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.

No. It's because they don't think what could happen if the machine gets stuck on spin and the motor burns out

Has it got a timer so that it finishes when you're up?

We just got a new washing machine. Our old one - only purchased in 2015 - had been slightly noisy for about a week or two. I was upstairs, DC called me and said there was a really terrible noise in the kitchen. The bearing had gone and it was a bit hot inside the drum. So, definitely I’d not go out and leave appliances on given that upstairs damaged my overview of the situation

Maybe that's because most people don't leave them unattended?

Unattended means in the same room. I doubt that very much.

I have never heard this advice before. I’m not in the uk. I just went to Google and looked up dryer safety. Plenty of safety tips, but absolutely nothing about not running unattended. I wonder if our machines are different.

Surely this is why buildings insurance was invented? If tumble dryer fires worry you, keep on top of emptying the lint/dust filter, that’s why most catch fire. Not because someone left the house.

Well after probably 35 years of owning a washing machine and prior to that, living in other places, including my childhood home that also had machines, I can say that none have ever caught fire, whether I've been at home or not. So yes, I would leave it on and go out. I don't like putting it on at night anyway as I prefer not to leave everything creased up in there for hours, plus hate having to hang it out on a work morning.

Probably not the tumble dryer though, not that I use it often. More on the grounds that I never know exactly how long things will take to dry and so might think they would over heat and perhaps get ruined.

I worry more about leaving the straighteners on and my DH dumping clothes on top of it. But it goes off automatically after 30 mins plus I don't think most things wouid catch fire. And he works from home so is usually around.

I bet the majority of people go upstairs, have a bath or sit in the garden while their dryer is running.

What about tvs? My mil had one that set itself in fire and damaged her living room?

My friends dishwasher caught fire. They were home at the time, and luckily managed to get the family all out of the house safely, but the house was ruined. It scares me to think what might have happened if this had been in the middle of the night, when they were all fast asleep. So I would never risk leaving a dishwasher running over night or whilst I was out. These things can and do happen and it's not worth the risk.

It never occurred to me that you shouldn’t leave them unattended. My grandad who was born in the 1920s used to watch over the washing machine but that wa because he was used to old machines.

We would most likely be alerted by the smoke alarm while awake, same as if we were asleep, as our kitchen is the floor below our living room. My study is 2 floors above.

The chance of noticing a fire before the smoke alarm go off, or a flood before it does serious damage, is probably minimal in this house.

I leave it on 3.5 hours for a fucking cotton cycle. I’d never go anywhere if I had to babysit it

Majority of house I know about has been caused by washing machine or tumble dryer. So I try to avoid leaving them alone. Also my insurance doesn't cover damage if nobody is home.

If I stayed at home every time one of the appliances was going I'd have to live the life of a bloody hermit.

Samsung EcoBubble?

Our washing machine went on fire when I was a kid and I've been petrified of it happening again so I never leave things on when we go out. We weren't at home, we were on holiday and my uncle was housesitting for us. Thankfully he was there so the only damage was slight but we did have the scorch mark on the floor for a long time after. We could have lost everything so easily.

Nyland Dont leave Dishwasher on! Nearly had a massive fire.Technician said to unplug all machines like this when our!

I don't tend to have them on through the night, being honest.
But even so, it's a bit ridiculous not having them on while you're out. What if you're out most of the day for work? How on earth do you get anything washed?

Just the other day as it happens while we were in the house I smelled burning and the D/W plug and socket had overheated and burnt out. The electrician who attended said it’s unlikely these days to cause a fire but a fire worker we also know has told us about the number of fires she’s attended in recent years that have been caused by white goods overheating… I guess in this case you’d be right to be concerned.

Did fire training at work.
No 1 appliance for causing fires is tumble dryer. Never go out and leave it on. Don't put it on while you are asleep.
It's not just the heat, there can be static buildup or oily residue left in work clothes.

Unplug all machines? And did you listen to him and unplug all the machines when you go out? I'd be there all day unplugging the telly, fridge, dishwasher, dryer, washing machine, computers, the lizards vivarium - think he might get a bit fucked off with that, the air purifiers, the hoover, the oven, the coffee machine, the kettle, the microwave, the car itself, the extractor fans, the toothbrush chargers...I've probably missed and bunch, and, after that, then I could go out?

We never leave the tumble dryer on when out, nor do we have it on when we are in bed.

Like you, we know someone who's tumble dryer caught fire in their garage, and I stopped our own once when I smelt burning - something had gone wrong with it.

I try not to leave the washing machine on if we are out and the dog is in. I don't really think it's as dangerous, but I really love our dog so I don't want to risk it!

I would be looking for new insurance if that's the case!