What do YOU leave on when you leave the house?

[Pembo]

I had a friend who lost her house due to a dryer fire. She was home at the time. They smelled smoke and by the time they figured out it was the dryer, it was too late. So according to the logic on this thread, leaving it running when home is dangerous too.

 

[maxiesmom]

I am married to a fireman and I just asked him how many dryer fires he had been on. His answer was 1.

Maybe that is because most people don't use leave the dryer on when they are away from home?

 

[Sorsha]

Maybe that is because most people don't use leave the dryer on when they are away from home?

Or maybe it is because it has become an Urban Legend (Oh No You DON'T! If you leave that on you'll BURN THE HOUSE DOWN!!) meant to scare people into not leaving the dryer on for their own safety, but with the advent of modern, safer technology it really isn't as prevalent an issue as we are supposed to believe?

My HE front-loader dryer has a heat sensor built in. It can tell when the clothes are dry or when something is getting too hot and then shuts itself off. Conversly if it reaches the end of its timed cycle and still senses that the clothes are damp, it adds more time.

 

[Janepod]

Both of my grandfathers were firefighters, as is one of DH's. All three said it was fine to run the washer, dryer and dishwasher at any time, providing they were well maintained and used properly.

As others have said, none of the chores around my house would get done if I actually had to be present to run the appliances.

 

[torinsmom]

Dryer fires are NOT an urban legend. They may be uncommon, but so is any kind of fire. I know I have had the heating element or thermostat malfunction in mine, which caused it to get terribly hot. Another time, something went wonky with the switch and the dryer was still going(and heating) even when the dryer was open.

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/tfrs/v7i1.pdf

Here are statistics and recommendations from FEMA on dryer fires. Statistics show that

Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually.

The recommendations state:

Never put synthetic materials such as rubber, plastic, foam, or pieces of cloth that have been used to sponge up flammable liquids in the dryer, even if previously washed.

Clean the lint out of the exhaust pipe and the rear of the dryer regularly.

Inspect your lint filter for rips each time you use it. If you see any rips, replace immediately.

The exhaust pipe should be as short as possible and have limited bends to allow for adequate airflow.

The American Household Appliance Manufacturers Association (AHAM) recommends the use of UL- listed rigid aluminum or steel duct or spiral-wound aluminum flex hose, NOT white vinyl hose.

Never let your clothes dryer run while you are out of the house or asleep.

Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional annually to ensure that the gas line and connection are intact.

 

[torinsmom]

Here's another one put out by the National Fire Protection Association

http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/DryerFactSheet.pdf

 

[Colleen27]

Or maybe it is because it has become an Urban Legend (Oh No You DON'T! If you leave that on you'll BURN THE HOUSE DOWN!!) meant to scare people into not leaving the dryer on for their own safety, but with the advent of modern, safer technology it really isn't as prevalent an issue as we are supposed to believe?

I think that may very well be the case. I have a lower-end electric Whirlpool dryer, nothing special or high efficiency about it, but when the belt broke it "sensed" that the drum wasn't turning and shut itself off. I remember my grandmother's dryer smoking when she had a similar problem because the dryer kept running without the drum turning and allowed the heat to build up to dangerous levels. It probably would have started a fire if she hadn't noticed it in time.