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We Have a Winner- Kid’s Poster Contest on Carbon Monoxide Safety

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sponsored a nationwide carbon monoxide (CO) safety poster contest to help raise awareness about the dangers of CO in the home. Possible topics for posters included: recognizing CO exposure and CO exposure symptoms; the inability to see or smell CO; steps to protect against CO poisoning; and installation and testing of a CO alarm.

This contest was open to all middle school age children in grades 6, 7 and 8.

Carbon monoxide is called the “Invisible Killer” because it can’t be seen or smelled. It can kill its victims quickly. Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm in your home?

How Deadly CO Gets Into a Home:

* Running a portable generator in an enclosed space, basement or living area
* Running a car in an attached garage
* Poorly operating fuel-burning appliances or faulty ventilation
* Burning charcoal inside your home

“Congratulations to all the winners of CPSC’s carbon monoxide poster contest,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “We heard from middle school teachers that their students not only had fun creating the posters but also learned about the dangers of carbon monoxide. Our staff had a real challenge choosing the winners because there were so many terrific entries.”

CPSC received nearly 450 entries from 6th, 7th and 8th grade students across the nation. The contest is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide in the home. CPSC estimates there were 184 unintentional non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with consumer products each year from 2005 to 2007.

Trachell from Hawaii, whose poster is pictured above, was the grand prize winner.

Here are some other winning entries:

Recall: Sunbeam Products Wine Openers Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: Wine Bottle Openers

Units: About 159,000

Distributor: Sunbeam Products Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla.

Retailer: QVC, of West Chester, Pa.

Hazard: The wine bottles can break when opened with the recalled opener, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Sunbeam has received 52 reports of wine bottles breaking while the opener was being used on them, including 22 reports of injuries. Injuries include lacerations to the hands.

Description: This recall involves the “skybar™ Air Pump Wine Opener” model number NBSKWA2600. The wine bottle opener was sold as a four piece set in the following colors: gray, blue, red or silver and black-colored with a black storage box. “skybar” is printed on the side of the wine bottle opener. Model number NBSKWA2600 is printed on the bottom of the wine bottle opener.

Sold at: QVC retail and employees stores nationwide, QVC’s televised shopping programs, and online at www.qvc.com and www.skybarhome.com from November 2010 through December 2010 for between $30 and $60.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled wine bottle openers. Consumers who purchased the wine bottle openers at a QVC store should return them to any QVC store for a full refund. Consumers who purchased the wine bottle openers through QVC’s televised shopping programs or at www.qvc.com were mailed instructions for obtaining a refund. Purchasers who have not received the mailed instructions should contact QVC. If the wine openers were not purchased through QVC, contact Sunbeam for instructions to obtain a full refund.

Consumer Contact: Contact QVC at (800) 367-9444 between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. ET daily or visit the firm’s website at www.qvc.com. Consumers can also contact Sunbeam toll-free at (888) 759-2279 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.skybarhome.com

 

Recall: Sanus Elements Surge Protectors by Milestone AV Technologies Due to Shock Hazard

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Name of Product: Low-profile power conditioners/surge protectors

Units: About 2,500

Importer: Milestone AV Technologies LLC, of Savage, Minn.

Manufacturer: Rite-Tech Industrial Co., Ltd., of Taiwan

Hazard: Improper grounding of the case and inadequate insulation for the circuit breaker poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall involves all Sanus Elements model ELM205 low-profile power conditioners or surge protectors. SANUS ELEMENTS is printed on the front of the unit and the model number is printed near the UL logo on the back.

Sold by: Independent home theater dealers from June 2009 through December 2010 for about $90.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Milestone for a replacement product or refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Milestone toll-free at (877) 894-6280 between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Saturday and Sunday, or visit the firm’s website at www.milestone.com/recall

How to Load a Dishwasher

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The proper way to load the dishwasher. Husbands and wives have been debating technique for years, roommates have had thoughts of moving out because of it. Some procedures, like careful placement, do guarantee that dishes are cleaned properly and emerge unscathed, dishwasher intact. We’ll let Consumer Reports step in with their official stance –

Here is the proper way to load your dishwasher:
* Skip pre-rinsing, a real water waster, but do scrape off food.
* Load large items at the side and back. Otherwise they’ll block water and detergent.
* Place the dirtier side of dish toward the center of machine, allowing for more exposure to the spray. Dishes shouldn’t rest against each other, or water won’t reach all surfaces.
* Put dishwasher-safe plastic and delicate items on the top rack.
* Rest glasses on prongs to prevent breakage and water from accumulating in them.
* Load forks and spoons with handles down, but place knives handles up. If your dishwasher has an open basket, mix flatware to prevent pieces from sticking together.
* Place items with baked-on food facedown and toward the sprayer in bottom rack.
* Avoid putting brass, bronze, cast-iron, wood, or gold leaf china in the machine.

 
To keep china from chipping, don’t allow dishes to touch other items, especially pots and pans. If you decide to hand wash your fine china and porcelain, line your sink with an old towel to prevent chipping and use a mild dish detergent.

Recall: Liebherr Built-In Refrigerators Due to Injury Hazard; Door Can Detach

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Name of Product: Liebherr Built-In 30-Inch Wide Bottom Freezer Refrigerators

Units: About 5,702 units

Importer: Liebherr-Canada Ltd of Ontario, of Canada

Manufacturer: Liebherr-Hausgeraete Lienz GmbH, of Austria

Hazard: The refrigerator’s door can detach, posing an injury hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Liebherr has received ten reports of doors detaching. No injuries reported.

Description: This recall involves Liebherr built-in 30-inch wide bottom freezer refrigerators with model and index numbers listed below. The refrigerators were sold individually or as side-by-side companion units. The refrigerators come in stainless steel and various custom finishes and are built into the kitchen cabinetry. “Liebherr” is written on the top interior control panel. The model number can be found on a label located behind the bottom drawer on the left interior side of the single door refrigerator.

Model Number Index Number
C 1600
16 / 137
16A / 137
C 1601
15 / 237
15A / 237
15B / 237
15F / 237
15G / 237
16 / 237
16A / 237
CI 1600
15G / 137
16 / 137
16A / 137
CI 1601
15 / 237
15A / 237
15B / 237
15F / 237
15G / 237
16 / 237
16A / 237
C 1650
15 / 137
15A / 137
15B / 137
15C / 137
15D / 137
15H / 137
15I / 137
16 / 137
16A / 137
16B / 137
C 1651
15A / 237
15B / 237
15C / 237
15D / 237
15H / 237
15I / 237
16 / 237
16A / 237
16B / 237
CI 1650
15 / 137
15A / 137
15B / 137
15C / 137
15D / 137
15H / 137
15I / 137
16 / 137
16A / 137
16B / 137
CI 1651
15A / 237
15B / 237
15C / 237
15D / 237
15H / 237
15I / 237
16 / 237
16A / 237
16B / 237
CI 1700
14A / 137

Sold by: Appliance and specialty retailers nationwide from February 2004 through January 2011 for between $4,400 and $5,000.

Manufactured in: Austria

Remedy: Consumers with recalled refrigerators should contact Liebherr immediately to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should check their refrigerator immediately to see whether the door hinge pin has become loose as indicated by a popped up hinge pin at the top or bottom. If the hinge has not become loose and the door is functioning properly, consumers may continue to use the refrigerator until it is repaired.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Liebherr toll-free at (877) 337-2653 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT or visit Liebherr’s website at www.liebherr.us

Recall: Burlington Coat Factory Slow Cookers Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: Slow Cooker

Units: About 7,460

Retailer: Burlington Coat Factory, of Burlington, N.J.

Importer/Distributor: Lehrhoff ABL, of Carlstadt, N.J.

Hazard: The slow cooker’s control panel can overheat and melt, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The manufacturer has received 60 reports of the control panels smoking, melting and sparking, and three reports of panels catching fire. Fourteen incidents resulted in minor damage to countertops. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Bella Kitchen 5-quart programmable slow cookers. The slow cookers are black with “Bella Kitchen” printed on the control panel. Only slow cookers with model number WJ-5000DE and date codes 0907 or 0909 are included in this recall. The model number and the four-digit date code are printed on a label on the underside of the product.

Sold at: Burlington Coat Factory stores from June 2010 through December 2010 for $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the slow cooker immediately, unplug it and return the slow cooker to Burlington Coat Factory for a full refund or store credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Burlington Coat Factory toll-free at (888) 223-2628 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com

The Way to a Woman’s Heart is Through the Kitchen – Yours!

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Hey guys – if your Valentine’s Day didn’t turn out as planned you may want to consider wooing your girl with a new kitchen.
The way to a woman’s heart is through your kitchen, according to the research by luxury appliance brand Thermador.

Its survey showed that 83 percent women fall for suitors with a luxury kitchen in their bachelor’s pad. Just 17 percent women go for guys with a fancy car in their garage.

Red convertibles may impress your friends, but they won’t make your Valentine’s heart race and cheeks flush like a top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen, said the luxury appliance maker on the findings of its survey.

In fact, 61 percent of women said a beautiful kitchen would better help them decide whether to ‘heat things up’ in a relationship than a romantic bedroom (38 percent ) or flashy garage (1 percent),” said the statement.

Steve Preiner, director of marketing for Thermador, said, ‘Not only is a well-designed and outfitted kitchen a great way to impress your date, it will also help strengthen your home’s resale value. ‘You can knock thousands of dollars off the value of a new car as soon as you drive it out of the dealership, but investing in a beautiful kitchen with quality appliances will only increase the beauty and the value of your home.”

If you are looking for a first date to turn into a second, then renovating your kitchen and installing luxury handcrafted appliances is the way to go, according to the survey.

But having an impressive kitchen is only part of the story, said the survey, adding that a lover also needs to be a good cook to impress his girl.

Forty-six percent women ‘swoon over men who can cook” and 44 percent over ‘who are fit, ” according to the survey findings.

Just one percent women are impressed by the guys who drive nice cars.

Electrolux Still Entertaining Daewoo Purchase

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Electrolux may be behind your next Daewoo purchase.

Electrolux is interested in buying Daewoo Electronics Corp. should the takeover of the bankrupt South Korean appliance maker by an Iranian rival fall through, Chief Executive Officer Keith McLoughlin said.

According to businessweek.com, creditors of Daewoo Electronics last year agreed to an offer from Entekhab Industrial Group over a competing one from Electrolux. Lenders have since extended the deadline for Entekhab to pay the 471.5 billion won ($420 million) price tag until April 7. Daewoo Electronics had sales of 1.13 trillion won in 2009, according to the latest available regulatory filing.

“If they come back to us, we’ll certainly talk to them,” McLoughlin said in a Feb. 17 interview at the Stockholm-based company’s headquarters. “They knew we were interested, and we’re still interested. If the phone rings, we’ll answer it.”

McLoughlin, who took the helm at the world’s second-biggest home appliance maker at the start of this year, said talks are under way with “more than a couple” potential takeover targets. These may include companies that make air conditioners and other “adjacent products” to Electrolux’s vacuum cleaners, washing machines and refrigerators, he said.

Recall: Remote Control Systems by Niles Audio Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: Remote control systems for entertainment electronics

Units: About 4,160

Manufacturer: Niles Audio Corp., of Miami, Fla.

Hazard: If the battery falls from the remote control during handling, it can rupture and smoke or ignite, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The company has received four reports of batteries falling from the remote control system during handling; one of the batteries ignited and singed a carpet and the other three smoked.

Description: This recall involves the Niles iRemoteTS and iC2 remote control systems. These are wireless remote control devices that are designed to operate audio, video and home theater systems from a single remote control. The iRemoteTS measures 5.4 by 6.2 by 1.25 inches. The Niles logo is featured in the top-left corner of the unit. The iC2 measures 5.2 by 3 by 7.5 inches. “iC2” and the Niles logo are printed on the front of the unit.

Sold at: Authorized dealers and distributors of audio/video equipment between January 2008 and September 2010 for about $1,300 for the iRemoteTS and $1,000 for the iC2.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact Niles Audio to schedule an in-home repair to receive a replacement battery and a more secure battery cover. Consumers should not attempt to open the battery compartment. Niles Audio is directly contacting consumers who purchased the recalled remote control systems.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Niles Audio at (800) 667-3991 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.nilesaudio.com/recall

Recall: Sno-Tek Snow Blowers by Liquid Combustion Technology Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: Sno-Tek snow blowers

Units: About 1,500 in the U.S. and 300 in Canada

Importer: Liquid Combustion Technology, LLC (LCT), of Travelers Rest, S.C.

Manufacturer: Ariens, of Brillion, Wis.

Hazard: The snow blower’s engine is missing a safety shield above the side mounted electric starter, posing a laceration hazard to consumer’s fingers.

Injuries/Incidents: None reported.

Description: The recalled snow blowers have a LCT StormForce engine with “Sno-Tek” printed across a metal handlebar plate. Snow blowers with model numbers 920402 and 920403 and UPC codes 5105803094 and 5105803095 are included in this recall. Only snow blowers with engine model number PW1HK18650781DE-ABGOQUVE1M with serial numbers ranging from 1065H04008325A through 1065H04012104A are affected by this recall. The product model number and UPC codes are printed on a label attached to the outside of the gear box near the left wheel.

Sold at: Home Depot and Ariens authorized dealers nationwide and HD.com in Canada from August 2010 through September 2010 for between about $700 and $800.

Manufactured in: Snow blower in United States, engine in China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these snow blowers and contact LCT for a free repair kit and installation instructions or return them to an authorized LCT service center location for a free repair. LCT’s Service Network toll free number is (800) 558-5402

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact LCT at (800) 552-8094 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.LCTUSA.com

Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1275