Do You Unplug Small Appliances? Almost Had Tragedy!

[Tigger&Belle]

Yesterday I noticed a strange smell in my kitchen. I tried to figure out the source of the smell, but couldn't, so I chalked it up to oil burning in the bottom of my oven when one of my boys cooked a pizza. Then my boys came into the kitchen and asked what the smell was. It was strongest smelling near the pantry, but we couldn't locate the smell. Finally, my 11yo noticed that the toaster oven was glowing red hot (it's not near the pantry, which is why we didn't notice it for awhile). It was on the toaster setting and malfunctioned and could not be turned off. I unplugged it and it took a long time to cool off.

I am so thankful that we were home--there is no doubt that it would have either set something on fire or erupted into flames itself if we hadn't of noticed it when we did.

So, how many of you unplug your toaster, etc when you are not using them? I've always heard that it's a good idea, but have never done it. I will now, however. What exactly do you unplug (what items are most likely to be a hazard)?

Last night, when trying to go to sleep, I started thinking about the "what-ifs". Needless to say, I didn't fall asleep easily.

T&B

 

[C.Ann]

The only small appliance I leave plugged in for any length of time is my one-cup coffeemaker.. However, when I go to bed or leave the house, I unplug it.. I remember seeing something on Dateline or one of those shows in regards to houses burning to the ground due to toaster ovens, coffeemakers, etc. left plugged in and malfunctioning.. Also seemed the "under the counter" items were more likely to cause a fire..

So glad you found the problem! Could have been a real tragedy!!

 

[caitycaity]

we never did, but our cleaning people did last week and i haven't used any of them recently, so they are all still unplugged!

 

[CEDmom]

I'm glad you were home. I do unplug our toaster oven after every use because I've heard of similar stories that didn't have happy outcomes. Also if I even knock ours with my hand while cleaning up the oven part turns on, it's that sensitive.

 

[Kim&Chris]

The same thing happened to my MIL about a year ago, except it was her toaster oven!!! It could have been very tragic.

Ever since that happened, I always unplug EVERY small appliance when not in use.

 

[ducklite]

The only small appliances that are always plugged in are the Dustbuster and Shark which are continually charging when not in use, and the lighted makeup mirror, which is off when not in use.

As far as kitchen appliance, the can opener is always plugged in because it's a mount under teh cabinet type that can't easily be unplugged. The toaster, coffee maker, blender, mixer, all that-- is only plugged in when in use.

Anne

 

[pjlla]

I always unplug almost everything when I am leaving for a vacation, but rarely when we are home (except for the iron is ALWAYS unplugged immediately after use). But the only thing I can think of that I leave plugged in is the toaster. I don't use my coffee maker every day, so it only gets plugged in when used. I even shut off those auto-on nightlights when we are going away (mostly to save on the electric bill!). Guess I better add the toaster to the list!!................P

 

[Tina]

Yes, we always unplug small appliances after using them. We've also started unplugging any charges like the cell phone charger and the cordless weed trimmer in the garage. I read that these can heat up and explode.

 

[Chicago526]

Right now, ALL of our small electronics are unpluged, because they are still in moving boxes. I haven't unpacked them yet in our new house!

But this reminds me that although we bought new smoke detectors yesterday, DFi didn't have a chance to put them up before having to leave for work yesterday night. I'll call him today to make sure he sets them up. Right now, there is only 1 detector in the whole house, it's upstairs by the bedrooms. Better than nothing, but I want 2 in the basement (one in the laudery room and the other at the top of the basement stair case) and 1 on the main level in the kitchen!

 

[Disneyrsh]

We usually leave ours plugged in, but the kitchen has GFCI plugs which 'pop' if the appliance starts pulling too much juice or generating too much heat on the line.

Might unplug the toaster oven when we leave, though, after reading this. We use it constantly but no sense in leaving it plugged in if we're on vacation...

 

[chesirechik]

My mom has always been fanatical about making sure small appliances are unplugged, so I always make sure too. I do a trip around the house to make sure everything is unplugged before I leave the house.

 

[Poohnatic]

I view the coffeemaker and toaster oven as devices that require 'short circuiting' to generate heat. They're always unplugged when not in use.

The mixer, food processor and blender are always plugged in.

Suzanne

 

[diznygirl]

I don't have a toaster oven, just a toaster, and that is always plugged in. I guess I should go unplug it.

 

[NMAmy]

Well, I blame my mom for this but I unplug every small appliance when I leave the house. The toaster is normally in the cabinet if not being used, same with the can opener, etc. My mom knew someone whose house burned down because the can opener overheated.

The funny things is that a few weeks ago, Mom was telling me that I should use the Crock Pot when I was at work. "Are you crazy?" I asked her...reminding her that she'd made me so paranoid that there was no way I could leave that thing plugged in all day when I was gone! She started laughing and told me that she couldn't leave the Crock Pot on when she was out of the house either.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My mom has always been fanatical about making sure small appliances are unplugged, so I always make sure too. I do a trip around the house to make sure everything is unplugged before I leave the house.

Before you leave for vacation or whenever you leave the house?


I'll have to say that I always thought it was over the top to unplug everything before leaving the house, but I obviously have had a change of heart. Too scary to think about losing everything, especially our cats and dogs. Way too close for comfort.

CEDmom, our toaster over also turns on easily if we bump it, which is what I thought had happened at first this time, except it was on the "toaster" setting, which would have shut back off in a couple minutes. When I went to push the off button it didn't even turn off.

Disneyrsh, we also have the GFCI plugs, which is what the toaster oven was plugged into, but it didn't turn off. I know the plug is working properly since it's popped out recently for other things. I guess the toaster oven wasn't drawing extra current, but malfunctioned in the toaster setting, which stays on (unlike in the oven setting, which turns off and on to keep a constant temperature).

We're obviously buying a new toaster oven, but need to figure out how to report the malfunctioning on this one.

As far as smoke alarms, at our old, small house, we only had one smoke alarm. When I got licensed for daycare the fire inspector did his inspection and found that it wasn't working. It had worked not too long before that when we burned toast, but had reached the end of it's life. It was a hard wire so it didn't just need another battery. We replaced it that day, and added a couple more.

Our current house has alarms in all bedrooms, an extra one in the basement outside the utitity room where the furnace is and one outside the bedrooms. They are all tied together--if one goes off they all go off (a pain when a bug gets into one of them, but good in general).

T&B

 

[jx3smom]

No small appliance stays plugged in at our house. The ceiling fans are turned off and the turtle heat lamps are turned off whenever we leave the house.

I had a fire 12 years ago and will not take chances. Fire terrifies me and I have 7 smoke alarms in my small house.

 

[belleandthebeast]

Thank godness everything is okay and you figured it out before tragedy struck!

I always unplug everything except the microwave! My aunt's mom had a fire that destroyed her house when I was in my teens. I have been very anal about unplugging appliances since!

I remember my brother staying w/ me for awhile and leaving the toaster plugged in. I could have killed him. He was to young to remember the fire. I painted a vivid picture for him. Don't think he'll every forget again!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I view the coffeemaker and toaster oven as devices that require 'short circuiting' to generate heat. They're always unplugged when not in use.

The mixer, food processor and blender are always plugged in.

Suzanne

Can you give me an "electricity 101" short course on what you mean? LOL Remember, speak slowly, use small words..." BTW, I just went and unplugged my coffee maker!

T&B

 

[puffkin]

Toaster and can opener unplugged after every use. All our other small appliances are kept in the cabinet, so they only get plugged in when in use. My DH also unplugs the paper shredder after every use.

My grandparents go to the extreme. They unplug their TV every night or when they go away!

 

[Crankyshank]

Absolutely. I'm a tad obsessive about it. We have an old house with old (not ground cloth and aluminum) wiring and I know people who's house burned down thanks to a plugged in faulty toaster oven.