Thousands of bathroom heaters recalled over fire hazard fears

  • Seabreeze International recalled its SF14TA Smart Thermaflo Bathroom Heater Fans with nightlight
  • The company received one report of a unit overheating and catching fire, leaving scorch marks on the walls
  • The recall involves 2,100 units that were manufactured in 2015 and 2016 and sold from August 2015 through May 2017
  • Space heaters are the second-leading cause of home fires and home fire deaths 

Thousands of bathroom heaters have been recalled over fire hazard concerns.

Seabreeze International says the safety cutoff on its SF14TA Smart Thermaflo Bathroom Heater Fans with nightlight, can fail to function, which causes the heater to rapidly overheat.

The company has received one report of a unit overheating and catching fire, leaving scorch marks on the walls. 

According to a press release from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), no injuries were reported.

Seabreeze International recalled more than 2,100 units of its SF14TA Smart Thermaflo Bathroom Heater Fans with nightlight (pictured) after reports that the safety cutoff can fail to function, which causes the heater to rapidly overheat

Seabreeze International recalled more than 2,100 units of its SF14TA Smart Thermaflo Bathroom Heater Fans with nightlight (pictured) after reports that the safety cutoff can fail to function, which causes the heater to rapidly overheat

The recalled units were manufactured in 2015 and 2016 and sold from August 2015 through May 2017.

The CPSC reports that the recall involves around 2,100 units that were sold in the US. 

Stores and websites that sold the heaters include Ace Hardware, Amazon, Wayfair, HomeDepot.com, Sharper Image, Brookstone and Air, and Water Inc with prices ranging between $60 and $65.

The agency added that 3,050 of the heaters were also sold in Canada, but Health Canada has not issued a recall. 

The CPSC has advised any consumerswho owns the heater to 'immediately stop' using it and contact Seabreeze for a refund.

Seabreeze said it will not be offering replacing units to customers looking to return the recalled heaters.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 25,000 residential fires and more than 300 deaths every years are caused by electric space heaters. 

That makes the appliances the second-leading cause of home fires behind cooking and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths behind smoking.

Additionally, more than 6,000 Americans are sent to the emergency room for burn injuries associated with space heaters. 

The CPSC has released several statements in the past advising consumers to not use portable electric heaters in bathrooms.

The commission cites that most electric heaters do not have protection against electrocution should the appliance come into contact with water.  

On Sunday, a fire began in the top floor bathroom of a three-story apartment in Lisbon, Oregon, where a space heater was being used.

According to Salem News, Richard Parrish, who owned the apartment where the fire started, was using a space heater because he didn't want to sign up for gas service. 

Jamie Novak, a fire investigator with the St Paul Fire Department in Minnesota, told TODAY in 2017 that space heaters 'are small, but they draw a lot of electricity'.

He also stressed the importance of plugging the heater directly into the wall rather than using extension cords because many cannot handle the amount of electricity running through the wire..

Safety experts recommend keeping the heater three feet away from anything that could catch fire and burn.