More than 40 models of dehumidifiers sold under brands such as GE and Kenmore were recalled Wednesday after reports of at least 23 fires, hundreds of overheating incidents and four deaths linked to them.
The dehumidifiers were cited in 688 incidents of overheating and a collective $168,000 in property damage, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
While the models were all manufactured by the Gree appliance company in China, they were sold under several popular U.S. brands.
The models were manufactured between January 2011 and February 2014.
Consumers should immediately stop use, unplug the dehumidifiers and contact Gree to receive a refund, the CPSC said.
The dehumidifiers were sold under the Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze brands. They were sold at stores including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Sam’s Club, Sears and Walmart.
There were reports of four deaths potentially associated with Gree dehumidifiers between 2016 and 2022, the CPSC said, all involving house fires.
The CPSC also issued a separate warning about dehumidifiers made by Gree Electric Appliances, urging consumers to check if their model is part of any Gree recall dating back to 2013.
The Chinese manufacturer and two of its subsidiaries agreed to a $91 million resolution in 2021 for neglecting to notify the CPSC that millions of dehumidifiers sold in the United States were defective and could catch fire.
The CPSC has a list of model numbers affected and information on how to register for the recall on its website, cpsc.gov.
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