Members, your safety is the number one priority and we are alarmed to report that two major recalls are currently underway that could be life-threatening.

Please read on to find out whether your household appliances are included in the recall.

Are you at risk? Image Credit: Shutterstock

Firstly, as the chill of autumn slowly takes hold of our beloved Australian climate, many of us are getting out extra layers and ensuring our radiators and heaters are in good shape.

Unfortunately, the ACCC has recently issued a recall on over 100,000 heaters after concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning.

Celmec Heatray IRH-G 118 Overhead Radiant Heaters, sold between September 2008 and November 2013, pose a risk when used indoors.

Select Celmec Overhead Radiant Heater units have been recalled. Image Credit: ACCC

The Celmec Heatray IRH-G 118 Overhead Radiant Heater was sold nationally between September 2008 and November 2013, but a burner tile retention bracket may have deteriorated over time, allowing the burner tile to move and potentially causing significant issues.

If the heater is used indoors, this could lead to a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide – with serious injury or even death possible.

'Appliances installed indoors may no longer be safe for use,' the ACCC said.

If you own this heater, the ACCC advises you to cease use immediately and turn off the gas supply and disconnect the appliance from the power source.

To find out if your heater is part of the recall, check the serial number inside the rear panel on the left-hand side, then call Celmec on 03 8552 8200.

‘Note the Serial Number of the unit and contact Celmec International to verify if you have an affected heater and to arrange for a qualified technician to inspect and repair the heater on site,’ the ACCC said.

Key Takeaways

• The Celmec Heatray IRH-G 118 Overhead Radiant Heater was sold nationally between September 3, 2008 and November 27, 2013.
• If used indoors, the affected heaters pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning 'which could result in serious illness, injury, or death'.
• Consumers in possession of an affected heater should stop using it immediately and, if able, should turn off the gas supply and disconnect the appliance from the power source.
• For more information consumers can contact Celmec at 03 8552 8200.

Members, please be sure to thoroughly check your home heating systems and contact the manufacturer immediately if you notice anything that looks off.

What’s worse is that this is not the only life-threatening recall.

ALDI has reissued a recall warning due to low levels of returns. Image Credit: ALDI

ALDI has reissued a recall of the Easy Home Cyclonic Handheld and Stick Vacuum Cleaner, sold to customers between February 5 to March 10, 2020.

It’s a serious issue, with ALDI warning that the faulty cordless vacuum cleaner’s battery 'may become unstable, overheat and ignite during or after charging'.

And if that’s not enough to scare you off, ALDI further cautioned customers that the product 'may cause a fire which may result in injury and damage to property.'

The red or blue vacuum cleaner is identified by 'Model 99135' and '02/2020' - which are printed on the rating label.

'ALDI takes product safety seriously and due to the low number of returns, we wish to remind customers of an active recall of the Easy Home Cyclonic Handheld and Stick Vacuum Cleaner,' ALDI wrote on Facebook.

It’s not the first time ALDI has issued a warning over the vacuum cleaner, with a previous recall issued back in March 2020.

ALDI 'urge all customers who purchased Easy Home vacuum cleaners to return them to their local stores immediately for a refund.'

Key Takeaways

• • ALDI has issued a reminder of a current recall of the Easy Home Cyclonic Handheld and Stick Vacuum Cleaner due to a potential fire hazard posed by an 'unstable' battery. The number of returns is reportedly low, causing concern.
  • The faulty cordless vacuum cleaner was sold to customers between February 5 and March 10, 2020, in either blue or red colour variations and can be identified by 'Model 99135' and '02/2020', which are printed on the rating label.
  • ALDI is urging all customers who purchased Easy Home vacuum cleaners to return them to their local stores immediately for a refund.

Please visit Product Safety Australia for further information.

What do you think, members? Is this just not good enough? The Celmec heater, having been in homes for over ten years, is certainly a concern and raises more questions than this recall answers.

Please let us know in the comments whether you are someone you know has been impacted by these recalls.

 

[Zemo]

I've often wondered ... how come, in cases like the Aldi vacuum cleaner, they can narrow the field down to a particular identifier (02/2020, I presume, is the date it was manufactured). Would one manufactured in, say, 01/2020 or 03/2020 be just as likely to be at risk? Why that batch? Why not ALL of them?

 

[Big M]

Why is the article crossed out?

 

[Zemo]

Why is the article crossed out?

Yair, I wondered that, too

 

[Mr Chips]

I've often wondered ... how come, in cases like the Aldi vacuum cleaner, they can narrow the field down to a particular identifier (02/2020, I presume, is the date it was manufactured). Would one manufactured in, say, 01/2020 or 03/2020 be just as likely to be at risk? Why that batch? Why not ALL of them?

In most manufacturing the factory can narrow down a manufacture date or batch number by isolating the supply chain from their suppliers i.e., the supplier of a part or material may have found an issue with that part or material (or the factory may have) and it is then narrowed down to when that part or material was used in production/assemble by date or batch number.

 

[Zemo]

In most manufacturing the factory can narrow down a manufacture date or batch number by isolating the supply chain from their suppliers i.e., the supplier of a part or material may have found an issue with that part or material (or the factory may have) and it is then narrowed down to when that part or material was used in production/assemble by date or batch number.

Yair, I'd guessed it would have to be something like that. I was wondering how they could be so specific -- why one batch of whatevers on a given day would be found to be faulty while the ones immediately before or after would be OK. And who's to say that a single example, far removed before or after, from the batch nominated would be just as bad?

 

[Mr Chips]

Yair, I'd guessed it would have to be something like that. I was wondering how they could be so specific -- why one batch of whatevers on a given day would be found to be faulty while the ones immediately before or after would be OK. And who's to say that a single example, far removed before or after, from the batch nominated would be just as bad?

You are of course correct but the manufacturer would have to take legal responsibility if something went wrong and it would be unwise of them not to ensure that this was the only batches etc that were affected. One would have to be incredibly unlucky to have received one from outside the parameters.

 

[Zemo]

You are of course correct but the manufacturer would have to take legal responsibility if something went wrong and it would be unwise of them not to ensure that this was the only batches etc that were affected. One would have to be incredibly unlucky to have received one from outside the parameters.

Yebbut, can we trust the parameters?

 

[Mr Chips]

Yebbut, can we trust the parameters?

Of course not.

 

[Defiant540]

Why is the article crossed out?

?????

 

[Mr Chips]

Probably your computer settings which might be too sensitive, the articles (I assume you mean pictures) are fully viewable on my system,