With temperatures rising across the U.S., many folks are getting ready to dust off their grills, break out their patio furniture, and get their pools heated and ready for swimming. Unfortunately, if you’re using one particular device in your backyard, your swimming season might be cut short this year—and you may be at risk for a serious injury, too. Read on to discover if you should be getting ready to ditch this backyard staple now. And for more summer safety hazards to steer clear of, This Ice Cream Brand Just Recalled 100 of Its Products.
Pentair Water Pool and Spa is recalling 16 of its pool heater models.
Shutterstock/Ipek MorelOn April 28, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall of more than 4,700 StaRite and Mastertemp pool heaters sold in the U.S. and Canada. The affected pool heaters include the HTR 250 Mastertemp LP, HTR 250 Mastertemp NA, HTR 300 Mastertemp NA, HTR 400 Mastertemp ND, HTR 400 Mastertemp LP, HTR 400 Mastertemp NA, HTR 400NG Mastertemp HD Asme, HTR MT 250LP Special Packing EC, HTR MT 250NA Special Packing EC, HTR MT 400LP Special Packing EC, Pool Htr 33K LP, Pool Htr 33K Nat Gas, Pool Htr 400K LP, Pool Htr 400K Nat Gas, Pool Htr HD 200K NA, and Pool HTR HD 333K NA models.
The recalled pool heaters were produced between Dec. 22, 2020 and Jan. 6, 2021. This information, along with the device’s model number, is located on a sticker affixed to the recalled pool heaters, which also bears the device’s serial number. And for the latest health and safety news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The recalled pool heaters may present a serious safety risk.
Shutterstock / GirlgirlAccording to the recall notice, the affected pool heaters could present a fire risk to individuals who have them. A faulty connection within the recalled heaters “can leak the combustible air-gas mixture, posing a fire hazard,” the CPSC explains.
Faulty pool heaters have been responsible for major damage in the past. In 2013, an employee at a Sport Chalet store in La Cañada Flintridge, California, was seriously injured when a pool heater inside the sporting goods store exploded following a gas leak, the Los Angeles Times reports. At the time of the recall, no injuries associated with the recalled Pentair pool heaters had been reported.
The devices can be repaired.
Shutterstock/B LedgerIf you have any of the recalled pool heaters in your home, the CPSC urges you to stop using them immediately. Customers can contact Pentair Water Pool and Spa at 800-831-7133 between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on weekdays to initiate a repair, or visit the Pentair website’s pool heaters page, and click the "Additional Resources" section. And if you want to protect yourself, know that The CDC Is Warning You Not to Eat Anything Made by This Company.
These aren’t the only major pool heater recalls this year.
Shutterstock/lllapasThis isn’t the first time a popular pool heater has been pulled from the market in 2021. In early April, Fluidra Group Australia announced the recall of its model number 200 and 400 ICI Natural & LPG Gas Heaters and its model number 250, 350, and 450 Viron eVo Natural & LPG Gas Heaters due to a similar defect. The recalled heaters, which were sold between Dec. 1, 2012 and Oct. 26, 2020, were available for purchase both in Australia and overseas.
The company noted that a defect in the heater’s motor may allow water into its mechanism. “This may result in overheating and sparking in the relays and lead to the plastic casing of the ignition module catching fire,” as well as potentially turning the heater on when it’s switched to an off position, the recall notice explains. Individuals in possession of those heaters can contact anz.productrecall@fluidra.com or visit the AstralPools recall site for more information. And for more safety hazards to avoid, If You're Using This to Make Coffee, Stop Immediately, Experts Warn.
