Reasons to Never Leave your Appliances Running Unsupervised Part 2 - Damage

There is always the possibility that a machine may damage itself when it is running either because something has gone wrong or because it has been loaded improperly.  One example that I'm sure everyone has shared is with a washing machine.  

Ever overloaded your washer or put something too heavy on one side and it started banging around on the spin cycle like an old western shootout?  It's a terrible racket and even if you were sleeping you would probably hear it and wake up but the unfortunate truth is: every bump and bang is the washer drum hitting the outside panels and other parts in the machine and each one is a possibility for the drum to get damaged.

Dents in a drum might be able to get hammered out but any cracks in the drum and you will need to replace the entire thing!  Since most models have the drum attached to the motor assembly at the bottom and panels and supports surrounding it removing the drum to replace it essentially calls for a complete and utter disassembly of the washer.  A lot of technicians won't even bother doing this type of repair because the drum is an expensive part and the labour is as well since it's a hard job.  Often it is cheaper to purchase an entirely new washing machine than replace the drum.

If you've gone out (or are a very heavy sleeper) and don't stop the washer while it's banging around there are other things that can happen as well!  The machine will start moving around on the floor from the force of the motion possibly causing scratches on your floor and the drain or water hose leading to the washer may become disconnected and cause a flood!

Keep your home and you appliances safe and only run your machines when you are home!  Part 3 will be up later this week with more tips of things to watch out for.