GE Dehumidifier Recall Expanded Following More Fire Reports

More than 350,000 dehumidifiers have been added to a prior recall first issued last year, after the manufacturer and federal safety regulators continued to receive reports that the products are catching fire or overheating during use, posing a serious risk of fires and burns for consumers.  

A GE dehumidifier recall expansion was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on January 30, after at least 16 additional consumer complaints were received involving overheating dehumidifiers.

Among the complaints were at least five reports of the units sparking fires, which caused more than $430,000 in property damage. No injuries have been reported, but the products could cause a serious risk of burns for individuals who come into contact with the dehumidifiers.

An original recall of 2.2 million GE dehumidifiers was announced by the CPSC on September 13, 2013, after over 100 customers complaints of the units overheating or bursting into flames, causing $2.1 million worth of property damage. Multiple brands were included in the September recall, but additional GE brands are being added following new reports of problems.

The dehumidifier recall now includes 30, 40, 50, and 65-pint dehumidifiers with the GE brand name. The dehumidifiers measure between 19 and 23 inches tall by 13 to 15 inches wide by 9 and 11 inches in depth and were manufactured in a light gray plastic.

All affected models have a nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier where the brand name, model number, pint capacity, and manufacture date can be located. A full list of recalled dehumidifiers has been posted on the CPSC recall webpage.

The affected units were manufactured in China under Gree Electric Appliances where they were imported by GE Appliances of Louisville, Kentucky and sold at Sam’s Club, Walmart, and other stores nationwide and in Canada. The units were also sold online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com from April 2008 through December 2011 for between $180 and $270.

Including this recall expansion, there has been a total of 71 fires and an estimated $2,725,000.00 worth of property damage caused by Gree manufactured dehumidifiers.

The CPSC recommends that customers stop using the dehumidifiers immediately, unplug them, and contact Gree at 866-853-2802, or visit them online at www.greeusa.com and navigate to the “Recall” link for instructions on how to receive and full refund.