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You are here: Home / Archives for Household

Household

Recall: Husqvarna Grass and Hedge Trimmers Due to Fire Hazard

April 7, 2012 By NightOwl

Name of Product: Grass and Hedge Trimmers

Units: About 19,500 grass trimmers and 6,500 hedge trimmers

Importer: Husqvarna Professional Products Inc., of Charlotte, N.C.

Manufacturer: Husqvarna Machinery Manufacturing Co. Ltd., of Shanghai, China

Hazard: Fuel can leak from the rubber spacer holding the fuel lines in the fuel tank, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Husqvarna has received seven reports of fuel leaking. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the Husqvarna Grass Trimmer Model 122C with serial numbers that range from 2011 17 00001 to 2011 52 99999. “Husqvarna” and the model number are written on top of the tool. The serial number is located on a black plate on the bottom of the muffler side of the tool. The recalled Husqvarna Hedge Trimmers are Models 122HD60 and 122HD45 with serial numbers that range from 2011 17 00001 to 2011 52 99999. “Husqvarna” and the model number are written on top of the tool. The serial number is located on a black plate on the gear box, which is on the lower portion of the tool.

Sold at: Lowes, Sears and Husqvarna dealers and distributors nationwide for between $150 and $320 from May 2011 to January 2012.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled products and return them to the place of purchase for a free repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Husqvarna toll-free at (877) 257-6921 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s website at www.husqvarna.com, or e-mail recalls@husqvarna.com

Husqvarna grass trimmer recall 4-12

Filed Under: Garage and Garden, Household, News, Recalls, Safety Tagged With: grass trimmer recall, hedge trimmer recall, Husqvarna, Husqvarna grass trimmer recall, Husqvarna hedge trimmer recall, Husqvarna recall, Lowes trimmer recall, Sears trimmer recall

Recall: Meijer Touch Point Fan Heaters Due to Fire, Shock Hazards

March 12, 2012 By NightOwl

Name of Product: Forced Air Heater

Units: About 6,102

Importer/Retailer: Meijer Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Hazard: Exposed and unshielded electrical components can cause the heater to overheat and melt, posing fire and electrical shock hazards.

Incidents/Injuries: Meijer received one report of a unit’s base burning, melting and damaging the carpet beneath it. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Touch Point brand oscillating forced air fan heaters with model number HW-218 and date code 0811. The model number and date code are on a silver sticker on the bottom of the heater. Universal Product Code (UPC) 7-13733-30927-1 is on the bottom of the packaging. The heaters are white, 12 inches tall, 9 inches wide and 8 inches deep. They have two round control knobs and a red warning light on the top front, and a black on/off switch on the front base that controls the fan’s oscillation. The words “Touch Point” appear on the right front of the heater’s base.

Sold exclusively at: Meijer stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio from September 2011 through November 2011 for about $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and return them to any Meijer store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Meijer at (800) 927-8699 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.meijer.com

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household, Recalls, Safety, Small Appliances Tagged With: Forced Air Heater, heater recall, Meijer Inc, Meijer Inc recall, Meijer Touch Point Fan Heaters, recalled Forced Air Heaters, recalled Meijer Touch Point Fan Heaters

Recall: Fire Concerns Prompt York International to Reannounce Recall of Gas Furnaces for Manufactured Homes

February 8, 2012 By NightOwl

Name of Product: Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T Gas Furnaces for Manufactured Homes

Units: About 223,600 in the U.S. and 2,400 in Canada (previously recalled in November 2004)

Manufacturer: Unitary Products Group (UPG), a division of York International Corp., of York, Pa.

Hazard: The furnace can overheat and cause the heat-exchanger to crack and create openings that allow flames to be exposed. When this happens, drywall and other nearby combustibles are exposed to the flames, posing a fire and smoke hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received reports of 393 incidents, including some involving extensive property damage that could be related to these hazards, 366 of those reports were received after the November 2004 recall announcement. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T brand furnaces. The furnaces are silver with white access panels. “Coleman,” “Coleman Evcon” and “Red T” brand names are located on the middle of the front access panel. The model number is written on a faceplate, found by removing both front access panels. The faceplate is found mounted on the left inside surface behind the lower panel. Models included in the recall are:

DGAM075BDD
DGAM075BDE
DGAM075BDF
DGAT070BDD
DGAT070BDE
DGAT070BDF
DGAT075BDD
DGAT075BDE
DGAT075BDF
DLAS075BDD
DLAS075BDE
DLAS075BDF

Sold by: Nationwide between 1995 and 2000 as original equipment in manufactured homes and as replacement furnaces in manufactured homes.

Manufactured in: U.S.A. between 1995 and 2000

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the furnace until it has been inspected and repaired. Consumers should contact UPG to schedule a free inspection and repair of any furnace involved in the recall.

Consumer Contact: For more information, including information about installation issues that may lead to the hazard, contact UPG toll-free at (888) 665-4640 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit their website at www.dgatprogram.com. UPG Technical Services is also conducting a comprehensive notification and communications program and working with its distributors to locate owners.

Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1416

 

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household, News, Recalls, Safety Tagged With: Coleman Evcon furnace recall, Coleman Evcon recall, Coleman furnace recall, Coleman recall, furnace recall, Red T Gas Furnace, Red T Gas Furnace recall, York International to Reannounce Recall of Gas Furnaces for Manufactured Homes

Recall: Kaz USA Recalls Honeywell Portable Electric Heaters Due to Burn Hazard

January 13, 2012 By NightOwl

Name of Product: Honeywell Surround Select Portable Electric Heaters

Units: About 19,000

Distributor: Kaz USA Inc., of Southborough, Mass.

Manufacturer: Ningbo SMAL Electrics Co. Ltd., of China

Hazard: The heater’s internal housing, including the fan, heating element and circuitry, can detach, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall includes Honeywell Surround Select Series portable electric heaters with model numbers HZ-420, HZ-430, and HZ-440 and five-digit date codes that have 11 as the last two digits. The heaters are black or white cylinders with a handle on top. The model number is stamped into the plastic on the bottom of the heater. The date code is located on the metal prongs of the heater’s electrical plug. “Honeywell” and “Surround Heat” are printed on the front of the heaters. This heater was distributed by Kaz USA under license from Honeywell.

Sold at: Best Buy, Meijer and Walmart stores nationwide from July 2011 through December 2011 for between $50 and $70.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the heaters and contact Kaz for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Kaz at (800) 370-8137 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.kaz.com/recall

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell them about your experience with the product on www.saferproducts.gov

 

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household, News, Recalls, Safety Tagged With: Best Buy portable heater, Best Buy recalled portable heaters, Honeywell Portable Electric Heaters, Meijer and Walmart recalled heaters, Meijer and Walmart recalled portable heaters, recalled Honeywell Portable Electric Heaters

Energy Star’s New Most Efficient Designation

October 5, 2011 By NightOwl

It seems that every appliance in the stores these days has qualified for the Energy Star label. A look around the local appliance store is dotted with the ubiquitous bright yellow tags.

Energy Star, in an effort to improve the system – everything can’t be the BEST – has added a “Most Efficient” designation to their listings.

“This new designation will help Americans save money and cut pollution by quickly pointing them to the best Energy Star products have to offer. Highlighting Energy Star’s Most Efficient products is a great way to encourage the strides in innovation that bring even more energy and money saving choices to our stores,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We know American consumers are eager to make purchases that save them money on their utility bills and reduce the pollution in the air we breathe, and these labels will help them identify the best ways to find those purchases.”

Products that receive the Most Efficient designation demonstrate exceptional and cutting-edge efficiency performance. The Most Efficient recognition will represent approximately the top five percent of models on the market in the following categories: clothes washers, heating and cooling equipment, televisions, and refrigerator-freezers. The following Energy Star partners’ products are among the first to be recognized as Most Efficient: Electrolux Major Appliances, Sears’ Kenmore, LG, Samsung, Best Buy’s Insignia Brand, Panasonic, Nordyne, and Rheem. Later this year, EPA will initiate a process to consider additional product categories for potential inclusion in 2012.

Consumers will be able to identify Most Efficient products on the Energy Star website and in stores by looking for the Most Efficient designation. In addition to meeting established performance requirements, products must also be Energy Star qualified and certified by an EPA-recognized certification body. Manufacturers are encouraged to submit products that meet the requirements to EPA for recognition.

More information on Energy Star’s Most Efficient products: http://www.energystar.gov/mostefficient

Filed Under: choosing a Kitchen Appliance, Dishwasher, Dryers, Features, Gas Range, Heating and Cooling, Household, Kitchen, Laundry, News, Ranges Ovens and Cooktops, Refrigerators and Freezers, Washing Machine Tagged With: energy star, Energy Star Most Efficient, Most Efficient appliances, Most Efficient products

Recall: Goldstar and Comfort-Aire Dehumidifiers by LG Electronics

September 19, 2011 By NightOwl

LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is urging consumers to check if they have recalled Goldstar or Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers. The firm is re-announcing the recall of about 98,000 of the dangerous dehumidifiers that pose a serious fire and burn hazard, and are believed to be responsible for more than one million dollars in property damage.

The power connector for the dehumidifier’s compressor can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers and their property.

The dehumidifiers were first recalled in December 2009 following eleven incidents, including four significant fires. Since that time, the company has received sixteen additional incident reports of arcing, smoke and fire associated with the dehumidifiers, including nine significant fires. No injuries have been reported. Fires are reported to have caused more than $1 million in property damage including:

$500,000 in damage to a home in Gibsonia, Pa.
$200,000 in damage to a home in New Brighton, Minn.
$183,000 in damage to a home in Hudson, Mass.
$192,000 in damage to a home in Valparaiso, Ind.
$139,000 in damage to a home in Salem, Ohio
$129,000 in damage to a home in Brielle, N.J.
$ 95,000 in damage to a home in Philadelphia, Pa.

Because of the severity of the risks, CPSC and LG Electronics are concerned with the lack of consumer response to the recall. Only two percent of the 98,000 consumers who purchased these units have received a free repair, which means that consumers and their property remain at serious risk.

Anyone who has the recalled dehumidifiers is strongly encouraged to immediately stop using them, unplug them, and contact LG Electronics for the free repair.

The recall involves the 30 pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the Goldstar and Comfort-Aire brands. The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button, controls for fan speed and humidity control, and a front-loading water bucket. “Goldstar” or “Comfort-Aire” is printed on the front. Model and serial number ranges included in this recall are listed in the table below. The model and serial numbers are located on the interior of the dehumidifier, and can be seen when the water bucket is removed.

Brand Model No. Serial Number Range Sold at
Goldstar GHD30Y7 611TAxx00001 through 08400
611TAxx08401 through 40600
612TAxx00001 through 20400
612TAxx21001 through 30600 Home Depot

Brand Model No. Serial Number Range Sold at
Goldstar DH305Y7 612TAxx00001 through 00600
701TAxx00001 through 16800
702TAxx00001 through 03000 Walmart

Brand Model No. Serial Number Range Sold at
Comfort-Aire BHD-301-C 611TA000001 through 001697
612TA000001 through 004200
701TA000001 through 000578
710TA000001 through 000599 Various retailers, including Ace
Hardware, Do It Best and Orgill Inc.

The recalled dehumidifiers were sold at The Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Do It Best, Orgill Inc., and other retailers nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $140 and $150. They were manufactured in China.

recall
recall
recall

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household, News, Recalls, Safety Tagged With: dehumidifier recall, dehumidifiers, Goldstar and Comfort-Aire Dehumidifiers, Goldstar and Comfort-Aire Dehumidifiers by LG Electronics, LG electronics

Haier Buying Sanyo Appliance Division

September 1, 2011 By NightOwl

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. plans to sell much of its major appliance business to China’s Haier Group, in an uncommon instance of a Japanese electronics conglomerate allowing a rising Chinese rival take over a chunk of a major business segment.

The sale of the Sanyo operations—mostly washing-machine and refrigerator businesses—is part of Panasonic’s efforts to eliminate overlapping areas since its 2009 purchase of Sanyo. For Haier, the acquisition of Sanyo’s businesses will help it move a step closer to becoming a globally recognized quality appliance brand like Whirlpool or Electrolux.

Haier Group will have the rights to use the Sanyo brand name on washing machines, refrigerators, air-conditioners, TVs, and other consumer appliances in Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia under the SANYO brand for a limited, but unspecified, period of time.

The acquisition of the Sanyo businesses is “an important part of Haier’s overall growth strategy,” said Haier Vice President Du Jingguo in a statement released Thursday.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Haier has said previously it was looking at overseas acquisitions to grow. President Yang Mianmian told Dow Jones Newswires in March it would look at opportunities that arise.

The Chinese firm previously held talks with General Electric Co. in 2008 to buy the U.S. firm’s appliance unit. Before the talks with GE, Haier made an unsuccessful bid for Maytag Corp. in 2004 but lost out to Whirlpool Corp.

Haier holds more than 6% of the world’s white-goods market.

Filed Under: Dishwasher, Dryers, Features, Gas Range, Household, Kitchen, Laundry, News, Oven, Ranges Ovens and Cooktops, Refrigerators and Freezers, Washing Machine Tagged With: Haier, Haier appliances, Haier Buying Sanyo, Sanyo, Sanyo appliances

Save Money on New Appliances and Help the World Too

August 16, 2011 By NightOwl

We can all use a little help these days. If your budget cuts have you rethinking how to replace an aging appliance, GE offers a solution that lets you buy a new appliance while helping others. At the online GE outlet store, with any purchase of one of their discontinued, closeout or overstock appliances (which includes standard GE warranty and free delivery) they will donate 2% of the price to the United Way.

They have just about every appliance you could need – from refrigerators, and washers to trash compactors and range hoods. The supply and variety varies, with more choices in the larger kitchen appliances than others. The savings also vary. At last look, you could save $200 -$500 on a refrigerator, but just around $20 on a ventilation hood.

It would also be a good resource if you are trying to match older GE Appliances already in your kitchen.

Filed Under: Dishwasher, Dryers, Features, Gas Range, Household, Kitchen, Laundry, Microwave Oven, News, Oven, Ranges Ovens and Cooktops, Refrigerators and Freezers, Shopping, Washing Machine, _ Tips Tagged With: GE appliances, GE outlet store, new appliances, united way

How an Evaporative Cooler Works

August 12, 2011 By NightOwl

If you have ever enjoyed a breeze on a too hot day as it cools your skin, you felt as Ben Franklin did back in 1750, when he changed out of damp clothes and into dry ones on a 100+ day. He noted that he was cooler in the damp clothes and realized that the warm breeze in the room was not cooling him, but rather, his sweaty clothes. Not an attractive thought, but one that led him to experiment by wetting the bulb of a thermometer with spirits that evaporated quicker than water, and then blowing air across it. He managed to bring the temperature down so far that ice froze on the bulb.

An evaporative cooler, also known as a swamp cooler works on this principle. It is essentially a large fan with water-moistened pads in front of it. The fan draws warm outside air through the pads and blows the now-cooled air throughout the house. The pads can be made of wood shavings – wood from aspen trees is a traditional choice – or other materials that absorb and hold moisture while resisting mildew.

Small distribution lines supply water to the top of the pads. Water soaks the pads and, thanks to gravity, trickles through them to collect in a sump at the bottom of the cooler. A small recirculating water pump sends the collected water back to the top of the pads.

Since water is continually lost through evaporation, a float valve – much like the one that controls the water in a toilet tank – adds water to the sump when the level gets low. Under normal conditions, a swamp cooler can use between 3 to 15 gallons of water a day.

A large fan draws air through the pads, where evaporation drops the temperature approximately 20 degrees. The fan then blows this cooled air into the house.

Here’s a little lesson to help determine if a swamp cooler will cool your house enough:

Wet and Dry Bulb Temperature

To predict how much a swamp cooler will cool the air, you need to know the wet and dry bulb temperature. The dry bulb is easy — it’s just the regular temperature of the air. The wet bulb temperature tells you what the air temperature would be at 100 percent humidity, and it’s measured with a thermometer covered with a wet cloth sock and exposed to airflow.

The wet bulb temperature is always lower than the dry bulb temperature, and the difference between the two is the wet bulb depression. Depending how efficient your swamp cooler is, it can bring the temperature down as much as 95 percent of the wet bulb depression. Imagine you and your evaporative cooler are in Las Vegas, and it’s 108 degrees outside with a wet bulb temperature of 66 degrees. A swamp cooler operating at 85 percent efficiency can bring the temperature down to a nice, cool 72.3 degrees, right in the human comfort zone.

Unfortunately, evaporative air coolers don’t work everywhere. Swamps, for instance, are lousy places for swamp coolers. It’s not entirely clear where they got the nickname, but it probably refers to the humidity they add to the air or the swampy smell that can develop when they aren’t cleaned often enough. In order to work, they need a hot, dry climate. In the U.S., swamp coolers work well in the arid southwest.

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household Tagged With: Evaporative cooler, how a swamp cooler works, How an Evaporative Cooler Works, swamp cooler

Portable Air Conditioners and Evaporative Coolers

August 8, 2011 By NightOwl

Now that August is here and we have all had a chance to experience the heat of summer, I have a question – have any readers used a portable air conditioner? Not the fixed models that mount in the window, but the free-standing style that sit in the middle of a room with a tube that allows it to vent outdoors. How about a Swamp, or Evaporative cooler?

The efficacy of the air conditioners seems doubtful to me. Do they have the power to cool a room when at the same time they are producing so much energy (that’s heat!) to run the motor?

Many years ago, my in-laws had what we called a swamp cooler. It was also free-standing and worked by blowing air over water soaked pads. The air that came into the room was cooled as it passed through the pads. It did a great job of cooling one room in hot Southern California where, although the room did seem damp, it was pleasant.

These appliances are the same size and relative cost to buy, but the cooler uses up to 75% less energy to run.

Filed Under: Features, Heating and Cooling, Household Tagged With: Evaporative cooler, Evaporative cooler info, Portable Air Conditioner info, Portable Air Conditioner question, Portable Air Conditioners, Portable Air Conditioners and Evaporative Coolers

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