Whirlpool Recalls Microwaves Due to Fire Hazard

Taking care of appliances in your home means more than just having them repaired when they’re broken. Sometimes, manufacturers issue appliance recalls. When those occur, you need to be both aware of them and know your next steps in order to make sure that your home is safe and everything in your kitchen is working properly.

A great example of this importance is Whirlpool, which recently recalled a number of its microwaves from stores and customers. If you have a Whirlpool microwave in your kitchen, keep reading. But even if you don’t, the below information will be important whether you are looking for a new product or simply want to learn more about the nature of appliance recalls.

What Happened?

In late August this year, Whirlpool announced to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that a number of its microwave-hood combinations were not functioning properly. As the commission reports,

Whirlpool has received five reports of incidents, including one home fire, two fires involving the surrounding cabinets, one report of smoke, and one report of a burning odor.

That, of course, means serious consequences could arise from having one of these microwaves in your home. Put simply, you do not want to risk a home fire when it could be prevented. If you own a Whirlpool microwave, now is the time to look into whether your appliance could be affected.

Which Products Are Affected?

Below are the model numbers of the appliance that the recall applies to. You can find the serial number of your Whirlpool microwave by opening its door and checking above the oven cavity on the left-hand side.

• WMH53520CS
• WMH53520CW
• WMH53520CB
• WMH53520CE
• WMH53520CH
• WMH73521CS
• WMH73521CW
• WMH73521CB
• WMH73521CE
• WMH73521CH

The microwaves in question were sold at BestBuy, HHGregg, Lowes, Sears, and a number of other home improvement and appliance stores. Their price ranged between $370 and $470.

Of course, the above information may still not be enough for you to determine conclusively whether your microwave is being recalled. In that case, visit the manufacturer’s website to learn the serial number of every appliance that could possibly malfunction.

What Can You Do?

So what happens if you find that one of the above serial or model numbers belongs to your microwave? In that case, it’s time to take action. Whirlpool has offered a full recall, which means that you can get your appliance refunded fully.

If that is the case, get in touch with the manufacturer at 800-990-6254 between the hours of 8am and 8pm, Monday through Friday. Whirlpool’s customer service will walk you through the process of getting a replacement.

That, of course, leaves another crucial question: should you simply get the same model? In most cases, the obvious answer is no. You don’t want to run into the same issues you might have with the one that originated the recall. You can stay with the manufacturer, if desired; in fact, a recall is often a positive sign that a manufacturer is willing to take proactive action in order to protect its customers.

Of course, you can also decide to go elsewhere, given that you may no longer find your microwave (and, by extension, the manufacturer) reliable. The choice is yours, and will depend on just how much you still trust Whirlpool.

When in doubt, you can also get in touch with reliable appliance repair companies, who can give you more information about the nature of the recall and high-quality alternatives. Don’t fall for someone who promises to repair a recalled product; instead, go with a new option, and use the company as a valuable resource in finding the right one. To get started, or if you have any questions about recent product recalls, contact us.