After numerous reports of fires breaking out due to faulty tumble dryers, investigations were carried out to determine if there was anything common between the various incidents. These investigations revealed that most of the fires were associated with two types of tumble dryers in particular. One was the condensing dryer and the second was the large air vented dryer. Both devices were sold under the brands of Indesit, Creda and Hotpoint which have now been taken over by Whirlpool.
In most of the cases where the fire broke out, it was found that the spark was ignited by the fluff that had got stuck in the heating section of the tumble dryer. Only those who purchased the company’s condensing dryers or large air-vented dryers between April 2004 and October 2015 were likely to experience problems.
In November 2015 Indesit issued an announcement alerting consumers about the faulty units but they tempered it by stating that the dryers were ok to use if the recommended precautions were observed. However, following the announcement, another house in Guildford was destroyed in a fire in February this year and investigations revealed that the fire was ignited by an Indesit tumble dryer. After the incident, Electrical Safety First issued a statement to all consumers advising them against using any recalled appliances until they have been repaired. This is even if the manufacturer states that they are safe to use provided that all precautions are taken.
How The Fault Was Identified
After Whirlpool’s acquisition of Indesit in October 2014, the safety personnel from both companies worked alongside each other. Certain reports that were associated with an Indesit dryer then led to an investigation, which revealed the fault and brought about the decision to roll out a repair programme for the affected machines. However, a statement made by the company now claims that all units sold after October 2015 have been modified right from the point of manufacturing so they have not been affected by the issue that was faced by the earlier models.
It has now come to light that there have been numerous reports of fires which were probably caused because of a defect in the tumble dryers. Even though the company is not giving out numbers, it is suspected that over five million customers may be at risk. To date, only 135,000 cases have been resolved.
What’s Being Done To Rectify The Problem
Indesit has not rolled out a national programme yet to replace or upgrade problematic tumble dryers. It is still in the process of trying to contact all those who have purchased the model within that time period. According to the company, they are first arranging for engineers to visit customers’ houses to modify their appliance free of charge. The engineers will focus on making improvements that will enhance the safety of the machines in question.
Meanwhile the company has asked all customers to register their appliances with the company through the Register My Appliance scheme so that they can receive regular updates about their appliances. These details will then be put on to a central register, which will allow the company to contact the customer directly in case of a recall or any other problem. This would help to speed up the process of recalls and help prevent further incidents.
What Consumers Can Do Meanwhile
Customers who are using tumble dryers manufactured by Indesit, Creda or Hotpoint between April 2004 and October 2015 are being advised to check the Indesit or Hotpoint websites to see whether their model could have the known issue.
As for those who are using the defective models and are still waiting for their machine to be repaired, it has been suggested that some people may have been advised that it is ok to continue using the recalled tumble dryers as long as the recommended precautionary measures are put in place to minimise the risk of fire. Consumers are asked not to keep the appliance unattended while it is in operation. Proper venting should be ensured as directed in the user manual and the lint filter should be checked after every cycle. These three steps are key to minimising the risk of fire.
It has recently been reported that it could take up to 11 months for all affected appliances to be repaired, and I’m surmising that’s a “best case scenario”. With the amount of appliances out there that still have to be repaired, a figure of 11 months may not seem disproportionate, but does that make it anymore acceptable for those affected to have to just cross their fingers and hope for the best? Only customers can decide whether they’d like to take that risk.
