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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Leavingt the tumble dryer on ...

57 replies

redskyatnight · 21/10/2011 12:20

DH has "suggested" that I should not leave the tumble dryer on when I am out due to the risk of overheating and the house burning down. Apparently this happened to Terry Wogan.

I have never heard of tumble dryers being a particular fire risk and would rather not leave half dried clothes if I have to turn if off to go out. I am also of the opinion that the risk of fire is small and actually I would rather not be in the house if the tumble dryer is going to spontaneously combust . Also, we leave on (e.g) the oven, washing machine, other electrical applicances while we are out and surely these also have risk of catching fire?

I genuinely do not know if IABU and will organise my future tumble drying habits round the responses I get.

OP posts:

hayleysd · 21/10/2011 12:21

Mine filled with smoke and burnt its motor out once, I was just on my way out so don't leave it now if I'm not in.

Dawndonna · 21/10/2011 12:22

I've had a tumble dryer catch light before now. I would never leave one. And yep, it did happen to Wogan.

BarmyBiscuit · 21/10/2011 12:22

Never heard of this and hope its not true as I have a huge fear of fire and a tumble drier.

Fuzzywuzzywozabear · 21/10/2011 12:24

my washing machine caught alight and the fire brigade had to come round and check the fire had gone out properly. They said not to leave appliances like washing machines and tumble dryers on in an unattended house

aldiwhore · 21/10/2011 12:24

YABU your DH is right.

SO... compromise. Buy a new tumbler with a sensor on it that stops when your washing is dry... £149 with free deliver from Curries. Dries in about 90 mins. I love my new tumbler.

Makiko · 21/10/2011 12:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

valiumredhead · 21/10/2011 12:25

They are a huge fire risk, your dh is right.

mrskeithlemon · 21/10/2011 12:26

yabu to use a tumble dryer unless you are loaded! Mine eats my electricity and as such is now used for 'storage'

Hassled · 21/10/2011 12:26

Of all the white goods/appliances etc in your homw, your tumble dryer is the one most likely to catch fire. It's to do with the fluff I think. Radio 4 told me once so it must be true.

I do try not to leave it on and go out. Although quite what I'd do if I were here and it caught fire, I don't know.

colken · 21/10/2011 12:26

What is the matter with a washing line? You are simply pushing up your electricity bills!

valiumredhead · 21/10/2011 12:27

I know 2 people whose kitchens have had fires in them due to dishwashers - apparently you should never put them on as you are leaving the house or just before you go to bed ( I always do that!)

squeakyfreakytoy · 21/10/2011 12:28

Very hot material, possibility of a spark inside from bits of metal (zips etc) due to the friction... yep, a fire hazard.

Anything with an element that generates heat is a slight risk, but a tumble drier more than any other.

valiumredhead · 21/10/2011 12:28

colken nothing would get dry on my line this morning - bloody freezing outside!

Catsmamma · 21/10/2011 12:29

i did not know that about dishwashers, but tumblies are notorious for their arsonist hobbies!

coraltoes · 21/10/2011 12:29

I bloody love wogan.

OldGreyWassailTest · 21/10/2011 12:31

I never leave anything on when I am out since my washing machine caught fire while I was in the shower and I came down to chaos!

BarmyBiscuit · 21/10/2011 12:32

I have one that switches off when dry so feel better now. I also know that they push my electric bills up but I wouldn't be without one. I love it. I am also in the process of spending a lot of money putting solar panels on my roof so that should cover the electric bills I should think

colken · 21/10/2011 12:33

valiumredhead

Then use a clothes horse or two and put them up in an unused room. I do mine overnight or while I am out for the day.

ballstoit · 21/10/2011 12:35

A fireman (sadly not a fit one) came to our toddler group to do a fire safety talk and advised that dishwashers, tumble dryers and washing machines are all a fire hazard and should not be left unattended in the day or switched on when everyone's in bed.

My washing machine did start to spark once during the day, but I was able to switch it off at the wall and load the DC and dog into the car while waiting for my BIL (electrician) to arrive and look at it. I guess had that happened at night, we'd have been less lucky.

It's pretty annoying really, as I miss out on economy 7 use unless I stay up til 3 o'clock in the morning when the load finishes. But less annoying than the house burning down when we're all asleep .

MarKettle · 21/10/2011 12:36

My FIL left the washing machine on while he was at work, it caused a fire that took out the whole ground floor of the house. He, his wife and step children had to move out for 8 months while everything was repaired, and everything they owned that survived (clothes, books, photos etc) had to be professionally cleaned to remove smoke, the whole place was a mess.

It's not worth leaving things on when you think about what it could cost you!

faverolles · 21/10/2011 12:36

My dryer stopped working this week. I turned it off within seconds of it stopping, but it still smelt very hot and electrical.
I dread to think what would have happened if I'd been out.

(we need to use a dryer. If it's fine out, we hang stuff out, but when it's rainy or cold, we simply have no other way to dry our washing)

ElaineReese · 21/10/2011 12:36

Oh yes, use one of your unused rooms - why didn't you think of that?

OP, I would not leave a tumble drier on in the house - although partly because mine is in a porch at the back and it beeps like a bastard and would annoy the neighbours.

But realistically, stuff is not drying on the line any more - I'm struggling to decide which is worse - putting the heating on to dry things on radiators, or using the drier which I do try to keep to a minimum.

ballstoit · 21/10/2011 12:36

colken an unused room?

If I lived in a house big enough to have an unused room, I wouldn't be worrying about how much electricity my tumble dryer used, because I'd obviously have won the lottery.

Original poster

redskyatnight · 21/10/2011 12:37

Bother! So looks like IABU (and DH is right, even more annoyingly).

Actually I have the ideal compromise. If the tumble dryer cannot be left unattended it will henceforth only be used on days when DH works from home, thereby making sorting out the washing his job.

We do try to minimise our use of it - but at this time of year, clothes on dryers take ages to dry and we don't have a huge amount of space to put things.

OP posts:

ElaineReese · 21/10/2011 12:38

Yeah, good luck with that, redsky. My dp hears the dryer beep and will either click 'door' so that it stops beeping, or if in a very generous mood, scoop it all out and leave it in a big heap on the sofa.

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