Anyone who has a dishwasher in their kitchen has been warned never to leave it on at night due to the risk of starting a dangerous fire. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has addressed what it says is a ‘misconception’ that it’s cheaper to run electric appliances at night and has warned households are exposing themselves to higher fire risks for, in most cases, no savings at all.
There are some energy tariffs which offer lower prices at night. Economy 7 tariffs are those which give customers off-peak prices, usually between midnight and 7am, while other ‘time of use’ tariffs such as those from Octopus Energy will also cut your price depending on the time of day, using a smart meter.
But the vast majority of British homes are not on time-of-use or Economy 7 tariffs, and if you aren’t, you won’t save anything by running appliances at night and, in any case, leaving a dishwasher on when you’re in bed, or you’re out, can cause more fire risks, the fire service warned.
They said: “There is often a misconception, which has recently been exacerbated by social media, that it is cheaper to use electricity during off peak night-time hours.
“For most households this is simply not the case, unless like the minority of homes you are on an off-peak or time-of-use tariff.
“If a fire breaks out during the night, the risk to life is always greater as it’s very likely people will be asleep and have less time to react and escape the property.”
Community Safety Officer Hannah Grostate took aim at dishwashers, as well as washing machines and tumble dryers. She said: “We understand that this is a financially challenging time, and we are all looking out for ways to save money, but it is important to also mitigate the risk of fire by following our simple safety advice.
“Please ensure that your appliances are not subject to a recall, that the cables are not damaged and it’s in good working order.
“Don’t be tempted to leave the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher running overnight or while you are out. They are a fire risk because of their high wattage, friction and motors.
“Products that are presenting any issues should be unplugged, and we recommend that you contact the retailer, manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.
“Finally, please make sure that you have a working smoke alarm on every floor in your home and know your exit plan in the event of a fire, it really could help to save your life.”