Tumble Dryer

The fire service is urging owners of tumble dryers to check with the manufacturer to see whether theirs is affected by the recent safety review of Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline tumble dryers. The review, which is thought to affect over 5 million appliances, found that in some cases excess fluff has come into contact with the heating element and created a fire risk.

If you have an affected appliance they should not be used until confirmed safe to do so by the manufacturer or qualified repair technician.

The Service recommends the following tumble dryer safety advice for unaffected appliances:

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• Don’t use tumble dryers at night or while unattended
• Clean the filters after each use to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff
• Items should be removed from the dryer immediately after the cycle and shaken loose to assist cooling
• Ensure that the appliance has its own plug socket. Do not overload extension leads. Ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket.

Tumble dryers that were highlighted in the review were manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 and sold in the UK. For more information about which appliances are affected, visit: http://safety.indesit.eu, http://safety.hotpoint.eu, http://safety-swan.eu. Creda and Proline customers should visit: http://safety.hotpoint.e

You can also register all of your domestic appliances for FREE at www.registermyappliance.org.uk who will contact you in case of any safety repairs or product recalls on your appliances.