Leaving the washing machine on while you're out

[trashpony]

I never knew that as well, although I've recently been informed that leaving unattended washing machines is one of the, if not the leading, cause of house fires. Which makes the name 'Hotpoint' seem a little more ill advised than most.

My washing machine repair man told me never to leave it on in case it flooded. Mine has a setting that will turn it on in 8 hours so I do that. That means if it floods while I'm at work, the water will only be an inch deep or so

It's tumble dryers you have to be careful with on the house fire front I think - a friend of my sister's dryer malfunctioned and burned the house down while she was out

 

[Stobart Stopper]

That's shocking! That can't possibly equal a whole load, can't you do one every other day and double up on the darks and the whites?

I can't stand leaving all that smelly washing in the laundry bin, plus I have qucik wash/half load on my machine, so it's quite economical.

 

[oryx]

It's tumble dryers you have to be careful with on the house fire front I think - a friend of my sister's dryer malfunctioned and burned the house down while she was out

I know two people whose washing machine has burnt/nearly burnt the house down while they were out but now I think about it, they were both washers driers.........(and the same make).

 

[Geri]

I never knew that as well, although I've recently been informed that leaving unattended washing machines is one of the, if not the leading, cause of house fires.

That's utter crap.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Are you getting worse the older you get? I am totally turning into my mum, turning everything off at the plug every night before bed.

Oh dear lord yes!

I used to laugh at my mum for turning all the plugs off, and pulling them out, before bed. Now I do the same

 

[quimcunx]

I can't stand leaving all that smelly washing in the laundry bin, plus I have qucik wash/half load on my machine, so it's quite economical.

think of the environment!


*from the girl who started running a bath, sat down for a minute, and woke up 4 hours later to steamy windows throughout*

 

[AnnaKarpik]

Do you? We used to but now we're too paranoid about it exploding or burning down the flat, and also don't want it to be sitting flashing and saying "I'm done!" for hours and using energy. It's a pain in the arse because we can't just put a wash on in the morning and unload when we come back.

Laundry

PS I am a fascinating person.

Timer switch.

 

[Tank Girl]

I tend to put our washing on before I go to work, if I've timed it right, I'll get it hung up before I leave, otherwise it stays on until I get home.

this is partly down to the fact that we don't have a kitchen as such, it's a kitchenette in the lounge, and would much rather all that noise went on when I wasn't trying to have some p & q.

 

[Geri]

I tend to put our washing on before I go to work, if I've timed it right, I'll get it hung up before I leave, otherwise it stays on until I get home.

this is partly down to the fact that we don't have a kitchen as such, it's a kitchenette in the lounge, and would much rather all that noise went on when I wasn't trying to have some p & q.

Me too, for the same reason - my kitchen is not a separate room (only half a wall divides it from the front room) and it's just too noisy. I can't put it on when I go to bed either as it makes such a racket I'm sure the neighbours would hear it and be pissed off.

 

[perplexis]

I do it all the time, but my machine hasn't got a light.
FWIW, I don't think the little light in standby modes on TVs and Hi-Fis is responsible for using much electricity (specially as they're usually LEDs rather than the much less efficient incandescent bulbs), it's the fact that all the circuitry is still on inside, ready to go on the press of the remote control. I've no idea how this applies to washing machines though

 

[cesare]

I don't have a washing machine atm <<< x a million

But when I do, I never leave it on when I'm out. This is because some friends of mine had a house fire as a result of the electronics in their washing machine shorting out - while they were out.

 

[geminisnake]

One of my neighbours used to put her washing machine on before she went to work, which pissed me off in the extreme coz her kitchen was above my bedroom and she went to work at about 5am. I've never slept well and that didn't help!!
It flooded one morning. water running through my lights sockets upstairs and down. I had to go and knock on the door til her kids answered(they were teens) to tell them.
She never put it on before work after that

I might leave it on if I was going out to get some shopping and wouldn't be long but due to an aversion to ironing and overcreased clothes I like to be around to hang the stuff out once the machine finishes.

 

[wtfftw]

It gets so loud we tend to evacuate when it's on. Only daytime tho as I like to have the highground on the noise front with the neighbours.

 

[mentalchik]

Do 3 or 4 loads on a saturday or sunday so the problem never arises !

 

[Geri]

Do 3 or 4 loads on a saturday or sunday so the problem never arises !

How do you get it all dry, doing that much in one go?

 

[mentalchik]

Tumble dry some of it and the rest goes on an airer !

 

[Orang Utan]

I set it on the timer, so it's just finished when I get home

 

[Orang Utan]

I'm not worried if the house burns down. I'll just move somewhere nicer if it does. Not that it will.

 

[tarannau]

That's utter crap.

Well, that's what I thought. I then typed 'washing machine fire' into google and got a load of results up, including new stories about fires and a number of product recalls indicating a significant number of flaming washing doobries.

Still, I can't say I've been moved enough to research the propensity of washing machines to burst into fire. Nor enough to stop jamming a load on before I go to work if we're running low on smalls.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Do you? We used to but now we're too paranoid about it exploding or burning down the flat, and also don't want it to be sitting flashing and saying "I'm done!" for hours and using energy. It's a pain in the arse because we can't just put a wash on in the morning and unload when we come back..

That's a bit, er, obsessive.

We do it all the time. We also leave roasts cooking in the oven and go out.

Even my grandmother used to do that.

I'm not sure I've ever heard of a washing machine exploding. What brand do you own?

 

[felixthecat]

I do it practically every day. Never considered a fire risk. But there again, I also go out with the roast in the oven.

And btw I do a load of washing every day too, sometimes 2 loads.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

We also put stuff in the dryer, turn it on, then go to bed and fall asleep.

 

[felixthecat]

We also put stuff in the dryer, turn it on, then go to bed and fall asleep.

yep, do that too. Its got a timer on it so it just stops.

 

[moomoo]

I do it practically every day. Never considered a fire risk. But there again, I also go out with the roast in the oven.

I go out and leave the oven on as well, we're going to burn our houses down felix.

 

[felixthecat]

I go out and leave the oven on as well, we're going to burn our houses down felix.

My mum used to do it too. No change that, my mum STILL does it!

 

[tarannau]

I leave the oven on occasionally too. But I rent the place to be fair. And I never did care much for the neighbours anyway.

 

[cesare]

Leaving the oven on

I even turn the kettle off at the socket before I go out

There're certain things that need to be done before you go out. Like turning things off at the socket and that. Oh yes.

 

[Orang Utan]

Bollocks! Live a little! All that space in your mind taken up by unnecessary worrying. You could save it for pictures of kittens.

 

[Geri]

Well, that's what I thought. I then typed 'washing machine fire' into google and got a load of results up, including new stories about fires and a number of product recalls indicating a significant number of flaming washing doobries.

I'm sure there are some, but it's nowhere near the main cause, which appears to be cooking and heat appliances.

My ex housemate used to go out leaving the gas rings on.

 

[mentalchik]

Blimey i'm glad i don't have to do washing every day........