US Regulators Order Recall of Over 1.5 Million Dehumidifiers for Fire Risk

Dehumidifier. Mariia Boiko/Shutterstock

More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers are being recalled after almost two dozen fires were reported, according to U.S. regulators.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on Aug. 16 that the Chinese home appliance manufacturer Gree was recalling 1.56 million dehumidifiers for fire and burn hazards after 23 fire incidents.

A separate warning also covers 2.5 million dehumidifiers, including those recalled as long as 10 years ago.

The recall will impact 42 models of dehumidifiers under 13 brand names, including Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole, and Seabreeze.

Approximately 1,560,000 units manufactured between January 2011 and February 2014 were impacted by the recall, according to the CPSC.

The agency said there had been 688 overheating incidents and $168,000 in property damage connected to the dehumidifiers.

The affected dehumidifiers were sold nationwide at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Sam’s Club, Sears, and Walmart from 2011 to 2014, with a price range of $110–400.

Chinese Manufacturer Failed to Notify Feds

The CPSC warned that the products could overheat, smoke, or catch fire, and listed the recalled model numbers, which were printed on back, front, or side of the units.

“The dehumidifiers are white, beige, gray, or black plastic and measure between 19–24 inches tall, 13–15 inches wide, and 9–11 inches deep,” the CPSC said.

Consumers were told to stop using the dehumidifiers immediately and contact Gree to receive a refund and wait six to eight weeks to receive information on how to register for the recall.

On April 24, Gree was ordered by the U.S. Justice Department to pay a $500,000 criminal fine after pleading guilty to failing to notify CPSC about the millions of defective dehumidifiers that it sold to American consumers.

This was the first time the CPSC pursued a criminal action against a company.

As part of the resolution, a fine totaling $91 million was imposed on three Gree affiliates and restitution payments were made to victims.

The three affiliates Gree Zhuhai, Gree Hong Kong, and Gree USA were allegedly aware that their dehumidifiers were faulty and did not meet safety standards.

The manufacturers did not inform the CPSC about the fact that the products were potentially flammable for several months, according to court documents.

Humidifiers in Earlier Recall Responsible for Four Deaths

Meanwhile, the other warning asked consumers to immediately check to see if their dehumidifier was part of the earlier Gree recall, which were sold under the brand names Danby, De’Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, GE, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir, and SuperClima.

The dehumidifiers were first recalled in September 2013, was later expanded in January 2014, was re-announced in May 2014 and again in November 2016.

The CPSC described fire-related defects similar to the latest recall that were associated with four deaths.

The agency blamed the deaths on house fires that were likely caused by the dehumidifiers and noted over 2,000 incidents related to overheating, along with about 450 fires, which caused more than $19 million in property damage.

The first death occurred in 2016, with the three others occurring in 2022, the CPSC said.

“Consumers should stop using the recalled dehumidifiers and contact Gree for a full refund,” the CPSC said, adding, “The commission has found that the public health and safety requires this notice to warn the public quickly of the hazard.”