How to know when to replace your dehumidifier

The heat and humidity in August not only make the outdoors unpleasant, it can also make the interior of our sticky and uncomfortable homes too. If you deal with humidity either year round or seasonally, you can use a dehumidifier to help control the indoor climate. It’s a smart move, but it’s also important to keep in mind that, like other household appliances, dehumidifiers require regular maintenance and don’t last forever.

In addition, this week the The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of more than two million dehumidifiers sold in the United States. Here’s how to know if yours has been recalled and when to replace yours anyway.

Which dehumidifiers are part of the massive recall?

August 4, 2021, the CPSC issued a recall for more than two million dehumidifiers (about two million sold in the United States, and an additional 380,000 in Canada and about 25,000 in Mexico) manufactured by a company called New Widetech, because they may overheat and ignite, posing a fire and burn hazard.

Even if the manufacturer may not sound familiar to you, you are probably familiar with the brands that sell their dehumidifiers, including: AeonAir, Amana, ArcticAire (Danby), Classic (Danby / Home Hardware Stores), Commercial Cool, Danby, Danby Designer, Danby Premiere, De’Longhi, Edgestar, Friedrich, Generations (Danby), Haier, Honeywell (JMATEK / AirTek), Idylis, Ivation, perfect aire, SuperClima, Whirlpool and Whynter.

The recall involves 25, 30, 35, 45, 50, 60, 65, 70 and 74 quart dehumidifiers sold under these brands. To check if yours is part of the recall, look at the nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier, where you’ll find the brand name, model number, and pint capacity. A full list of model numbers can be found on the CPSC website.

to ccontact New Widetech about a refund, visit their website, or call their customer service line at 877-251-1512 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday to Friday.

How often should I replace my dehumidifier?

If your dehumidifier is not in the recall, you will likely be between five and 10 years old, depending on Mass backup. In order to make sure yours lasts almost a decade, you will need to perform regular maintenance. This includes change the air filters, clean the condensation coils and the exhaust grilles, and empty and clean the water bucket, Save notes in bulk.