Is your Tumble Dryer Safe?

Our changeable weather in the the UK must mean that almost every one of us relies on our trusty tumble dryer. In my household the sound of the metal spinning drum of my Hotpoint tumble dryer resonates from the utility room constantly, regardless of the time of day or whether we are in or out.

Well, actually, that used to be the case until the media became bombarded with reports of fatalities being put down to tumble dryer problems. Now I adhere to the tumble dryer safety advice provided to me by Hotpoint. Here are a few of the stories that have caused me to take action:

,A Surrey family have been left homeless after their home was devastated by a fire that started in their tumble dryer. The manufacturer of the tumble dryer had been notified of the model, that was due for recall, some 4 week prior to the fire.

The television programme This Morning has been urging people to stop using their tumble driers, because it could actually kill you. It is reported that families are putting themselves in danger as they continue to use tumble dryers on recall lists due the excessively long waiting list for them to be fixed or exchanged.

Although statistics show the appliance that causes the most house fires is the washing machine, fire brigades get called to at least one fire a day that has been caused by a tumble dryer. A high number of these fires have been attributed to the Hotpoint models that are listed for recall. It is very surprising that Hotpoint are still advising owners of these models that they can still be used, even though they are aware of the fault that is resulting in house fires.

If the brand of tumble dryer that you own was manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 and is one of the following you could be at risk:

• Hotpoint
• Creda
• Indesit

The brands concerned report that the risk of fire comes from fluff coming into contact with the heating element. Plans are in place for faulty machines to be fixed or exchanged.

Firstly get online and check if the make and model of your tumble dryer is at risk. Go to  http://safety.hotpoint.eu or http://safety.indesit.eu depending on the brand of your machine. They will book you in for any necessary updates.

Secondly, if you are going to use your machine – it is important to follow these safety guidelines:

1. Do not leave your tumble dryer unattended whilst it is in operation.
2. Ensure that the lint filter is cleaned after each use.
3. Make sure there is appropriate ventilation around the unit, if you are not sure what this is then check the operator handbook.

In summary, take care, what you thought was your trusty tumble dry could be the metal spinning machine that puts you and your family in danger.

Do you own one of these “at risk” appliances? Tell us about your experiences for trying to get it fixed in the comments below.