Reasons to Never Leave your Appliances Running Unsupervised Part 1 - Fires

This time we're going to do several articles covering reasons why you should never run your appliances when you are not home or awake to watch, or listen, to them working. While this is something that just about everyone has done at some point this is actually a terrible thing to do. Ignore those that say it is a great energy and money saver and here is why:

Fire Hazards:

Dirt, lint, grease and other things can build up within your appliance and nearly all appliances get hot while they are running. This can be because it is necessary for them to work properly such as a dryer or a dishwasher or as a simple side effect of moving parts and electricity.

If the appliance has not been properly maintained and cleaned there is a risk that the debris can get hot enough to catch on fire. Even with proper maintenance however there is always the risk that wires have not been insulated properly; whether as a manufacturer defect or due to work that was done on it later.

Any money you may save while running an appliance at night is not worth the risk of it catching on fire while you and your family are asleep. At best the machine will be damaged, possibly beyond repair, or you could be looking for a new place to live if it goes badly.