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Original poster

Somebody is using my tumble dryer at night...

494 replies

RaisinBread · 22/02/2018 09:18

I’m convinced of it.

I have a new smart meter it’s been installed for about a month. My resting house uses 9p of electric between midnight and the time we wake up. Always.

So I’ve woken up today and the meter is on 48p.... I went to bed past midnight last night, which is very unusual for me but got hooked into 24 hours in AE and ended up making the kids packed lunches at 12.30. At this point from several lights being left on and the tv running the meter was already on 8p so I knew it would be around 20p at most by the morning.

So I wake up to find it double what I’m expecting and then hear the dryer going. It’s in a building attached to the main house, sort of a boot room. When I rented the house there was no lock to that room (old house with old doors and I think the key was lost at some point) but there was to the main house which has a heavy door, locks and bolts. It didn’t bother me as in a sleepy village. My landlord lives behind me with his family in a converted barn and someone is usually home as they are renovating it.

Even weirder than my tumble dryer being on when I hadn’t turned it on is that the tray that collects the water was bone dry! My washing load in there was bulky cottons that hold a lot of water so it should have been half full/full after my load drying.

I put my load in the day before and due to the pre mentioned tv binge, forgot to take it out before bed to fold.

This has really weirded me out as this is now the second time this week that the tumble dryer has been on in the morning and the meter has been above 9p. The last time was I think Tuesday morning but I live with three kids so just shrugged it off that one of them had put it on by accident when looking for clean uniform. Although thinking about it logically now they wouldn’t have been looking for clean uniform on a Tuesday morning as we have enough sets to last until Wednesday before they need washing and drying....

So do you agree with me is someone sneaking into my house unloading my washing. Drying theirs. Emptying the tray of water and then putting mine back in to fully dry? Confused

OP posts:
hesterton · 22/02/2018 10:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Elendon · 22/02/2018 10:53

Brilliant ZaZathecat Plus I love your name!

Needmoresleep · 22/02/2018 10:55

Can we have a diagram?

maddening · 22/02/2018 10:57

A camera would be great for definite proof but definitely lock the bastards out!

ZaZathecat · 22/02/2018 10:58

Why thankyou Elendon!

knowsmorethansnow · 22/02/2018 11:03

Could someone be turning it on to stay warm when they are in there? Then your clothes would still be in it.

Odd though I would have had to look this morning when I heard it.

Maursh · 22/02/2018 11:07

A smart meter adds a standing daily charge overnight. Are you sure that it is not this?
My mother has one installed and it jumped from 12p to 78p overnight. We were trying to figure out what device had caused the jump and then read the instruction manual: standing charge of 25p / day for gas and elec. added at Xam each day.
I think all the other shenanigans with the dryer is confirmation bias.

AlpacaLypse · 22/02/2018 11:08

Anyone up for clubbing together to buy OP a motion sensor camera? This is just too intriguing!

Deshasafraisy · 22/02/2018 11:12

IF I don’t turn my drier off at the plug it switches on every now and again for a few minutes. I think yours is doing this. Turn it off at the mains and see if your problem vanishes.

MyBrilliantDisguise · 22/02/2018 11:14

Let's set up a Go Fund Me page for a motion camera!

SilverBirchTree · 22/02/2018 11:16

Can we all chip in for a camera?! This is so mysterious

ohfourfoxache · 22/02/2018 11:23

Definitely leave the dryer machine door open and carefully place items inside. That way you’ll know for definite that someone is going in

TheDailyMailIsADisgustingRag · 22/02/2018 11:24

YY; if you leave the drier door open then it won’t switch itself on in the night, so you’ll know if it goes on that someone must have shut the door and turned it on.

Jux · 22/02/2018 11:28

Oooh this sounds fun. Pour treacle on the floor. Messy, and will tell you nothing, but will seriously inconvenience whoever is creeping in.

Seriously though, put your phone camera on the wall near the door, pointing at the machine. Whoever it is won't see it coming in, and may not see it going out either, but you have a 'find my phone' type app don't you, so even if they see it and steal it, you'll have them rumbled.

Aridane · 22/02/2018 11:30

Well - I guess it's either i) someone is using your tumble dryer, ii) it has a fault, causing it to restart, or iii) faulty smart meter

placemarking

MissEliza · 22/02/2018 11:34

You could put a piece of clear sellotape on the bottom of the door. If someone uses it, they'll break the seal.

Kokeshi123 · 22/02/2018 11:35

Leave a crayon inside it to ruin the garments of the cheeky fucker using it....

Mix56 · 22/02/2018 11:36

I suppose the DC aren't using it ?

HughLauriesStubble · 22/02/2018 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fruitbrewhaha · 22/02/2018 11:43

If you can hear it running, why don't you go and have a look?

Solo · 22/02/2018 11:47

Well, it's obvious really! It's a ghost warming itself up.

Somebody is using my tumble dryer at night...
AuntFidgetWonkhamStrongNajork · 22/02/2018 11:56

You could get a smart plug and set it to be off over night. It's not as much fun as a bucket of water over the door, mind.

newcarsmell · 22/02/2018 12:00

"Pour treacle on the floor. Messy, and will tell you nothing"

This made me 😂😂

thegreatbeyond · 22/02/2018 12:02

Just stay up...and wait..!

thegreatbeyond · 22/02/2018 12:03

Better still, wait inside the dryer :)