Millions of dehumidifiers recalled after 'incidents' cause $17m in property damage

Around 2 million dehumidifiers are being recalled in the United States, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced, in addition to hundreds of thousands of other units that were sold in Canada and Mexico. The recalled units were sold under various brand names, according to the agency, including popular ones like Honeywell, Haier, and Whirlpool.

Dehumidifiers are exactly what they sound like — an appliance that pulls the moisture from the air, reducing the humidity in an enclosed space. These appliances are commonly used in basements prone to dampness, as well as in homes that have thin windows or poor circulation, leading to excessive moisture build-up.

On August 4, the CPSC revealed that more than 2 million units have been recalled over the potential risk that these devices may overheat and catch on fire. In addition to these units, approximately 380,000 were recalled in Canada and around 25,000 were recalled in Mexico.

The following brand names are impacted by this recall:

- AeonAir

- Amana

- ArcticAire (Danby)

- Classic (Danby / Home Hardware Stores)

- Commercial Cool

- Danby

- Danby Designer

- Danby Premiere

- De'Longhi

- Edgestar

- Friedrich

- Generations (Danby)

- Haier

- Honeywell (JMATEK / AirTek)

- Idylis

- Ivation

- perfect aire

- SuperClima

- Whirlpool

- Whynter

If you own a dehumidifier sold under one of these brand names, head over to the recall notice to view the model numbers and capacities that are covered by this particular issue. Identifying details — namely, the product number and capacity — can be found on the appliance's label, which is usually on the back of the machine.

According to the CPSC, consumers who own one of these units should stop using them. New Widetech has revealed that it received reports of 107 'incidents' involving dehumidifiers, ones where the units overheated or caught fire. The recall notice reveals that around $17 million in property damage has resulted from these incidents, but no one has been injured. Refunds are available through New Widetech.