RHEEM / PLASCO FOR THE PAN ? RCF3621STAMCA

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20250115-079F2-2147333889. Severity: Injury, Level of care not known. Product: RHEEM / PLASCO FOR THE PAN ? RCF3621STAMCA (The plastic drain pan is attached to the A/C evaporator coil to remove condensate water when the A/C is operating. The pan is available separately as a replacement part. The A/C evaporator coil is a Rheem Model # RCF3621STAMCA / SERIAL # W331922763. The plastic pan looks like it has the name Plasco on it, but the name is faded and any numbers are blurred.). Incident: On 12/22/24 we started to notice an acrid smell coming from all of our heating air ducts. The smell lasted for two days and when a technician arrived on 12/24/24 the smell was gone. The technician checked the furnace to make sure that it was operating properly and also checked for any possible carbon monoxide. He could find nothing wrong at that time with the furnace. On 12/29/24 the smell returned, and a technician came out on 12/30/24. The furnace had been serviced by this same company in September 2024 for the winter season. The furnace and A/C system was installed new by this same company in September 2019. This company is in the local area and has been in business for 75 years. With further inspection by the technician on 12/30/24 it was determined that the plastic drain pan under the A/C evaporator coil was actually burning and scorching from the heat of the oil furnace. Our furnace and A/C iis called an up-flow setup. The A/C evaporator coil sits directly over the oil burner furnace enclosed by the furnace sides. This is a standard normal installation. It is incomprehensible to me why anyone would put a plastic drain pan over a heat source. I was told by the company that installed the furnace that plastic drain pans are the standard in the industry. In my opinion it should be made of aluminum like the evaporator coil. The pan is available separately from the coil, but my concern is that if they put in the same plastic pan, I will hav