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Name of Product: Char-Broil Two-Burner Gas Grills Model 463720108
Units: About 400
Importer: Char-Broil LLC, of Columbus, Ga.
Manufacturer: Shenzhen Jinwoniu Trading Company LTD, China
Hazard: On the recalled grills, the main burner does not fit correctly and does not connect properly to the gas valve which could result in a propane leak. This poses fire and burn hazards [...]

Name of Product: Shindaiwa Backpack Blowers
Units: About 23,000
Importer: Shindaiwa Corp., of Tualatin, Ore
Manufacturer: Shindaiwa Kogyo Co. Ltd, of Hiroshima, Japan
Hazard: The blower’s impeller (fan) can separate from the base and break apart, causing plastic pieces to be blown out of the machine, and pose a laceration and impact hazard to consumers. The flying [...]

Name of Product: FireX Branded 10000 Series Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms and 12000 Series CO/Smoke Combo Alarms
Units: About 280,000
Manufacturer: Maple Chase Company, of Plain City, Ohio
Hazard: The recalled alarms can sound a “double chirp”/fault alarm in the presence of CO, prior to going into full alarm. Upon hearing a double chirp, the [...]

If you are lucky, you rarely need to pay much attention to the appliances that run, some of them 24 hours a day, in your home. But to keep everything trouble free, it’s good to follow some basic guidelines for care and safety when using or installing appliances in your home. Handymanclub.com offers some [...]

Fisher & Paykel, the New Zealand appliance manufacturer well known for it’s dishwasher drawers and washing machines is consolidating it’s manufacturing and moving to Reynosa, Mexico, just south of the U.S. border.
The range and DishDrawer factory in Dunedin, New Zealand, the refrigeration plant in Brisbane, Australia and the DCS manufacturing plant in Huntington Beach will [...]

From the East Valley Tribune in Phoenix, Arizona:
A Pinal County jury on Thursday handed down a huge civil award to a family whose two boys were badly burned in a fire apparently caused by a faulty stove.
The manufacturer, Electrolux Home Products, was ordered to pay the Kavu family of Stanfield $43.1 million.
“They’re just elated,” said [...]

Name of Product: Serenity Spa Hot Tubs
Units: About 1,670
Manufacturer: Gecko Alliance of Quebec, Canada
Hazard: The hot tub’s spa control can overheat, posing a fire hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Gecko Alliance has received 28 reports of the spa control overheating, including one incident of damage to spa equipment. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves the Hydropool Serenity [...]

Whether you are installing a new dryer, relocating an old one, or just looking to remind yourself of some basic household safety guidelines, you can clickon our link to The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers(AHAM) handbook on dryer care and safety.
You can read about:

Proper installation materials and how to use them
How to clean and maintain [...]

Name of Product: Toggle Switches and Rotary Switches
Units: About 19,000
Distributor/Importer: Disconnects of Florida Corp., of Tampa, Fla.
Manufacturer: Ensto Control Oy, of Finland
Hazard: When switched OFF, one electrical pole may remain energized, posing a risk of electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Ensto Control Oy has received 13 reports of the switches not functioning properly. [...]

Microwaves are so common a household appliance and have been in homes for so many years, most of us can’t remember a time when we weren’t “zapping” our food. Still, using an appliance daily, we can get careless with how we use it. These guidelines can help you “zap” safely.
Cookware, containers and wraps
Only [...]

Smoke alarms are proven life savers. There are more than 300,000 residential fires every year, so when there is a fire, smoke alarms buy families valuable escape time.
Unfortunately, about two-thirds of fire deaths take place in homes with no smoke alarms or with non-working smoke alarms. The most common reasons why [...]

Name of Product: Hamilton Beach® and Proctor-Silex® Toasters
Units: About 482,000
Importer: Hamilton Beach Brands Inc., of Glen Allen, Va.
Hazard: The toasters can remain “on” (energized) after popping up, and can ignite flammable items covering or in contact with the toaster, posing a fire hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: Hamilton Beach has received at least 63 reports of [...]

Name of Product: Strike Force™ Portable Air Compressors
Units: About 64,000
Supplier: All-Power America, of City of Industry, Calif.
Importer: Advance Stores Co., d.b.a. Advance Auto Parts, of Roanoke, Va.
Hazard: The compressor’s motor can overheat and ignite the protective cover, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Also, the cover might not prevent internal components from [...]

Next time you pop one of those convenient bags of microwave popcorn, put the bag on a plate first.  The bottom of the bag can become so hot that it can crack the glass tray inside the oven.  Another good suggestion for popcorn and other foods is to place the food off center on the [...]

Carbon monoxide is a silent, odorless killer. As a household dweller, you are responsible for preventing the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) from harming you or your loved ones. Many household appliances emit CO, or can if they are not functioning properly.
Carbon monoxide is produced whenever fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, [...]

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but special care must be taken when cooking or reheating meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to make sure they are prepared safely. Microwave ovens can cook unevenly and leave “cold spots,” where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to use the following [...]

Kenmore unveiled the addition of crisper drawers with Microban antimicrobial product protection in new Kenmore refrigerators. Featuring Microban antimicrobial technology, the new crisper drawer will remain fresh longer between cleanings. In new Kenmore refrigeration models, the crisper drawer is infused with Microban antimicrobial protection to continuously inhibit the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria. The [...]

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but special care must be taken when cooking or reheating meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to make sure they are prepared safely. Microwave ovens can cook unevenly and leave “cold spots,” where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to use the following [...]

Name of Product: Portable Electric Heaters
Units: About 152,000
Importer/Distributor: Aloha Housewares Inc., of Arlington, Texas
Hazard: The portable electric heater can overheat and melt plastic parts, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Aloha Housewares has received 29 reports of the heaters melting, smoking or catching fire, including 18 reports of property damage. One consumer reported minor burns [...]

We may be halfway through the winter, but it’s never to late to check your furnace for safety and efficiency. Following some basic routine maintenance is one of the easiest ways to save money and hassles with your heating, and will also help with the air quality in your home. You can schedule [...]

Freezing food is a great way to save both time and money.  Many time managers suggest cooking only one or two days a week, making double amounts, and freezing the rest for future meals.  I love to bake and my family can’t always eat all the bread or cookies that I’ve made - enter my free [...]

This may stretch the appliance theme a bit, but since so many of us are switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to save energy, I think it is worth sharing. According to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld at Parade Magazine, new research suggests some dangers:
Flickering bulbs have been reported to precipitate migraines or even seizures, though manufacturers [...]

Name of Product: Crafters Square Hot Melt Mini Glue Guns
Units: About 253,000
Retailer: Dollar Tree Stores Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.
Importer: Greenbrier International Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.
Hazard: The recalled glue guns can short circuit, causing the gun to smoke and catch fire. This poses fire, burn and shock hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Dollar Tree is aware of seven [...]

Name of Product: Intermatic DT27 Digital Self-Adjusting Timers
Units: 8,500
Importer: Intermatic Inc., of Spring Grove, Ill.
Manufacturer: Ewig Industries Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd., of Macau, China
Hazard: The recalled timers could have been wired incorrectly, which poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves the Intermatic DT27 digital self-adjusting timer with a date code [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a warning to consumers confronted with severe winter weather. When there’s a power outage, exercise caution when using portable generators.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible killer. You can’t see or smell it. A generator’s exhaust contains poisonous CO which can kill you in a [...]