topic Re: Dishwasher fires in Home

Dishwasher fires

Abrowneyegirl — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:05:41 GMT

After recently hearing of 2 house fires caused by a dishwasher I started to wonder.....

I called a friend who's husband is a firefighter to ask and he confirmed that 'yes' there is an increase in DW fires.

The question his organization is asking is:

It the problem/change with the manufacturing?

Is it how the DW is being used?

Is there something different about the types of things people are puting in the DW?

So- now we do NOT run the DW overnight or while we are away.

I have to say my concern was always a hose breaking and a water leak....not a fire!!

Please be aware and be safe.

Re: Dishwasher fires

m0rgan — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:13:52 GMT

I wonder if it has to do with those dishwasher cubes wrapped in some kind of plastic or dissolvable cellophane clogging something up. I like the Finish with the aluminum foil packaging that is to be removed before using but they are hard to come by now.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Abrowneyegirl — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:16:46 GMT

@m0rgan This is a great observation!!

When he said "what people were putting in the DW" I thought of plastic containers and other utensils. I never thought of those detergent pods!

Re: Dishwasher fires

walker — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:32:08 GMT

Thanks for posting this information. Interesting on increase of DW fires. Several years ago we had a dishwasher motor start to smoke after starting. Fortunately, we were home and my husband could disconnect it. NEVER turn on appliances and go to bed or leave home! Also knew of someone, again several years ago, started her self-cleaning oven, went across street for coffee and her house caught on fire. Be careful....these instances are rare but they do happen.

Re: Dishwasher fires

pupwhipped — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:00:51 GMT

Interesting observations. I've never really thought too much about a dishwasher other then a possible leak. However, I will never leave a clothes dryer running without being around after my father's dryer caught fire many years ago. Bless his heart, he was so freaked out about it he moved the new dryer to the outside. Ha!

Thank you.

Re: Dishwasher fires

jlkz — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:54:52 GMT

That bottom ring on the DW floor gets extremely hot: I once went to retrieve a spoon that slipped from my hand and I got a severe burn on the back of my finger.

Therefore, whenever I have anything plastic to wash, it goes into the top rack and in such a way that it cannot fall to the bottom.

I am down to the last 2-basket box of Finish rinse agent. The plastic basket locks securely onto the top rack. It cannot fall and melt or cause a fire. When they are gone, I will switch to a liquid: no pods for me.

Since the DW is the only appliance I have left running when I leave the house, after reading these posts that will end.

Thanks for the info.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Fressa — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 16:15:53 GMT

I had a dishwasher recall due to fire hazard,. It was the lining of the dishwasher that was catching fire when the wires got hot on certain cycles. I watched the repairman take apart the door and all I have to say is no wonder.l It was so cheaply made and crammed togehter--no wonder. I replaced it shortly after that with a Kitchenaid model.

I never run this if I'm not home or awake. I'd rather be cautious than risk a hazard with fire or flood. It's such a hassel with insurance, damage and replacemtnt.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Bri36 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 19:33:57 GMT

I don't run any appliances unless I'm home now.

I had a dryer fire several years ago. Luckily, I was home and smelled it. The fire alarm started buzzing too

Re: Dishwasher fires

FranandZoe — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 19:29:01 GMT

Wow - this is pretty scary. We always run the DW right before we go to bed. Might have to rethink that.

I use the Finish pods too in plastic. It seems like they used to make a type with no wrapping at all - maybe that's a better way to go.

Thanks for the heads up!

Re: Dishwasher fires

proudlyfromNJ — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 19:34:12 GMT

I stopped running the dishwasher at night also. But I do use the pods, they do a great job on my dishes.

Re: Dishwasher fires

novamc1 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:07:43 GMT

I had a dishwasher only about two years old that started to stink up the house with a burning smell. Immediately shut it off. Later--long after I had replaced that dishwasher--I got a notice about some models of that brand being recalled and a class-action lawsuit underway because of a fire hazard.

I guess sometimes the electronics in today's washers can get overheated and fail. Pretty scary. I know I was scared when I smelled the burning!!

Re: Dishwasher fires

Ibby114 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:14:41 GMT

I never liked the way my dishwasher cleaned- even after using 'finish' and the pods! It's only a couple of years old too. So I hand wash and it's my drying rack!! I guess this is one possible fire I'll avert.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Pooky1 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:16:19 GMT

our maytag dw was recalled for the heating element could catch fite to. they came out and replaced it.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Kachina624 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:28:27 GMT

My parents had a fire in their house while they were away on vacation caused by an appliance that was just plugged in. It was an electric can opener. It was operated by pressing the handle down. They think the handle fell down by itself, it ran until it overheated and got very hot, igniting the cabinet to which it was attached. It smoldered creating a greasy, black soot that covered everything in the house, even things in drawers and closets.

Their insurance company hired a husband/wife clean up team that spent over 2 weeks rehabbing the house. Things like the oil paintings and Navajo rugs had to be sent to specialists for cleaning. It was quite an ordeal.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Mominohio — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:39:26 GMT

When we moved here 23 years ago, we removed the dishwasher (hate them and wanted that space back for a bank of drawers).

In doing so, we saw where it was plugged/wired into the power source underneath was a little dicey.

Could it be electrical issues?

Re: Dishwasher fires

ptagirl — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:47:26 GMT

wrote:
When we moved here 23 years ago, we removed the dishwasher (hate them and wanted that space back for a bank of drawers).

In doing so, we saw where it was plugged/wired into the power source underneath was a little dicey.

Could it be electrical issues?

Also had mine removed (hate dishwashers...stinky, noisy, and take forever!) last year when we had the kitchen redone...also had drawer storage put in its place....So love my drawers!

Re: Dishwasher fires

SilleeMee — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 23:45:32 GMT

I unplug everything that has a heating element in it when not in use. This includes dishwasher, toaster, coffee maker, hair tools and clothes dryer. Not my stove because I can't get to the plug. I never run any appliance if I'm not here and I never run them while sleeping either.

Re: Dishwasher fires

Abrowneyegirl — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 04:11:45 GMT

wrote:
Wow - this is pretty scary. We always run the DW right before we go to bed. Might have to rethink that.

I use the Finish pods too in plastic. It seems like they used to make a type with no wrapping at all - maybe that's a better way to go.

Thanks for the heads up!

We used to run ours at night too! We have since stopped this habit......

Be safe!

Re: Dishwasher fires

KathyM23 — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 05:12:14 GMT

I also had my dishwasher removed because I wanted more cabinets and it is only 2 of us here and we do the dishes together. I would never leave any appliance run through the night or when I am away. More concerned about a fire because always had at least one dog.

I would not even use a crockpot and leave it on when I was at work. Same for oven that timed to start or stop at a certain time. Never used that feature. I had a friend who had a dryer fire while she was at work. I always turn off the dryer when I leave the house. Again worry about the animals.

No point leaving anything to chance - we have enough perils that we cannot control so we should control what we can.

Re: Dishwasher fires

summerwind — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 14:55:45 GMT

But... But... Don't "they" want us running our dishwashers at night, when the drain on the electric grid is less? Isn't that what smart meters are all about? Making sure we follow the rules?

Eagerly awaiting zero point energy.