What was recalled
The recall, number 26-532, covers SRTH Small Room Tower Heaters made by Vornado Air. They are black and white, about 12.5 inches tall and 6 inches across, with low heat, high heat and fan-only settings. The word Vornado appears on the front, and the model, TYPE SRTH, is printed on a silver rating label on the bottom. About 255,000 were sold in the United States between August 2013 and May 2026.
According to the CPSC, the fan blade can separate from the motor shaft and slow or stop the fan. Without airflow the heater overheats, and the enclosure and internal parts can melt. If the thermal cutoff or fuse does not act in time, melted parts can ignite and break through the case. The company had received 32 reports of overheating, including eight fires and one report of smoke inhalation.
What owners should do
The CPSC says to stop using the heater right away and contact the company for instructions on sending photos and proof that the unit was destroyed, in exchange for a full refund. The recall notice on the CPSC site lists the contact details and the full description. Because these heaters were sold for well over a decade, many are still in bedrooms, basements and home offices, so it is worth checking the label even on an older unit.
A June recall is easy to miss. Heaters are usually packed away by then, and the notice comes and goes before anyone thinks about them again. When units come out of storage in October, it is worth turning each one over, reading the label and comparing it against current recalls on the CPSC site before plugging it in for the season.
Space heaters, fireplaces and the hearth
In older homes, a portable heater often fills a gap: a cold room at the end of the radiator line, a basement den, or a living room whose fireplace has been closed for years because of a cracked firebox or a flue nobody trusts. That makes the heater a full-time appliance in a spot it was never meant for.
A few rules apply to any portable heater. Give it at least three feet of clear space from curtains, bedding, furniture and anything that burns. Plug it directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep. And keep it off the hearth in front of a working fireplace, where it can be bumped, sit near logs or kindling, or be left running alongside a fire.
When the heater is covering for the chimney
If a space heater is running all winter because the fireplace or stove is out of use, it may be worth finding out why. A cracked firebox, a missing damper, a flue with failed tiles, or a chimney that leaks are all repairable, and a fireplace in working order is a heat source designed to sit in that spot.
Want a professional look? See our fireplace repair service, or call (844) 468-2410 for a free written estimate.
