Carrier 1.5 multi-zone heat pump
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Heat pumps aren’t supposed to create heat by catching on fire. That’s why Carrier recalled about 5,800 heat pumps sold in the United States and Canada under the Carrier and Bryant brands Thursday.
The exact problem, as stated in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice: “The fan motor on the heat pumps can fail, causing the units to overheat, posing a fire hazard.”
Palm Beach Gardens-based Carrier told the USCPSC it knows of six heat pumps catching fire, but none of the fires caused injury.
The recall covers Carrier and Bryant 1.5-ton multi-zone, 4-ton multi-zone and 4-ton single zone heat pump outdoor units, all of which are used for both cooling and heating. The model numbers of the Carrier-branded units are 38MGQC18—3, 38MGQF48—3 and 38MBQB48—3. The model numbers of the Bryant units are 538TEQ018RCMA, 538TEQ048RFMA and 538REQ048RBMA.
Bryant 4-ton multi-zone heat pump
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The units were made in China and sold from March 2015 through April of this year at retail prices from $600 to $4,000.
Carrier wants customers to contact whoever installed their units to schedule a free repair. Meanwhile, customers should monitor the units while keeping plants and anything flammable at least two feet away.
To find a Carrier dealer, click here. To find a Bryant dealer, click here. To get questions answered, call Carrier at 844-468-4301 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
