Recalled Dehumidifier Fires Continue to Cause Property Damage Years Later

Federal safety officials have once again issued a re-announcement for a dehumidifier recall originally issued in 2013, which impacted about 2.5 million dehumidifiers sold under popular brand names like GE, Kenmore and Frigidaire, as additional consumer reports indicate that the devices are overheating and catching fire, which at least $15 million in additional property damage occurring since the devices were originally recalled. 

An updated notice about the Gree dehumidifier recall was posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on November 29, following hundreds of additional consumer reports that indicate the devices are overheating, smoking and catching fire, posing serious burn and fire hazards.

Total property damage linked to the recalled dehumidifiers now totals at least $19 million, with the vast majority of that occurring since the original recall was issued, suggesting many of the dangerous and defective dehumidifiers are still in use and their owners likely unaware of the recall.

The original Gree dehumidifier recall was first announced in September 2013, following dozens of reports of the devices overheating and several incidents of the dehumidifiers catching on fire.

In January 2014, the recall was expanded after the CPSC and manufacturing company Gree Electric Appliances Inc. recorded a 400% increase in consumer complaints linked to the dehumidifiers overheating and catching on fire. By March 2014, the CPSC reported that the dehumidifiers had caused property damage valued at roughly $4 million.

Since the last recall expansion in January 2014, the CPSC and Gree have received at least another 329 reports of fires stemming from overheating dehumidifiers included in the recall. The property damage value has now been estimated at $19 million. The CPSC warns that it is likely that not all of the damage or incidents of fire and overheating has been reported and is urging consumers to stop using and unplug the recalled products immediately.

The recall includes roughly 2.5 million includes 20,25, 30, 40, 45, 50, 65, and 70-pint dehumidifiers sold under the brand names Danby, De’Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire, GE, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima.

The units are white, beige, gray, or black plastic and measure between 19 and 24 inches tall by 13 and 15 inches wide by 9 to 11 inches deep. The brand name and pint capacity are printed on the front of the dehumidifiers and the model numbers and date codes are printed on the back, front, or side of the units. For a full list of recalled brand names, model numbers, and date codes please visit the CPSC recall announcement.

The recalled dehumidifiers were manufactured in China for Gree Electric Appliances. They were imported by various distributing companies and sold at AAFES, HH Gregg, Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe’s, Menards, Mills Fleet Farm, Sam’s Club, Sears, Walmart and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com in the United States and Canada from January 2005 through August 2013 for between $110 and $400.

Customers should stop using the recalled dehumidifiers, unplug them, and contact Gree toll-free at 866-853-2802 or visit them online at www.greeusa.com and navigate to the “Recall” link for information on how to receive a full refund.

The warning comes on the heels of another multi-million unit dehumidifier recall announced in early November. The dehumidifier recall included 4 million units manufactured by GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Ltd. Of China, which were sold under popular brand names including SunBeam, GE, Honeywell, and Kenmore. The dehumidifiers were recalled following 38 reports of problems where the units overheated, smoked or caught on fire, resulting in nearly $5 million in property damage to date.