My tumble dryer caught light

[alwaysskint]

If you use your tumble dryer at night, like I generally do.... STOP!

I empty the fluff collector regularly, even vacuum the vents at the back.
house just filled with smoke, new smoke alarms worked - thank god and if you don't have any...GET SOME FREE FROM THE FIRE SERVICE

It was smouldering at the back, behind the drum. Taken the back off and there's as much fluff caught covering the electrics as caught by the front collector.

Please be careful peeps. I've been quite shaken by it

[LooLoo]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Glad you all ok!!!

xx

[Handyman]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

I assume it has a Vent Hose? make sure it hasn't twisted or blocked, or that the outside is clear as this slows down the Airflow as happened to ours last week.
No fire or anything, It just kept showing a blocked filter light.

Regards, Handy

[di30]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Crikey
So glad to hear your ok, but sorry to hear about the dryer!

My mum had a bad experience with her washing machine last year, it caught fire, and less than 3 years old, they did change it for her immediately to a different brand, but this should not have happened, the make that caught fire was "Indesit".

[philnicandamy]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Blimey....glad your all ok though

[alwaysskint]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Thanks everyone, was a tad scary, but relieved it wasn't as bad as some of the stories I've been told about. I'm shocked it's not as uncommon as I thought it was last night.

Had a proper look today, took the back and lid off completely and removed a bin bag full of fluff from the inside :-0
Basically the fluff - the really fine build up of fibres that you empty out of the collector and the hose - had built up inside, covering all the cables, and behind the back of the drum, between the drum and the back plate, is now around an inch thick, and really compressed - almost like cardboard.
I 'peeled' it away, almost like a broken fan belt.

There is a 'gap' on the back plate, that allows the heat from the heating elements (4 of them) into the drum, and I can only assume that some of the loose build up somehow fell through the gap, onto the elements, and that's how it started.

I am horrified at just how much the filters have missed, and it certainly never occurred to me I should strip it down to stop this building up.

Speaking to friends today across the pond and they were saying it's the biggest cause of house fires over there. They strip theirs down every 6 months!!
Friends over here have said similar, and one had a house fire a few years ago due to the circuit board on the washer. So no more overnight washing/drying or dishwashing for this household!

On the plus side, my 10 year old son, who woke up with the alarm going off, got out of bed came straight downstairs and out the front door, it was at that point he thought where's mum and what do I do now lol. So having heaped loads of praise on him for doing exactly what he should have done, we've sorted out what he should do next.

If you haven't already done so, please put an hour or so aside to check your dryers, you might be surprised at what you find... I was!

Luv to all xx

[Handyman]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Hi Allways, did you see the news @ a month ago about BEKO frost free fridge freezers. I didn't know how the system worked until last week when I repaired a similar fridge for my Boss.

They have a heating element similar to an immersion heater, to melt the ice once a day. I would have never thought that a fridge could set on fire.

As a retired Sparky (as well as other things) I always worry about folks stacking things against the fuse box in their houses. My Mrs and Lady Hooray my Boss are prime offenders. Most modern electrical systems will trip that fast you should never have a problem. Imagine if you did need to cut the power fast, having to move the brooms, mop bucket, dusters, paint tins, polish, ironing board and so on to reach the fuse box.

Out of interest have you checked all of the vent hose? I once found a pair of socks and some of Mrs H's undies in ours. Now how the heck did they get past the filter.

Anyone advise me on the sock stealer that lives in our machine? it only ever nicks one at a time.

Regards, Handy

[Handyman]

Re: My tumble dryer caught light

Oh just a final safety thought, did you know that under certain conditions Cooking oil, that has not been fully washed out of Cotton i.e Tea Towels can spontaneously combust in a tumble dryer.

This has been found to be the cause of several fires in commercial laundries.

Not a problem if properly washed and not left in a warm laundry basket.

Regards