LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have announced a "second" recall of 98,000 dehumidifiers sold in the U.S. as Goldstar or Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers due to a serious fire and burn hazard. The severity of risk and fires causing more than $1,000,000 in property damage to homes in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio and New Jersey urged this re-announcement of a 2009 recall.
The dehumidifiers were first recalled in December 2009 after 11 complaints and four fires related to the dehumidifiers’ use occurred. Since that time, LG Electronics has received 16 additional complaints, including nine additional fires. The hazard is the power connector of the dehumidifer’s compressor can short-circuit causing a fire.
The 30-pint, portable dehumidifiers were manufactured in China, and sold in the U.S. at Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Do It Best, Orgill Inc., and other retailers from January 2007 through June 2008, for approximately $140 to $150.
The CPSC and the LG Electronics are concerned about the lack of response to the earlier recall, and note that only 2 percent of the consumers who purchased the units received a free repair. People who have this dehumidifier in their home are urged to stop using it immediately, unplug it and contact LG Electronics for a free repair.
To contact LG Electronics toll free, consumers should call (877)220-0479 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday, and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Central time Saturday, or visit the company’s website at www.30pintdehumidifierrecall.com.
To view photos, as well as Model and Serial numbers, of the dehumidifiers being recalled, please go to the CPSC website: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11324.html The CPSC wants to receive any additional reports of incidents concerning these particular dehumidifiers, and reminds consumers that it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell any recalled product.
Comments for this article are closed.