There's a good chance you rely on Home Depot and Costco purchases to make improvements around your home. After all, the stores are full of a wide variety of appliances that cover everything from washing your clothes to keeping your house clean. However, you may want to check to see whether you've purchased one item from the popular stores, as it's being recalled after it was tragically linked to a death. Read on to see which appliance could be putting you in harm's way right now.
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Certain models of Royal Sovereign portable air conditioners are being recalled.
Shutterstock/New AfricaOn Dec. 22, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recall of about 33,570 Royal Sovereign portable air conditioners. Several product models are affected, including PAC-3012, PAC-3012 RB, ARP-3012, ARP-3012 KIT, ARP-3012S, ARP-3014, and ARP-3014 SC. Customers can locate the model number printed on the nameplate sticker located on the back of the appliances.
The portable air conditions pose a potential fire and burn hazard to customers.
ShutterstockAccording to the CPSC's notice, the recall was issued when it was discovered that a "faulty drain motor in the air conditioners can ignite the plastic enclosure of the unit, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers and risk of serious injury or death." Unfortunately, there have been 11 reports of the units catching fire or smoking, resulting in over $1 million in property damage and two injuries. Tragically, one death was also reported as the result of smoke inhalation after one of the portable air conditioners caught fire.
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The recalled units were sold on Amazon and in Home Depot, Costco, Sears, and other stores.
ShutterstockThe CPSC notes that the recalled air conditioners were sold online on Amazon, as well in Sears, Costco, Home Depot, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Best Buy stores nationwide from March 2008 through August 2014. The units retailed for about $290.
If you have one of the appliances, you should stop using it immediately.
ShutterstockIf you own one of the recalled portable air conditioners, the CPSC says you should immediately stop using the product and unplug the unit. From there, you should follow the instructions online at the designated recall website to sever the electrical cord and render the unit unusable by anyone else before disposing of it.
Customers can also contact Royal Sovereign to inquire about a refund, which will be prorated depending on the age of the unit. Their customer service can be reached toll-free at 833-947-3699 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST on weekdays, online through the recall's website, or through Royal Sovereign's website by clicking on “Recall Information” at the top of the page.
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