s, Menards, P.C. Richard and other stores nationwide between January 2003 and December 2013. They were sold under many different brands, including, but not limited to, Kenmore, Hyundai, Sunbeam, GE and Airworks.
Check the back of the dehumidifier for the name, model, manufacturing date, and pint capacity. A list of the affected units can be found on the CPSC website. Midea has set up a special website for consumers to verify whether their unit has been recalled. Consumers can also contact the company directly.
Consumers with these dehumidifiers should unplug them and discontinue using them. They are encouraged to reach out and ask for a replacement unit or a partial refund. Those with dehumidifiers manufactured prior to October 1, 2008, are eligible for a partial refund only.
In addition to the units sold in the US, 850,000 units were sold in Canada.