McLean County Times

More than 1.5 million additional dehumidifiers have been recalled due to fire risks, according to an announcement by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The expanded recall includes 42 models manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances between January 2011 and February 2014 under brand names such as GE, Kenmore, SoleusAir, Seabreeze, and Norpole.

Gree has reported at least 23 fires, 688 incidents of overheating, and $168,000 in property damage involving these dehumidifiers. The CPSC found that the affected units can overheat, smoke, and catch fire. There have been four deaths potentially linked to these products: one in Ohio in 2016 and three more in Iowa and Missouri in 2022.

The Normal Fire Department has responded to several incidents involving recalled dehumidifiers locally. Public Information Officer Matt Swaney stated, “We cannot emphasize this enough: If you have a dehumidifier running in your home, you should immediately check to see if it has been recalled or unplug it until you can verify one way or another. If it is recalled, stop using it immediately and contact the manufacturer.”

Swaney also noted ongoing concerns about unused units remaining in homes: “The bad part is that we know there are likely thousands of them still being used in people’s homes. People buy a dehumidifier, set it up in the basement, and then forget about it. It’s out of sign and out of mind. We urge everyone to take this threat very seriously. These units are absolutely causing fires and pose a tremendous risk to the safety of your home or business.”

The original recall began in September 2013 with several updates since then. Consumers are advised to check whether their dehumidifier is included by visiting the CPSC website for detailed instructions on identifying model numbers (https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Gree-Recalls-1-56-Million-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Reports-of-At-Least-23-Fires).

If a unit is listed among those recalled, owners should stop using it immediately and visit the Gree website for refund information (https://global.gree.com/usa/channels/840.html).

Other brands such as Danby, De’Longhi, Frigidaire, SuperClima (manufactured by Gree), as well as many sold under Midea—including Airworks, Arctic King, Honeywell—have also been subject to recalls totaling millions of units across North America.

For further assistance or information on specific brands affected by either Gree or Midea recalls:

- Visit http://greedehumidifierrecall.com/ for Gree-related products.

- Visit https://us.midea.com/Product-Recall-Information for Midea-related products.

Consumers can also call CPSC’s hotline at 1-800-638-2772 for more details.