It had been defined revolutionary for its U -form, energy efficiency and ultra silent functioning. But the window air conditioner Midea U and U+sold between 2020 and 2024, is today at the center of a massive volunteer recall: over 1.7 million units in the United States and Almost 46,000 in Canada were withdrawn from the market. The reason? A serious problem of water drainage which, accumulating, promotes the proliferation of mold within the unit.
According to what was communicated by Midea and by the Commission for the safety of the consumer products of the United States (CPSC), the defect concerns the condensation water collection system: the latter does not flow correctly, stagnating in the air conditioner. Ristagno creates an ideal environment for the formation of mold, especially in the presence of humidity and poor ventilation.
Over 150 reports of mold and respiratory symptoms
So far they have been reported 152 situations of visible or perceptible mold per smell within the units, with At least 17 cases related to health problems: among these, respiratory infections, persistent colds, allergies, cough and sore throat. Although it is not a “explosive” or dangerous defect in a mechanical sense, the impact on health is significant, especially for vulnerable subjects such as children, elderly or those suffering from asthma and allergies.
To worsen the situation, the particular U -air conditioner structuredesigned to host the window between the two lateral wings of the device, exposes the interior of the unity to the vision. This made the presence of much more evident mold than other modelsgenerating alarm between consumers and making the problem difficult to ignore.
The models involved in the call
If you own a midea u or u+air conditioner, the first step is Check if your appliance falls within the models affected by the call. To do this, compare the series number number with those indicated on the official website of the company or CPSC.
In case of confirmation, there are two options:
Meanwhile, Midea recommends that you Continue to use the unit only if there are no visible signs of mold And if the air conditioner is installed correctly, with an inclination to the outside to encourage water drain.
Because the other air conditioners are not exempt too
Although the call concerns a specific model, The formation of mold in the air conditioners is not rare. Humidity, poor maintenance and incorrect installation can transform any air conditioning system into an ideal environment for spores and mushrooms.
Experts such as those of Wirecutter they recommend Leave the fan in operation for a few minutes after off and of Always tilt the device outwardsin order to allow an effective outflow of water. Furthermore, it is good practice Clean the filters regularly And check that the collection tray is dry.
Some users, after the call, are considering Alternative models like those of Hisense or LG Inverterknown for silent performance and greater reliability in the long run.
And in Italy? What consumers should know
At the moment, The call concerns exclusively the US and Canadian market: there are no official reports in Europe nor direct involvement of the devices distributed by Midea Italia. However, Who purchased a Midea U or U+ air conditioner via import channelssuch as international marketplace or foreign retailers, it could be in possession of a unit between the defective ones. In this case, it is possible to check the serial number on the official website of the call (Midea.com/us/support/recalls) to find out if you are entitled to a repair or a refund. Even without a European alert, the advice remains valid for everyone: regularly check the interior of the unit, the filters and the collection trayespecially in the presence of unpleasant odors or anomalous respiratory symptoms.
