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Waterwick whole house humidifiers

CPSC Recall #95-146 — July 17, 1995

Recall Summary

Recall Number95-146
Recall DateJuly 17, 1995
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedApproximately 400,000
ManufacturerBemis Manufacturing Co. of Sheboygan Falls, Wisc.

Product

Waterwick whole house humidifiers

Description

Applies only to units sold before July 18, 1995 WASHINGTON, D.C. - CPSC, Bemis Manufacturing Co. of Sheboygan Falls, Wisc., is announcing a recall to upgrade the safety of approximately 400,000 Waterwick whole house humidifiers. Two electrical switches on the humidifier can overheat and possibly catch fire if cleaning, descaling, and disinfecting solutions are misapplied directly onto the unit's electrical controls. Consumers should stop using the humidifiers and call Essick Air Products (which bought Bemis Mfg.) at 800-547-3888 between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm CT, Monday through Friday. Essick will arrange for a free pickup and repair of the humidifiers. To promote consumer participation in this safety upgrade program, a free two-stage Air-Care air filter with each upgraded unit will be included. In addition, the upgraded unit will have its warranty extended for 12 months. This recall program involves only Waterwick whole house (10-12 gallon per day capacity) humidifiers, which have been sold nationwide and in Canada since 1990 at hardware and home supply stores. The humidifiers come in a variety of colors and styles. The control panel in the upper right hand corner of the grill has two control knobs and is labeled in part, "BEMIS WATERWICK." Two 2.6-gallon or greater capacity white water bottles fit inside the humidifier's cabinet. Recalled humidifiers can be identified by the following model numbers located on the large white Underwriters Laboratories (UL) sticker on the back side of the humidifier: 4261 4262 4273 4362 4363 6974 4363CN 4371 4963 4971 4973 6964 6964CN 4261CN Bemis voluntarily brought this hazard to CPSC's attention and developed a corrective action plan. Bemis is aware of five reports of humidifiers overheating; however, the company and CPSC are not aware of any injuries. In 2004, Bemis Manufacturing Co. sold its humidifier business to Essick Air Products. Essick will continue to honor the terms of the recall. Consumers can contact Essick at 1-800-547-3888 between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm CT, Monday through Friday.

Hazard

Two electrical switches on the humidifier can overheat and possibly catch fire if cleaning, descaling, and disinfecting solutions are misapplied directly onto the unit's electrical controls.

Incidents & Injuries

Bemis is aware of five reports of humidifiers overheating; however, the company and CPSC are not aware of any injuries.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the humidifiers and call Essick Air Products (which bought Bemis Mfg.) at 800-547-3888 between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm CT, Monday through Friday. Essick will arrange for a free pickup and repair of the humidifiers.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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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 (Repair) 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.

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