Every year, hundreds of products are recalled. It seems to have been happening a lot more in recent months. Pet food, tires, character glasses from a fast food restaurant, and now dishwashers. Maytag issued a recall of approximately 1.7 million dishwashers due to a fire hazard presented by an electrical failure in the unit’s heating element. When a brand as well known as Maytag issues a recall for an everyday item like a dishwasher, it makes news, and it’s easy to find out if you’re affected. But there are many smaller appliances you have in your home, made by smaller companies whose recalls might not make the media.
It would take a lot of time to check every manufacturer’s Web site for every appliance in your home to find out whether any of them had been recalled. In addition, it would have to be done on a regular basis, either for the life of the appliance, or for as long as you own it. There’s a better way.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission maintains a Web site that lists all the current household product recalls. By searching the list for the items you own, you can quickly find out whether any of your appliances have been recalled, and how to either have them repaired or return them for a refund.
Unfortunately, sometimes an injury, or even death due to a faulty appliance has already occurred before someone becomes aware of a recall, or before the manufacturer realizes there is a need for a recall. There are reports every day of children harmed by everyday items in the home because parents are unaware of the extraordinary danger. In those instances, a defective product attorney can help the injured party recoup losses, or deal with a manufacturer.
Even when there’s no appliance recall, there are steps you can take to avoid injury while using household appliances:
- Use them solely for their intended purposes.
- Always supervise children when they’re using appliances, and keep them out of children’s reach at all other times.
- If you notice a frayed cord, smoke, or the smell of something burning when the appliance is turned on, immediately unplug it and do not use it until it has been checked by a repair specialist.
- Never leave appliances on when leaving the house or going to bed, not even the dryer. Several fires occur each year due to dryer lint igniting, or the unit overheating if it’s not ventilating properly.
