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Home appliances causing 60 fires a week in the UK.. ideas to reduce the risk

shabaz

Posting in IoT for lack of a better section.. and solutions or monitoring of home appliances may use IoT.

 

I was quite surprised to see this statistic : (

Faulty appliances 'cause 60 fires a week' - BBC News

It seems a huge number. Apparently this is mainly due to washing machines and tumble dryers. The following article discusses what causes the fires for tumble dryers, and how to reduce the risk of it:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/five-rules-stop-your-tumble-14112798

 

I've never had a tumble dryer (I use a clothes line if it isn't raining) so I can't be sure, but reading through that article, it seems the procedure to reduce the risk is really onerous. The article suggests vacuuming around the dryer and fluff can accumulate at the rear of the dryer. I can't imagine many people moving a dryer to vacuum behind it frequently, because of the weight of it, and presumably some are integrated (bolted) into position. This video only discusses how to clean fluff from the front filter, which looks easy enough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQruzikHdQI  but it doesn't address the other areas that may need to be regularly inspected and cleaned.

 

The article also discusses that tumble dryers should not be operated at night when people are asleep, or when no one is at home. To me, that seems like the lowest-hanging technical workaround until tumble dryers can be made safer; retro-fitting them for free, with a lockout system that will prevent operation unless light and motion (i.e. occupancy with activity) can be sensed - perhaps by Bluetooth. If either light or motion is not sensed for longer than (say) ten minutes then the dryer could be powered down. A fire alarm should also be fitted for free if one is not already fitted. Anything less seems unreasonable, considering tumble dryer manufacturers must know their machines pose such a high risk.

 

How do other people manage the risk? I would trust myself not to use a tumble dryer in the evening, but what if someone fell asleep on the sofa during the daytime and no-one else was at home. Or teenagers. Can they really be trusted to avoid using a tumble dryer at night, and adhering to the no house-parties rules : ) when parents are traveling?

 

And on another note.. it will be likely country-specific, but it would be good to hear advice on fitting fire alarms in locations where washing machines and tumble dryers will be fitted - e.g. what type of alarm, what distance is recommended, etc, from those who are experienced in this area. It would be valuable information to a lot of people.

  • it seems the procedure to reduce the risk is really onerous. The article suggests vacuuming around the dryer and fluff can accumulate at the rear of the dryer.

    Many older style dryers don't vent outside, and rely on a simple filter on the front.

     

    I can't imagine many people moving a dryer to vacuum behind it frequently, because of the weight of it

    Actually standalone tumble dryers are very light

     

    It seems to boil down to a simple technical term RTFM.

    Like many dishwashers, you'd be surprised how many never have the fiklter cleaned despite the manual suggesting it requires a clean each day.

     

    Mark

  • For Sure RTFM.

    BUT folks today don't read them,

    So here's what  I propose in order.

    1. Color Action Comic

    2. Instructional Video on DVD

    3. Same as #1 and #2  but on a flash drive.

    4. None of the above as they wouldn't read anyway, be just a waste of money.

    5. Sensor the damn thing so It shuts down the unit and calls the fire department!

     

    Cris H.

     

    BTW Where on earth did they find that dead-eye tech. He does more harm than good. LOL

  • I have had personal experiences of friend's houses being burnt down by cheap chinese phone chargers from ebay, because of this I try to buy from reputable brands or brands that have a big following,... and thus a lot to loose from a class action law suit... causing them to invest more in components, materials, QC and design features such as anti tracking slots.

  • in reply to mcb1

    Ah, I didn't realise they were light.

    The machine in the video appears to have some labels near the opening, but I guess some people won't make the connection that following these are critical to safety either : (

    It's a shame there isn't a way to force removal of the dust filter before the door opens, i.e. forcing people to handle it and see it. That would be a more complex enclosure than the current system, but maybe important if the dust filter is so critical : (

  • in reply to phoenixcomm

    Hehe yeah impossible to make all people follow a manual or guide, especially (some) teenagers who may use the dryer without listening to their parents.

    Also maybe many people are not aware I think, that air with combustible particles is extremely dangerous : ( I don't know if that is the most likely mode that causes the fires though.

    Definitely time these machines had a lot more sensors and lockouts.

  • in reply to e14phil

    That's awful : ( So many people have no-name chargers, and it is tempting, since they cost a fraction : (

  • in reply to phoenixcomm

    Low tack Stickers over the door / buttons are the best way. I remember getting a power supply for my 3D printer that had a sticker over the IEC port, reminding me to choose 110 or 240v before pulling it in. worked a treat... the second time... fried the first one.  e14 adventures in 3D: #1 New Toy in the e14 Office and e14 adventures in 3D: #2 Dr. is in the house

  • in reply to e14phil

    Oh, I remember that! : ) That was unfortunate without the sticker. I've done the same with a travel iron out of forgetfulness. As an electronic version of the sticker, maybe taking it to an extreme, could be a display on a machine that you have to read before it will operate. For example, it makes you answer a multiple-choice quiz question (and it changes each time, so you have to read it) before the machine powers on, e.g. "how can cleaning the filter prevent fires?". A few hundred questions wouldn't take a lot of memory, and could even be shared between dryer manufacturers by a regulatory body.

  •   wrote:

     

    And on another note.. it will be likely country-specific, but it would be good to hear advice on fitting fire alarms in locations where washing machines and tumble dryers will be fitted - e.g. what type of alarm, what distance is recommended, etc, from those who are experienced in this area. It would be valuable information to a lot of people.

    Funny you mention that, because I have read two instruction manuals for fire alarms in the past. They both stated more "where not to install them" instructions than what to do. They don't like humidity, dust, heating elements, peformance depends on the roof shape. This basically rules out all rooms in a common house. Well, they usually work, but I doubt people test them at home the same way as they are tested in public places. (There is a law for that in the Czech Republic.) Maybe it is just a disclaimer so no one can sue the manufacturer in case the alarm doesn't work, who knows.

     

    I guess all the current consumer alarms use optical recognition, but I know there used to be some with slightly radioactive material.

     

    David

  • in reply to e14phil

    Cheap USB Chargers

     

    Biggest cause of fires in NZ apparently is chargers left plugged in ...

     

    I've actually managed to train my wife to turn them off when not actually charging the device ... so far it's working and one less risk.

     

    Mark