Is a tumble dryer safe?

code-a-holic

This may be a mad question but would appreciate some wise words!
Have ordered a tumble dryer - have never had one before. We live in a one floor cottage with no room, but have stair leading to a loft which is the size of the house and has a skylight. I planned to put the tuble dryer and a chest freezer up there. i have just read on another thread that a tumble dryer ignites easily (it implied anyway!) now im worried. I planned to use it during E7 hours, but with it being up there would i be risking the families lives.

Debt_Free_Chick

How are you going to vent the tumble drier? or is it condensing?

kat21

I personally wouldnt advise the items you have suggested be placed in the loft unless its a proper loft conversion but even then with vibration problems it could sound very loud. You also have to consider how your going to ventillate your tuble dryer, fires usually start due to problems with the ventillation of the product. Make sure you have installed in your home smoke detectors some electrical stores make smoke detectors that plug int light fittings or you may contact your local fire station whom will fit them free with a ten year battery inside them.
hope this is of some help
kat21

wizzkid_3

We had a fire in a TD once. It was 6 months old and I had got it from a local trader who had obviously got a job lot of old model ones. We think that it had been dropped or something as the fluff had managed to get into the place where the element sits. Once there was a good build up of fluff it ignited. We had smelled a slight burning smell before, but had ignored it. So now, I would get a smell like that checked out. If you put the hose out of the window, you will not get condensation in the house, but it could suck warm air up from the rest of the house out of the skylight. I think you can get a box thing that you can put the hose in and then you just collect the water in that. Lakeland I think do them.

code-a-holic

Thanks all. I could either put the pipe out of the window but as mentioned i was worried about heat loss. I have seen the condenser boxes - probably my best bet. The loft is almost a room - was a bedroom in the old days before people were scared of the cold!!! Im hoping the floor is good enough to try and reduce vibrations. will only be used once or twice a week anyway.

BrandNewDay

Keep the vent hose cleaned and clean the lint trap religiously. I don't think lint should get anywhere else.

wifeforlife

Hi just to let you know those box things you get for tumble dryers if you dont have a vent are awful, I bought 2, thinking the 1st one was cheap therefore didnt work so bought the 2nd more expensive one and actually they're both really bad. They definately dont work, I kept the hose of one of them and have a really long hose that I put out the window now

Goodluck
Cath

jlj_2

Mine started smoking when it was about 3 years old. I think it was the motor. Luckily we had it in the cellar and were sat outside and smelt the burning wafting up through the grating so managed to run down and switch it off/unplug it. I've not dared have another one so for the last 10 years have dried everything on one of those wooden ceiling airers. (saved me a lot on electricity bills though!!)
If I was you I would make sure you have a smoke alarm fitted and working(as someone else has already said) and also make you are in the house when its being used so if there were any problems you could do something quickly.
Best of luck!!

hb1444

The bottom line is, operate it during the day, it ain't moneysaving, but if it catches fire, it will be lesser damaging coz you will call the brigade immediately, and you can go out of the house quick if the fire gets out of hand! I don't have one, but this is what I would do if my TD caught fire

RedOnRed

We've had our Hotpoint condenser for about the past 4-5 years in our garage and it's been very good. I wouldn't dream of leaving it working unattended though.

AnnieP_3

RedOnRed wrote:

We've had our Hotpoint condenser for about the past 4-5 years in our garage and it's been very good. I wouldn't dream of leaving it working unattended though.

I have had my tumble dryer for 24 years and only had to have it serviced once, along with the bearings being done. It's in the larder in the kitchen (which has vents to the outside) and I aways run it overnight, as I have economy 7. I have a smoke alarm in the larder with it.
I also run my washing machine and diswasher overnight too. As long as you have the correct fuse in and smoke alarms I can't see the problem. I know you will be reading this and thinking I'm nuts, but really some times you have to just go with it.