40-80,000 BTU Portable Propane Convection Heaters
CPSC Recall #06-080 — January 31, 2006
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 06-080 |
| Recall Date | January 31, 2006 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 54,500 |
| Importer | DESA Heating Products, of Bowling Green, Ky. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Home centers and hardware stores nationwide from August 2005 through December 2005 for between $100 and $130. |
Product
40-80,000 BTU Portable Propane Convection Heaters
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), DESA Heating Products, of Bowling Green, Ky. is recalling about 54,500 ΓÇ£40-80,000 BTU Portable Propane Convection HeatersΓÇ¥. The burners on these heaters can “flashback”, which is when fire burns inside the burner tube rather than out the end. This can cause the lower portion of the burner tube to get hot enough to ignite combustible material under the heater.Name of Product: 40-80,000 BTU Portable Propane Convection HeatersUnits: About 54,500Importers: DESA Heating Products, of Bowling Green, Ky.Hazard: The burners on these heaters can "flashback", which is when fire burns inside the burner tube rather than out the end. This can cause the lower portion of the burner tube to get hot enough to ignite combustible material under the heater.Incidents/Injuries: DESA has received 40 reports of incidents possibly caused by the flashback hazard, including six reports of fires. The other 34 reported incidents involved minor property damage, including scorching of the flooring under the heater. There have been no reports of injury.Description: DESA 40-80,000 BTU Portable Propane Convection Heaters generate from 40,000 to 80,000 BTUs an hour. The following model names and number are involved in this recall: Reddy Heater (RCP80VC), All-Pro (SPC-80CC), MASTER (TC80VC), Universal (80-CC), and Dayton (6BY73). These heaters have serial numbers between 017390000 and 017632220. The model and serial numbers are on the carton and on labels attached to the heater. The designation "Made in China" is on the carton and model label attached to the heater.Sold at: Home centers and hardware stores nationwide from August 2005 through December 2005 for between $100 and $130.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should stop using this heater immediately. The firm is out of business. A remedy is no longer available. Consumers should discard the product.
Hazard
The burners on these heaters can "flashback", which is when fire burns inside the burner tube rather than out the end. This can cause the lower portion of the burner tube to get hot enough to ignite combustible material under the heater.
Incidents & Injuries
DESA has received 40 reports of incidents possibly caused by the flashback hazard, including six reports of fires. The other 34 reported incidents involved minor property damage, including scorching of the flooring under the heater. There have been no reports of injury.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using this heater immediately. The firm is out of business. A remedy is no longer available. Consumers should discard the product.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.