Goodman Manufacturing Company has recalled 342,000 evaporator coil drain pans in the United States and Canada after a fire danger defect was reported.
According to an alert posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the drain pans are “installed with residential condensing gas furnaces in an up-flow configuration.” The defect could lead to overheating with potentially serious consequences.
Details of the Fire Danger Recall
The problem with the drain pans is that the pans located at the bottom of the evaporator coil, when installed with a residential condensing gas furnace in an up-flow configuration, could potentially overheat, melt and deform, posing a fire danger. The company has received 23 reports of fire from this problem. These incidents have resulted in significant fire and smoke damage to homes.
The recall covers evaporator drain pans with serial numbers beginning with 1901 through 2101. They were put on furnaces in the vertical configuration in 2019, 2020, or 2021. If your furnace has an Energy Guide sticker, it should have the furnace brand and model. If there is any confusion about whether your furnace and drain pan were included in the recall, call Goodman at 1-888-520-0579.
Home Heating Fires
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is a leading cause of fires in U.S. homes. Local fire departments responded to about 48,530 fires involving heating equipment each year in 2014-2018. These fires resulted in about 500 civilian deaths, 1,350 injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage. Heating equipment caused one in seven home structure fires (14%) that took place during that time period and 19% of home fire deaths. Nearly half of all home-heating fires occurred in the months of December, January and February.
Product Liability Issues
Although manufacturers of defective products may issue recalls, the information does not often reach consumers. As a result, these defective products continue to flood the market. Many products are also sold as used products. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of these defective furnaces creating a fire danger, or by other defective products, you may be able to file a products liability lawsuit against the manufacturer seeking compensation for injuries and damages.
Victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, hospitalization, surgeries, burn treatments, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. An experienced product defect lawyer who has successfully handled products liability claims will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Goodman-Manufacturing-Company-Recalls-Evaporator-Coil-Drain-Pans-Installed-with-Condensing-Gas-Furnaces-Due-to-Fire-Hazard
