Digital thermostats recalled due to fire hazard
May 21, 2014 | By HPAC Magazine
Approximately 403,000 sold in Canada.
A joint recall issued April 30, 2014 with Health Canada, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC) and White-Rodgers involves four models of White-Rodgers digital thermostats. Approximately 403,000 were sold in Canada and about 740,000 were sold in the United States from January 2006 through to December 2013.
The alkaline batteries used in the thermostat can leak onto the circuit board posing a fire hazard. White-Rodgers has received seven reports (four of which were in Canada) of burn damage to the thermostat, including two (one of which was in Canada) involving minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. Health Canada has received one consumer incident report of batteries damaging the thermostat. No injuries were reported.
The effected models (models 1F80-04xx, 1F83-04xx, 1F85-04xx and 1F86-04xx) are branded as follows: COMFORTSENTRY, DICO, Emerson, Frigidaire, Maytag, Nutone, Partners Choice, Rheem, Ruud, Unico, Water Furnace, Westinghouse, White-Rodgers or Zonefirst. The thermostats have a battery door on the top left corner. There are three or four buttons to the right and also below the thermostat screen. Recalled thermostats do not show a battery icon on the left side of the screen and includes. The model numbers for the affected thermostats are shown on a sticker on the back of the thermostat or on the thermostat mounting plate. However, the battery door location and buttons allow the thermostats to be identified without having to remove the thermostat to check the model number sticker.
Call White-Rodgers toll-free at 888-624-1901 from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the Emerson White Technologies’ website and click on “White-Rodgers 1F8x-04xx Thermostat Recall” for more information.
