The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·13154·Announced 2013-03-26

3M Recalls Filtrete Room Air Purifiers Due to Fire Hazard

3M is recalling about 10,000 Filtrete room air purifiers because the ion generator can overheat and cause a fire. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with reported incidents of overheating and fire, but no injuries or property damage have been reported, fitting the criteria for a high-risk product where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

3M Company is recalling approximately 10,000 Filtrete room air purifiers due to a fire hazard. The recall involves two specific models: the Ultra Quiet (model number FAP00-RS) and the Maximum Allergen (model number FAP00-L). These white, plastic air purifiers measure about 19 inches tall by 8 inches wide and feature a two-speed fan knob with "Filtrete" embossed on the top. The affected units have serial numbers beginning with E, F, G, H, I, or J, located on the bottom of the product.

The ion generator in these air purifiers can overheat, posing a fire hazard. 3M has received two incident reports: one involving an air purifier overheating and another involving an internal filter catching fire. The company reports no injuries or property damage associated with these incidents.

The recalled products were sold nationwide at various retailers including Ace Hardware, Bi-Mart, Do It Best, Fred Meyer, Handy Hardware Wholesale, Nuthouse, Orchard Supply, Orgill Bros., Petco, Rite Aid, Strosniders, Theisen Farm and Home, and True Value Hardware stores. The Maximum Allergen model was sold exclusively at Lowe's stores, and both models were also available online at Amazon.com and other retailers. The FAP00-RS model was sold from November 2008 through January 2013, and the FAP00-L model was sold from October 2012 through January 2013, both for approximately $60.

Consumers should immediately unplug the recalled air purifiers and contact 3M to obtain a prepaid shipping box to return the product for a free replacement. Consumers can contact 3M at (800) 388-3458 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit www.filtrete.com/roomairpurifiers and click on the link "FAP00-RS recall" for more information.

The recalled product

Product
Filtrete™ room air purifiers
Manufacturer
3M Company, of St. Paul, Minn.
Category
Consumer Product — Air Purifiers
Hazard
Affected units
10,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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