Which are the dangerous tumble dryers? What brands are affected? Whirlpool owns a number of tumble dryer brands and there are several that pose potential fire hazards. Affected brands are Hotpoint, Indesit, Proline, Swan and Creda.
Which tumble dryers are affected by the tumble dryers safety notice?
Tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 have been identified as being at risk. The affected brands are: Whirlpool branded tumble dryers are not affected by this safety notice. How to check if your machine is affected?
Can fluff in a tumble dryer cause a fire?
In some cases, fluff can come into contact with the heating element in the tumble dryer and potentially cause a fire, according to Whirlpool. It says such cases are rare, but affected models will require repair in order to negate the risk.
What is the best vented tumble dryer?
The Hoover Link 10kg Vented Tumble Dryer is my best vented pick. Let’s look at some of its main features. Like the Hoover Dynamic Next, this dryer has NFC technology, meaning you’re able to control it via its Android app. It has a 10kg drum capacity, making it great for larger households where there’s a lot of washing/drying to be done.
What should I do if my tumble dryer is faulty?
If your tumble dryer is one of the affected models, unplug it immediately and leave it unplugged until you get the modification. Customers who are worried can also call the Tumble Dryer modification programme on 0800 151 0905 for the UK or 1800 804320 for Ireland.
How likely is a tumble dryer to catch fire?
Dryer fire statistics and facts While it may be hard to believe, dryer fires are a fairly common cause of home fires. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, dryers and washing machines cause an average of 15,970 fires each year, with dryers causing 92% of them.
Are Hoover tumble dryers a fire risk?
Overheating could occur and in certain circumstances this could result in a fire.
How safe are Beko tumble dryers?
Hundreds of Beko tumble dryers are at risk of bursting into flames, and urgently need repairs. If you're an owner of one of five tumble dryer models manufactured by the company, you might be in danger and should check the model number immediately.
Do Hotpoint tumble dryers catch fire?
A MUM of four was forced to flee her home when her Hotpoint tumble dryer caught fire after it had been modified by Whirlpool to fix a fault.
Which tumble dryers have caught fire?
A safety notice has been issued for Hotpoint, Indesit, Swan, Proline and Creda tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 due to a risk of fire caused by fluff coming into contact with the heating elements.
How many tumble dryers have caught fire?
At fault Whirlpool machines - which includes those produced under the brands Creda, Hotpoint, Indesit, Proline, and Swan - have been blamed for at least 750 fires over the past 11 years.
How do I find out if my tumble dryer is safe?
If your tumble dryer has a green "dot" sticker in the door area or on the back, your machine already has the necessary safety modification and no further action is required.
How do you know if it's not a dryer safe?
A square with a circle inside means that the item can be safely tumble dried, while the number of dots inside the tumble dry symbol indicates what temperature setting to use: one dot stands for low heat, two dots for medium, and three for high heat setting. No dot means that you can tumble dry your clothes on any heat.
What Hotpoint dryers are being recalled?
Indesit invite all consumers with an Indesit, Hotpoint and Creda branded dryer purchased between April 2004 and September 2015, to visit their dedicated website www.indesithotpointsafety.com or contact Indesit by telephone on 1 800 804 320....The affected brands are:Hotpoint.Hotpoint -Artison.Artison.Indesit.Creda.
How do I make sure my dryer doesn't catch fire?
How to prevent dryer firesKeep your dryer's ventilation system clean. ... Keep your lint screen clean and never use the dryer when the lint screen is missing. ... Hang items to dry if they've been in contact with flammable substances like oil, gas, or other chemicals. ... Split up larger loads so your clothes dry faster.More items...•
How safe are Hotpoint tumble dryers?
Among tumble dryer brands, Hoover and Hotpoint were considered more likely to cause fires. Hoover was linked to 12% of tumble dryer fires, which is higher than its estimated market share of 10.2%. Hotpoint was linked to 31% of fires, which is higher than its estimated market share of 25%.
How many dryers catch fire each year?
Clothes dryer fires are more common than you might think. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that dryers and washing machines cause an average of 15,970 fires each year, with dryers causing 92% of them and an average of $200 million in property damage.
Is my dryer gonna catch on fire?
Even electric dryers can catch fire. The main cause of electric dryer fires is overheating. If you use your dryer for too long, or if you leave the door open while drying clothes, then you could end up with a fire. Electric dryers catch fire often because they are designed to heat up quickly, so they overheat easily.
Is leaving the dryer on a fire hazard?
Do not leave a dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed. Never dry items that have come in contact with flammable substances, such as cooking oil, gasoline, and paint thinner, or alcohol. Keep the dryer area clear of things that can burn, such as boxes or clothing.
Can a hairdryer catch on fire?
Hazard: The hair dryer and power cord can overheat and catch on fire, posing fire, burn and electrical shock hazards.
How many faulty tumble dryers were sold in the UK?
There were over 5 million potentially faulty tumble dryers sold in the UK between 2004 and 2015, and there have been reports of families left homeless following fires caused by faulty tumble dryers. However, despite Whirlpool's campaign to repair every single faulty dryer, by 2019 only 1.7 million issues have been resolved.
What should I do if my tumble dryer is affected?
If you have a faulty tumble dryer, unplug it immediately and stop using it. Call Whirlpool on 0800 151 0905 and you’ll be able to arrange for an engineer to visit and repair or replace the tumble dryer.
Why is Whirlpool fixing tumble dryers?
Whirlpool says it has contacted 4 million customers directly to ask them to check for a faulty tumble dryer.
What is causing the tumble dryer fires?
In some cases, fluff can come into contact with the heating element in the tumble dryer and potentially cause a fire, according to Whirlpool.
How can I check my tumble dryer?
You should visit the Whirlpool website and follow the instructions , entering the model number and serial number of your tumble dryer. You can usually find the model number and serial number on the frame inside the door.
What is the number to call to replace a Whirlpool tumble dryer?
Call Whirlpool on 0800 151 0905 and you’ll be able to arrange for an engineer to visit and repair or replace the tumble dryer. Under the recall, all consumers with affected Whirlpool tumble dryers that have not already been modified or replaced are entitled to one of the following four options:
Does Whirlpool own a tumble dryer?
Whirlpool owns a number of tumble dryer brands and there are several that pose potential fire hazards. Affected brands are Hotpoint, Indesit, Proline, Swan and Creda.
When were tumble dryers at risk?
Tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 have been identified as being at risk. The affected brands are:
Where is the dot on my dryer?
These can be found on the back of the dryer door or in the recess of the dryer door.
How to check if your machine is affected?
If your tumble dryer has a green "dot" sticker in the door area or on the back, your machine already has the necessary safety modification and no further action is required.
Why are fires worse in insulation?
Even when these products aren't the cause of the blaze they can still make fires worse due to the insulation used in their design being highly flammable and a major source of fuel.
Does Whirlpool have a tumble dryer?
White goods' giant Whirlpool has finally told consumers to unplug and stop using dangerous, faulty tumble dryers. The makers of Hotpoint and Indesit changed its advice after pressure from our Total Recalls campaign, which has called for a number of measures to improve white goods’ safety. The company had previously maintained ...
How many homes are affected by flammable tumble dryers?
Millions of homes are affected by flammable tumble dryers. Here's how to find out if you're affected... MPs have condemned Whirlpool for 'cynical' failure to help customers with tumble dryers 'known to be dangerous'. In the Parlimentary debate, MPs estimate that 3M homes could be affected.
What is the phone number to change a tumble dryer?
Customers who are worried can also call the Tumble Dryer modification programme on 0800 151 0905 for the UK or 1800 804320 for Ireland.
When did Whirlpool dryers stop being sold?
Whirlpool sent letters to 3.8 million owners of the affected dryers, which were sold by Hotpoint and Indesit between April 2004 and September 2015, letting them know that a modification was needed, but that appliances were still safe to use as long as you were present.
Who makes Creda tumble dryers?
Whirlpool, the maker of Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit tumble dryers, had previously warned the owners of millions of potentially dangerous machines to unplug the appliances and stop using them until they are repaired.
When was the Indesit dryer made?
If you bought a Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda, Swan or Proline dryer that was manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 then you need to check if it's faulty, immediately.
Why is Whirlpool a safety defect?
Whirlpool identified a safety defect in November 2015 after fires were caused by excess fluff, which can catch light when in close contact with the heating element in the machines. One machine, which caught fire in West London last August, caused a damage across five floors of an 18-storey tower block.
What is the number one fault in a tumble dryer?
Electrical failures are the number one fault found in tumble dryers. Drying sensors failing to detect the right levels of humidity in the drum and faulty drums make up the rest of the top three most common tumble dryer problems, according to our survey of 3,887 UK tumble dryer owners.
How long does a tumble dryer last?
The average tumble dryer will last around 20 years. This is based on the experiences of Which? members who told us how long they kept their previous appliance before they replaced it due to a fault. There’s a noticeable difference between how long the best and the worst brands last.
Why does my tumble dryer stop working?
This can be when the motherboard fries and the machine dies or when for another electrical reason, the machine stops working. For most of us, fixing this will be a job for an engineer. But before making the call, unplug the dryer and check the plug socket with another product. By doing this, you can rule out the problem being with the socket rather than the dryer.
How to avoid drum problems?
One way that we can help to avoid drum problems is to never overfill the machine. By making sure that there's plenty of room inside for the clothes to tumble as they dry, we're helping to protect the drum while also giving our clothes the best chance of drying.
Can you avoid tumble dryer faults?
Getting into good tumble drying habits will give you a good chance of avoiding some of the most common tumble dryer faults.
How is a tumble dryer rated?
Tumble dryers are rated on their energy efficiency on a standard scale going from G to A+++. A tumble dryer’s energy efficiency rating will give you a good idea of how much it’s likely to cost to run over the course of a year. Running costs can soon add up with large electrical appliances so this is always an important thing to know.
What to think about when buying a tumble dryer?
When buying a tumble dryer, you need to think about the space you have available. Not only do you need to know that it will fit into the space you have but you should make sure there’s nothing around it that will block you from opening the hatch.
Is it OK to put a condenser dryer in a cupboard?
Although condenser dryers don’t need a vent attached to them, they do still need air to operate properly. Therefore, putting one in a cupboard is not a good idea . If a condenser dryer is in a very enclosed space like a cupboard, it means the air won’t be able to circulate properly, which could easily cause it to overheat and become faulty.
How long do tumble dryers last?
A good tumble dryer will usually last for around 10 to 15 years. Of course, the exact amount of time it lasts will depend on factors such as:
Is it OK to put a tumble dryer on top of a washing machine?
However, it’s not recommended that you place a tumble dryer on top of your washing machine otherwise. The vibration from the washing machine could easily damage the dryer, not to mention the danger factor of it falling off.
How do tumble dryers compare to washer/dryers?
Although buying a washer/dryer might seem tempting to save money and space, they’re generally not as reliable as a dedicated tumble dryer and won’t be able to dry the same amount of clothes.
What is an iron dry?
For example, “Iron Dry” is a popular drying program. The tumble dryer will leave a small amount of moisture in your clothes; perfect for ironing just as they come out of the dryer. The small amount of moisture will evaporate as your iron the clothes and help leave your clothes flat and crease-free.
How many people died in the dryer fire?
In fact, Miss Simpson can count herself lucky, for at least three deaths have been attributed to dryers catching fire, and nearly 300 people have been injured. Among the fatalities is Mishell Moloney, a 49-year-old mother of two. On the same day as Miss Simpson’s fire, the body of Miss Moloney was found by relatives who broke into her smoke-filled ...
How many fires have been caused by dryers?
Based on Freedom of Information requests to fire brigades, the Daily Mirror estimates that 6,000 fires may have been caused by faulty dryers in the past six years.
What happens if you find a green dot on a dryer?
If there’s no dot, look at the back of the machine. If you find a green dot, your dryer will not be at risk. Mishell Moloney (left), 49, was found dead at her charred home in Frankley, Birmingham after she was killed in a house fire believed to have been sparked by a tumble dryer (file picture, right)
Can you put flammable liquids in a dryer?
Owners are also warned not to put any materials that have been used for mopping up flammable liquids in the dryer.