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[Abrowneyegirl]

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.

[m0rgan]

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.

[Abrowneyegirl]

@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!

[walker]

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.  

[pupwhipped]

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.

[jlkz]

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.

[Fressa]

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.  

[Bri36]

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

[FranandZoe]

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!

[proudlyfromNJ]

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