Leaving the tumble dryer/washing machine on when going out

[DustyLee123]

I came home the other day to find that DH had left the tumbler/washing machine on and gone out for 30 minutes or so.
It makes me so mad that the house could have burned down due to his laziness, yet I get looked at like I’m nagging.
And we both know a couple whose garage went on fire due to the tumbler being left on.

YABU - stop nagging and be grateful he did some washing.
YANBU - everyone knows you don’t go out and leave the tumble dryer on.

I put my dishwasher & tumbledryer on when I go to bed but I don't go to sleep until they finish, I'm in a flat so tumble dryer is in utility room next to my bedroom & dishwasher is just across the hall in the kitchen. Anyone on economy 7 is encouraged to use appliances on a timer when electricity is at the cheaper rate.

Our washing machine once developed an electrical fault late at night, just as we were about to go to bed. I no longer leave washing machine, dishwasher or tumble drier on overnight or when we go out. The dishwasher almost caused a flood once, which was only averted because we were at home.

They have a big compressor (which has moving parts.....) that produces loads of heat, and until 2019 we're allowed to be manufactured with flammable plastic backs.

I do not run tumble dryer when outside. But I do briefly leave the dishwasher and washing machine running when leaving the house to do a school run. Usually load is ready before then but sometimes it isn't.

I preset my washer to come on overnight (3am ish) so it's ready to be put into the dryer when I wake up. I usually leave the dryer on if I'm going on the school run and coming straight home - if I'm going out for longer than half an hour I tend not to. I do laundry daily so no way would I be able to stay on top of it if I had to be home and/or awake for the whole process.

thank you for this.

given how quickly a fire spreads though, if the house is going to be trashed by the time the fire dept get there, what’s the difference if you’re in or out when it happens?

When I worked in the office before covid and wfh, I used to get my washing machine to do a delayed start so that the cycle would be done when I'm home, and then I put them in the separate tumble dryer. But dryers are more prone to catching on fire if the fluff filter is full, so keep that empty, and fires should be rare. Any appliance can suffer electrical shorts.

sorry everything goes on before I leave the house. been doing it about 20 years no issues. my tumble dryer is a heat pump one now and takes longer to get clothes dry so it's brilliant to come home or wake up with a load done. if it was my husband be delighted he did it as doesn't often happen on my house 😅

I don’t leave any on

We always switch the tumble drier off. Dishwasher is on overnight. Washing machine we would leave on.

Someone I know had a house fire and pretty much lost everything and they were home and her DH had removed the fluff just prior, so absolutely don’t leave it on and go out.

I would never leave any appliance running when I go out. I also don't have things running overnight. Unless you live in a detached house it's not just your safety you're risking. Leaving a tumble dryer on is just plain reckless.

YANBU.

I have had a dishwasher and a tumble dryer both start smoking, I was here so was able to switch off. I would never leave anything on overnight or if I was out.

it is Fire Brigade advice not to put things on if you are out. I know of 2 house fires locally that were both caused by tumble dryers that were put on when nobody was home.

A friend had a washing machine flood the downstairs of their house when they were out, and it ruined all their flooring. If they had been home they could have switched it off and had less damage.

I don't leave chargers on overnight or if out and I switch most electrical items off when not in use, mainly to save on electricity.

If you are in the house then you call the fire brigade. If you are out then you are relying on a neighbour or passer by to realize that there is a fire. If you are in a semi detached or terrace then you might be endangering others. The damage might not be as great as well if you are at home when the fire starts.

A friend's dishwasher caught fire when she was out and her apartment was devastated by the fire. She had to stay elsewhere for 6 months while the insurance (fortunately) got the apartment put back to its original state at vast cost.

I don't have a dishwasher or tumble dryer but I'd have no issue going out with the washing machine on.

And another friend had a washing machine fire with exactly the same effects. Never underestimate the trauma of having a house fire.

Dishwasher yes. TD never. WM sometimes. A friend’s house has just burned down, fridge was the culprit. Luckily he got out.

He looked at me like I was nagging, but I don’t thinK IABU to not want my house on fire. The dog was in the house on his own at the time.

I would only be annoyed about the tumble dryer, unless it's a heat pump one as they don't have a heating element so won't burst into flames

I no longer put the washing machine on if I'm going out.

I don't have a DW or TD.

Yeah fridges are a tricky one slightly as you don't really have a choice but to leave them on. Turning them off and on just makes them work harder.

But you see a lot of integrated fridges, people store stuff on top of them or down the sides. Don't check the plugs or make sure the backs clear of crap. Chest freezers you'll see the vents on the sides near the bottom blocked by stuff. People don't clean the seals or check they're in good nick or plug them into a power strip. We definitely take fridges for granted.

I freeze a little pot of water in the freezer bit and put a coin on. That way I can check the freezer parts doing it's job properly.

This is probably stupid question, but when people say they leave their washing machine “on” - do they mean running? Mine is on (but not running) 24/7, I never turn it off - should I, or is that a fire risk?

I never ever go out with any appliance running.

A friend of mine had a really serious house fire caused by a washing machine and I had a tumble dryer start to smoke once. Fortunately I was in the next room so managed to turn it off and get it into the back garden before it caught fire.

Depends on the policy. If you're specifically told not to do something and you do then you're not covered
(apparently that includes continuing to use appliances when there's a recall or warning on them)