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Post by geoffr on Mar 9, 2024 18:41:18 GMT
Some years ago there was a spate of tumble dryer fires and eventually the manufacturer set up a scheme to modify or replace affected dryers. Today I saw this www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68520796 which suggests that the problem may not have been solved.
My mother had one of the models affected by the first round of fires and was offered a repair or replacement I told her to take the replacement, which she did. The dryer at her house had always been in the garage because there wasn't room in the kitchen. After she died, in 2022, we had cause to use the washing machine and the tumble dryer, cleaning the filter after every use. A few weeks ago I was checking the appliances as the house is being sold. I removed the filter and found a considerable amount of lint had got past the filter into the ducting. This machine is, supposedly, safe as it was sold to replace a defective model.
I haven't investigated the air duct routing but if warm air from the drum passes through the filter and is then reheated and recirculated that wouldn't be a very safe idea. It is already obvious that the design of the filter housing is defective because lint shouldn't be able to get beyond the filter. Certainly I have never found lint in the exhaust duct of our tumble dryer so a design that prevents it is clearly possible.
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Post by John Farrell on Mar 9, 2024 18:51:33 GMT
The dryer I use - an AEG - isn't ducted.
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Post by davem399 on Mar 9, 2024 19:10:24 GMT
We had the model of tumble dryer that was the subject of the recall a few years ago. As ours was quite old, we got a replacement rather than a repair.
The old machine was a Hotpoint, and the replacement is a Whirlpool. Both were/are condenser dryers and I always clean the filter after every use, although we tend to use it sparingly due to the cost of electricity. This week’s job was to clean the condenser and also the ducting that was accessible without dismantling the machine.
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Post by spinno on Mar 9, 2024 20:37:13 GMT
We have a stand alone dryer which we can either stick the vent pipe out of the kitchen window or use a condenser box. Either way the filter on the door gets cleaned out every half hour or so in use. Hopefully no risk.
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Post by peterob on Mar 9, 2024 21:40:34 GMT
Never leave tumble-dryers or washing-machines unattended. Both are potential fire risks.
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Post by lesleysm2 on Mar 9, 2024 21:53:24 GMT
Never leave tumble-dryers or washing-machines unattended. Both are potential fire risks. Don't have a tumble dryer but would never go out and leave the washing machine on unsupervised I've even had friends come round and when they suggest going to the pub I've said "I'll be about an hour I've got washing on" Yes this is how seriously I take it I won't go to the pub until it's done |
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Post by peterob on Mar 9, 2024 22:01:45 GMT
Never leave tumble-dryers or washing-machines unattended. Both are potential fire risks. Don't have a tumble dryer but would never go out and leave the washing machine on unsupervised I've even had friends come round and when they suggest going to the pub I've said "I'll be about an hour I've got washing on" Yes this is how seriously I take it I won't go to the pub until it's done On fire-training we were always taught that (after cigarettes and chip pans) washing machines were major sources of fires. If the drum jams the motor overheats and there is enough combustible material to start a fire even though the contents are all wet. |
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Post by lesleysm2 on Mar 9, 2024 22:16:14 GMT
Had that happen once with a Bosch machine (3 weeks after the guarantee ran out) I was indoors and smelt smoke in the kitchen so I ran in and there was smoke coming from the top of the machine. Switched it off and waited for the smoke to clear then emptied the machine (I had to switch it back on for a minute to release the door) On this occasion it did make me late to meet some people in the pub so I came in and said "Sorry I'm late the washing machine started smoking" One friend said "Why?" And another said "Lifestyle choice" |
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Post by John Farrell on Mar 9, 2024 23:37:35 GMT
Here in NZ we don't use washer/dryers or front loading washing machines - almost all washing machines are top loading, and the local main brand doesn't have a motor - the drive coils are on the drum, and a frequency converter provides washing action and spin speeds.
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