Electrical appliance fire safety at home

Helpful video reference. Electrical Safety First, the UK registered charity, produced this campaign film for "Electrical Fire Safety Week 2023" in partnership with the Home Office. Electrical Safety First is the leading UK organisation for electrical safety education and campaigns across domestic, trade and government audiences. Worth watching as a concise overview before reading through the steps below.

1. Register all your appliances

Appliance recalls happen regularly in the UK - tumble dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, electric blankets and many other products have been subject to safety recalls in recent years. The only way to receive direct notification is to register the product with the manufacturer.

Register on the manufacturer's website using the model and serial number from the rating plate on the back or underside of the appliance. It takes a few minutes per product. You can also check outstanding recalls for appliances you already own using the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) product safety alerts database at gov.uk.

When buying second-hand, always check the OPSS database before completing the purchase and ask the seller whether the product is registered.

2. Plug major appliances directly into wall sockets

Extension leads and power strips have maximum current ratings, typically 13A for a single-socket lead. Heat-generating appliances - washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, electric ovens and fan heaters - draw sustained high currents that can exceed what an extension lead can safely carry, especially over a full wash or dry cycle.

The rule is simple: plug heat-generating appliances directly into a fused wall socket, not into an extension lead. If you do not have a conveniently placed socket, have one installed - it is a quick job for an electrician and far cheaper than the alternative.

Multiple high-draw appliances plugged into the same socket via an adaptor (daisy-chaining) carries the same risk. Each socket circuit is designed to supply a limited number of outlets; overloading it can cause overheating at the socket or back-box.

3. Clean and maintain your tumble dryer

Tumble dryers are the appliance most likely to cause a house fire in UK homes, and most tumble dryer fires start because of accumulated lint. Lint is highly flammable, and a blocked filter or duct causes the dryer to run hotter as it struggles to move air through.

Clear the lint filter after every single use. In addition:

• Check the exhaust duct or condenser reservoir at least every three months
• Have a vented dryer's duct inspected if the pipe runs more than a couple of metres or has bends
• If the dryer takes noticeably longer than it used to, suspect blocked airflow before assuming a fault
• Never run the dryer with a damaged or temporary repair to the duct

If your dryer was subject to a recall - Beko, Hotpoint, Indesit and several other brands had major recall programmes - check the manufacturer's website to confirm whether your specific model number is affected and whether it has been modified.

4. Do not run appliances unattended

This is the step most people find hardest to follow, because it is convenient to set a dishwasher or washing machine running last thing at night. Electrical Safety First and fire services are clear on this: run these appliances only when you are awake and in the house.

A fault that develops during a cycle - a motor overheating, a connection failing, a blocked drain causing an overheat - can become a fire quickly. If you are asleep or out, nobody is there to notice the smell or see the smoke until it is too late. Some smart appliances now have delayed start timers specifically to allow you to start a cycle when you will be home to see it finish.

At minimum, do not leave the house with a heat-producing appliance mid-cycle and do not set a tumble dryer going as the last thing you do before bed.

5. Inspect cables and plugs regularly

A few minutes spent checking appliance cables and plugs at the start of each year can catch problems early. Look for:

• Frayed or damaged insulation - especially where cables enter plugs and where they pass under furniture legs or door thresholds
• Discolouration or burn marks at the plug face or around the socket
• A plug that is warm to the touch after normal use - warmth is normal, heat is not
• Loose pins - a plug that fits loosely in a socket and wobbles
• Cracked or broken casings on plugs or trailing leads

If you find any of these, stop using the appliance until the cable or plug has been replaced. For permanently wired appliances, call an electrician. For appliances with detachable leads, replacement cables are widely available from the manufacturer or an electrical supplier.

6. Know what to do if an appliance catches fire

Even with every precaution taken, faults can still occur. The right response in the first few seconds matters:

1. Switch the appliance off at the wall socket and unplug it if safe to do so
2. Do not use water on an electrical fire - water conducts electricity and can cause electrocution or spread the fire
3. If the fire is small and contained and you have a CO2 or dry powder extinguisher rated for electrical fires, and you have been trained to use it, you can attempt to suppress it
4. If there is any doubt, get everyone out of the room, close the door to slow the spread, and call 999
5. Do not re-enter the building until fire services say it is safe

When to call us

If a socket is warm to the touch, discoloured around the face, or an MCB keeps tripping when a particular appliance runs, those are signs the wiring or socket needs attention before something worse happens. Richard carries out socket and wiring inspections for Sandwich homes, and an EICR will identify any deterioration in the fixed wiring that could contribute to an appliance fire.