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Electrical Item Lifetime!

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Is their a danger of not changing electrical items after a few years with faults etc?

I still have my washing machine from 1987 and it's works perfectly well and my fridge/freezer is 16 years old, my mums washing machine has been replaced five times in the time i have had mine and she is concerned it might be dangerous if i don't replace it.

If the machine ain't broke why try to fix!:money:
Time Is The Enemy!

Comments

  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 18 February 2019 at 8:09PM
    With electrical appliances there is (obviously) a fire risk and/ or a flood risk. As I understand it, age is only one factor in the chances of a particular appliance causing a flood or causing a fire.

    I have a Which? subscription. They have rated a high proportion of current or recent model refrigerators and/ or freezers at 0% because they have a flammable plastic backing.

    Other risks may not be an inherent fault with the appliance, but instead with user maintenance (eg. not clearing tumble dryer fluff), failure of household electric circuits or smoke alarms.

    "If the machine ain't broke why try to fix"? Because we cannot see, smell, feel or hear all faults with all appliances.
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 9,255 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Is their a danger of not changing electrical items after a few years with faults etc?

    No, not after a few years. But after 20 years+ there might be some danger, principally from insulation breaking down. To some extent, it depends on whether the appliance has been used as was designed to be used. These days, PVC insulation is pretty robust and under ideal conditions could still be safe after 50 years.

    Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is a process designed to test appliances for a deterioriation in their eletrical safety. If I had a concern about a particular appliance I would always pay to have Portable Appliance Testing performed on it, rather than dispose of it and buy new.

    In my experience, it is usually mechanical items (switches/fans/pumps) and heating elements that fail before any wiring, unless rodents have been in the house. Most of the items that are likely to fail are replacable, and appliances are designed to fail safely; e.g. such that the fuse in the plugtop blows before any danger is caused.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,458 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I have plenty of electrical appliances & tools from the 70s & 80s. If anything you're safer now with modern house electrics. Something will cut out before you do yourself any harm (hopefully).
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    As above. How old is your house wiring and the consumer unit?
    That's what's most important.
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