Steps to Take When Your Appliance is Recalled

Protect your home by knowing what to do when an appliance poses a safety risk

Did you know that 50% of homes are likely to have at least one product that’s been part of a recall? Over the past five years alone, more than 15 million appliances have been recalled. That’s a staggering number! If you ever find yourself in this situation, knowing what to do next is essential—especially if the recall is related to a safety issue. Let’s walk through the steps you should take if an appliance in your home has been recalled.

Why Are Appliances Recalled?

courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors.

Recalls usually happen for one of two reasons: either a design flaw prevents the appliance from working properly, or the defect makes the appliance downright dangerous to use. These issues could range from something as minor as a faulty part to something as serious as a fire risk. Once a recall is issued, the appliance in question can no longer be sold and should not be used until it’s been repaired, replaced, or refunded.

What’s the Impact of a Recall?

The impact depends on the nature of the recall. In some cases, it’s a minor fix. Other times, it’s a serious safety concern that requires you to stop using the appliance immediately. Either way, a recall can cause some disruption, but it’s always done with your safety in mind. Addressing it promptly could help prevent potential accidents in your home.

Who Handles Recalls?

There are six different agencies in the U.S. responsible for managing recalls, each overseeing different types of products:

1. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – The main agency for home appliances and general consumer products.

2. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Oversees food, drugs, and medical devices.

3. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – Handles motor vehicle safety.

4. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Regulates things like pesticides and hazardous chemicals.

5. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Manages recalls for meat, poultry, and eggs.

6. Coast Guard – Deals with boats and watercraft safety.

Courtesy of Cyber Rabbit.

As you can see, although they all handle ‘recalls’ only one of them deals specifically with home appliances. We point this out so that if you hear of a recall that isn’t coming from them, you should know to do more research. 

I Heard About a Recall—What Should I Do?

Let’s use a recent example: imagine you’ve just heard about a recall for Frigidaire appliances. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Check the CPSC Website
   Head over to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website and look up the recall. You’ll need the model and serial number of your appliance to confirm whether it’s part of the recall. They will always tell you where you should look to find your model number. 

2. Contact the Manufacturer
   Once you’ve confirmed that your appliance is included, get in touch with the manufacturer. They’ll give you instructions on what to do next. Depending on the recall, they may offer you a repair, replacement, refund, or rebate.

3. Refund vs. Rebate: What’s the Difference?

• Refund: You get your money back.

• Rebate: You get a partial refund or credit toward another product from the same company.

4. Keep Detailed Records
   Be sure to document everything! This includes dates, names of people you speak to, reference numbers, and any communication you have with the manufacturer. Keeping track of these details will help you if any issues arise.

5. Discuss the Recall with Your Household
   It’s important to talk with everyone in the house about the recall. Here’s why:

• Awareness: Make sure everyone knows not to use the appliance.

• Assess the Risk: Decide whether the issue is minor or major based on your needs. A broken oven light might be one thing, but a fire hazard is another.

• Make a Plan: Depending on the situation, you may need to change your routine. This could be as simple as planning alternative meals while waiting on a repair, or keeping a close eye on the appliance if you continue to use it.

Courtesy of StockSnap

Prioritize Safety When Dealing with a Recalled Appliance

Once you’ve confirmed that your appliance is part of a recall, the most important step is to stop using it immediately. Even if the issue seems minor—like a malfunctioning light or a door that doesn’t seal properly—there could be hidden risks that aren’t immediately obvious. Unplug the appliance or turn off its circuit breaker to prevent any accidental use while you wait for the repair or replacement. Safety should always come first, especially when it involves risks like overheating, electrical malfunctions, or potential fire hazards.

While waiting for a solution, consider the impact of the recalled appliance on your household. For example, if the issue is with your refrigerator or oven, you’ll need to find safe alternatives for storing food or preparing meals until the appliance is fixed. In cases where the recall affects something more critical, like a washing machine with a potential water leak, it’s essential to prevent further damage by keeping the appliance unplugged and notifying all household members about the issue.

Finally, take extra precautions if the appliance is located in a high-traffic area or is used frequently. If the recall notice mentions fire risks or electrical hazards, make sure the area around the appliance is clear of any flammable materials. Stay vigilant and check for any additional signs of malfunction, such as strange smells, sparks, or unusual noises. Acting swiftly and staying informed are the best ways to protect your home and loved ones while you wait for the manufacturer to address the issue.

Be Proactive: Register Your Appliances

Even if none of your current appliances are on recall, it’s a good idea to register them now. That way, if something does come up, you’ll be notified right away. Registering appliances takes just a few minutes but can save you a lot of time and stress in the long run.

Appliance recalls can feel overwhelming, but taking the right steps will ensure your home stays safe. While Appliance Rescue Service doesn’t handle recalls directly, we’re here to help keep your appliances running smoothly. Whether it’s routine maintenance or handling repairs after a recall, our technicians are just a call or click away. Visit our website to schedule an appointment or give us a call if you need assistance with your appliances.

Website
Call ((214) 599-0055) 

Examples of Appliance Recalls

• Maytag Dishwasher Recall (2010): Maytag recalled over 1.7 million dishwashers after discovering that the heating element could overheat and pose a fire risk.

• Frigidaire Stove Recall (2023): A recall was issued for certain Frigidaire stove models due to a malfunction that caused ovens to overheat, creating a potential fire hazard.

• Whirlpool Wall Ovens Recall (2016): Whirlpool recalled certain models of its wall ovens due to the potential for the oven racks to fall when they were in use. While this didn’t pose a fire hazard, it could cause burns or injuries from hot dishes falling. The recall was minor, involving a fix to adjust the placement of the racks.

Additional Reading
Navigating the Frigidaire Refrigerator Recall

Kitchen Safety 101: Protecting Your Little Ones at Home
Kitchen Hazards Unveiled

Pre-Vacation Appliance Prep: Protect Your Home While You’re Away

Avoid Returning to a Mess: Easy Pre-Travel Appliance Prep

The end of summer is almost here, but there’s still plenty of time for a quick vacation if you’re dying to get out of the heat. While you’re away enjoying cooler weather (or maybe an island, we don’t know what you prefer) your house still is here. Unless we’re going away for months, we tend to leave our homes connected to water and electricity, gas and internet.  All of this is to say that while you’re gone, your home continues on as it normally does. What about your appliances though? We’ve all heard horror stories about people going away on vacation only to come back to a fridge full of mold and slime, or a flooded laundry room. How do you protect against those sorts of things? 

The answer is that like may things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We’ll walk you through everything you’ll need to check on or adjust in  the week before you head on vacation to ensure you come back to a house as perfect as you left it. 

Simple Steps To Start You Off

Unplug Small Appliances - 

Small appliances like your toaster oven, your instant pot, your coffee maker, they all eat up energy whether they're in use or not. If they're there using them every day this makes sense to keep them plugged in. But while you're gone why not save a few bucks on your electric bill? 

Equally important although rare, these can cause fire if left unattended.

Turn Off Your Water Supply 

courtesy of JuraKovr

This solves several different problems at once, although we're not saying that you should go to your water main and turn that off. This can be a hassle, and not something you’ll want to deal with right after returning from vacation. Instead turn off the water supply at the different appliances especially your dishwasher and washing machine. If either were to get a cracked line while you're gone you can come home to water damage or flooding depending on how long you're gone for.

 

Don’t Turn Off Your AC 

Courtesy of overjupiter

Unlike with your appliances, you don’t want to turn off your ac. The reason is mold and mildew, and heat damage around the home. With your home heating and cooling in accordance to the temperatures, it can easily get warm enough to allow mold and mildew to begin growing while you’re gone. Additionally, anything around the house that is temperature sensitive can be damaged. A few quick examples include medicines, cleaning products, and your spices. Instead, set it to around 80* while you’re gone to use less energy, but not risk anything becoming damaged while you’re gone. 

Time to Tackle Your Major Appliances 

Run The Dishwasher

Running the dishwasher before you go kills two birds with one stone. One, you’re not going to come back to a sink of moldy or sentient dishes, and two, if you leave the dishwasher door open after running and emptying it, the dishwasher itself won’t smell musty. You also want to make sure that it is completely drained before you leave. Unwanted guests love stagnant water, and yes we're talking about bugs and mosquitoes.

Washing Machine

Many travel lists will tell you to do laundry before you leave home. We feel that this is an unnecessary step if you don't need to already do laundry. However whether you do laundry or not you do need to leave the washing machine door open. Just like with your dishwasher you don't want it to develop a musty smell while you're gone. 

Courtesy of Courtesy of planetcar

Additionally, you want to make sure to inspect all hoses for any blisters, bulges, cracks, or leaks. Taking the time to do this now means you can spot problems before they grow into something much larger. 

Dryer 

Take a minute to clean out the trap and you’ll be good to do as much laundry as is needed on your return. Since it won't be running while you're gone, there's little to worry about with this one.

Oven and Stove

Whether gas or electric, these are the easiest to handle prior to going on vacation. 

You don’t need to unplug it, or turn off the gas, just make sure that all burners are off before you leave. Other than that, the only rthing you’ll need to worry about is cleaning up any residue or burnt food before you leave, to avoid attracting any unwanted pests. 

Water Heater

Although not an appliance, we do recommend turning down or even powering off, your water heater, as one more way to cut down on bills while you’re away. 

Finally, Check Smoke Detectors And Carbon Monoxide Alarms 

Ensure that all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are functioning correctly before you leave. Replace batteries if necessary to guarantee your home’s safety in your absence. 

Courtesy of Rudy and Peter Skitterians

Now that you’ve taken all the right steps to protect your home while you’re soaking up the sun or savoring cooler breezes, there’s just one more thing to check off your list. Before you head out, make sure your appliances are in top shape with a quick inspection from our expert technicians at Appliance Rescue Service. Whether it's checking for potential issues or giving your appliances a little extra care, our team is here to help ensure everything runs smoothly while you’re away.

Don’t leave it to chance—schedule an appointment today by giving us a call or visiting our website. That way, you can truly relax on your vacation, knowing your home is in good hands. Safe travels, and we’ll see you when you get back!

Website
Call ((214) 599-0055) 

Additional Reading
Appliance Deep Dive Round Up 

Why Is My Refrigerator Making Weird Noises!?

Taking the Pain Out Of Melted Plastic

The Hidden Costs of Delaying Appliance Repairs

Don’t Let Minor Problems Turn Into Major Expenses

Life gets busy, and it’s easy to ignore that dripping washer or the lint-filled dryer vent. But did you know that postponing appliance repairs can cost you more than just time? From increased energy bills to potential health hazards, the risks of delaying maintenance are greater than you might think. Discover the hidden costs of procrastination and learn how Appliance Rescue Service can save you from future headaches.

While you’re debating, keep in mind that the longer you hold off, the more these four areas are going to go up.

 The cost to your appliance. 

The cost to your home. 

The cost to your bank account. 

And the cost to your comfort.

It sounds strange, but holding off is not helping you. Let’s take a look at each of them to find out why.  

Holding off on repairing your appliances naturally has an effect on said appliances. Let’s start by thinking about your dryer. You notice that the dryer’s exhaust duct is full of lint. However, having someone come out and clean out the lint is going to take time and money you’d rather put towards something else. 

As you wait, the lint continues to build up in the duct, it’s going to start coming out of the vent as well. It’s building up in the nooks and crannies of the dryer itself because it’s slowly running out of places to go.  All of that lint is also going to restrict the dryer’s ability to breathe, which means it’s going to be eating more energy, increasing your power bill. What’s more is that the longer that goes on, the longer it struggles, the logner it takes to dry your clothes. Which means you have to run it even longer, to get it to finish the job, and those two combined means that the lifespan of your dryer is ticking down as the various parts are struggling. 

Of course, holding off on maintenance and repairs like this also means that if anything major happens, like the dryer breaking or catching fire, you run the risk of having no warranty. Most appliance warranties include a clause that exempts them if the problem is proven to be due to the owner putting off repairs. 

Holding off on repairs or maintenance can also pose health risks, though. Let’s step away from the dryer for a moment and take a look at your washer. This time, it’s not as obvious as lint buildup. Maybe it’s just a hose on the back that’s leaking. You keep thinking, as many of us do, “oh, I’ll get to it this weekend.” Except then something else comes up or you’re just not feeling up to it. No big deal; it’s just a small drip; it only happens when you do laundry. It’s fine, right?

Except that drip can easily lead to much larger impacts. As we know you’re aware, water can lead to major damage on your home. A small puddle is easy to slip and get hurt on, be it child, pet, or adult. Then you have to consider how constantly is the water actually dripping? Is it just a drop here and there? Or is it enough that it could be causing damage to your floors? You also have to consider that as water sits, you might have mold building up in dark corners around and the washer. These are now issues that can grow on their own, and you still have to find the time to get the washer fixed. 

Next, let’s text a look at the cost to your bank account. You’re doing this to save money right? So why would it cost your bank account? 

Well, there’s two reasons, both linking back to one of our earlier issues. 

The first is the unplanned emergency repairs. As the problems with an appliance get bigger, they can become very expensive. What might have been a 30$ part and a 20-minute visit, could easily transform into multiple parts needing to be replaced and taking several hours to repair. You also have to consider the cost of the spreading problems we mentioned in the last section. As more areas of your home are affected, the chance that something that can’t be put off happening grows. It could be damage to your floors, mold, or the entire appliance dies. These issues then go from “I can get it fixed later” to “I need this fixed right now, if not yesterday.”

Our second issue is the cost to your home’s resale value. Some people choose to leave their appliances with their homes for whatever reason when they move, it certainly does increase the value. What if it’s damaged though? Or not working properly? A good prospective buyer will note that and the price they’re willing to pay will come down. Additionally, if a delayed repair has done any damage to your home? That price goes down even further. After all, no one wants to buy a house only to have to replace a molded wall panel or have wiring redone because their oven had faulty wiring. 

Finally, and most importantly in our opinion, is the cost to YOU.  When you put off maintenance, it won’t typically bother you, until you start to realize there are issues. You’re choosing how to spend your time and energy. (And that’s a good thing!) But when you start putting off actual repairs like we talked about with the washer? That’s when it starts to weigh on you. At first, you probably won’t think about it much. It just sits in the back of your mind, and every now and then, you’ll think about how you need to take a look at it.

That starts to lead to stress, though. And the more you put it off, the more you notice that problems are piling up, the more stress it adds to you. Then, as problems begin to grow, either with the appliance in question or the problems that crop up as it fails, they start to disrupt your life. Now, instead of going about your morning routine, you have to add in additional tasks, like checking on the washer or making sure the refrigerator didn’t accidentally freeze the food you needed for dinner. That leeches into your time at home, both working on the things that matter and your relaxation time. If something goes suddenly wrong, it’s entirely possible you’ll have to miss work in order to clean up the mess and try to get hold of an emergency repair. All of this of course adds on more stress to your heavy load. 

You can also have issues with culinary compromises, such as if your stove isn’t working or your freezer has gone out. You might only be able to bake instead of cooking on the stove (which means your house is hotter during Texas’ already gross summer heat.) Or you can only keep fresh foods on hand rather than being able to work from frozen. This adds on additional costs of time, energy and money as you have to do grocery shopping more often. 

Don’t let these issues pile up. Call Appliance Rescue Service today and let our skilled technicians take care of your repairs. Save yourself the hassle, stress, and extra costs by acting now. Your appliances—and your peace of mind—will thank you.

Website: https://appliance-rescue-service.com/contact-us

Call: (214) 599-0055

Additional Reading

Don't Let Your Dryer Become a Fire Hazard

 Household Hauntings: The Frightening Reality of Appliance Neglect

Kitchen Hazards Unveiled