Home Improvement Books
CPSC Recall #11-701 — September 30, 2010
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 11-701 |
| Recall Date | September 30, 2010 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | About 540,000 (About 951,000 home improvement books with similar faulty wiring instructions were recalled in January 2010) |
| Manufacturer | Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, Ala. |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Where It Was Sold
| Home improvement stores and bookstores nationwide from 1955 through December 2005 for between $5 and $20. |
Product
Home Improvement Books
Description
The recall involves the following 17 home improvement books. These titles are out of print and were last sold by retailers in 2005. However, they are likely still on bookshelves in consumers' homes.TitleISBN-10ISBN-13Publication DateFix-It Maps: Replacing Switches and Receptacles0-376-07007-2978-0-376-07007-4January 2000Southern Living Basic Home Repairs0-376-09052-9978-0-376-09052-2January 1999Southern Living Basic Wiring (2nd Ed.)Southern Living Basic Home Wiring Illustrated (1st Ed.)0-376-09054-50-376-09041-3978-0-376-09054-6978-0-376-0-90416January 1999June 1992Southern Living Bathrooms Planning & Remodeling0-376-09055-3978-0-376-09055-3January 1999Southern Living Home Lighting0-376-09062-6978-0-376-09062-1January 1999Southern Living Kitchens Planning & Remodeling0-376-09067-7978-0-376-09067-6January 2000Sunset Basic Wiring (3rd Ed.)Sunset Basic Home Wiring Illustrated (1st & 2nd Ed.)0-376-01584-50-376-01095-90-376-01092-4978-0-376-01584-6978-0-376-01095-7978-0-376-01092-6March 199519871977Southern Living Complete Patio0-376-09081-20-376-09044-8978-0-376-09081-2978-0-376-09044-7January 2000September 1992Sunset Bathrooms Planning & Remodeling0-376-01329-X0-376-01294-30-376-01293-50-376-01326-50-376-01323-00-376-01322-20-376-01321-4978-0-376-01329-3978-0-376-01294-4978-0-376-01293-7978-0-376-01326-2978-0-376-01323-1978-0-376-01322-4978-0-376-01321-7January 2000April 1994October 1983September 1980197519691963Sunset Home Lighting0-376-01308-7978-0-376-01308-8January 1998Sunset Home Lighting Handbook0-376-01313-30-376-01312-5978-0-376-01313-2978-0-376-01312-5May 1988October 1982Sunset Home Remodeling Illustrated0-376-01288-9978-0-376-01288-3September 1987Sunset Kitchens Planning & Remodeling0-376-01347-80-376-01346-X0-376-01345-10-376-01335-40-376-01334-60-376-01333-8Not AvailableNot Available978-0-376-01347-7978-0-376-01346-0978-0-376-01345-3978-0-376-01335-4978-0-376-01334-7978-0-376-01333-0Not AvailableNot AvailableJanuary 2000April 1994October 198319761974196719621955Sunset Basic Home Repair Handbook (HC edition)0-376-01275-7978-0-376-01275-3August 1987
Hazard
The books contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
None reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using these books and contact Oxmoor House for a full refund.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.