The last thing you’d expect to have to worry about when you buy a new kitchen or laundry appliance is whether the machine will catch fire or experience another major malfunction that endangers your home and family. But serious safety defects, while still relatively rare, have become increasingly common with new appliances according to Consumer Reports.
In a recent exposé on the state of modern appliance manufacturing, the respected consumer watchdog group documents a slew of recent problems with new appliances including fires in dishwashers, dryers and microwaves, appliances starting on their own or failing to properly turn off, exploding glass doors on ovens, and refrigerator lights that stay on with the door shut, creating a surprising fire hazard.
Appliance fires a growing problem
Consumer Reports says that the Consumer Product Safety Commission found there have been more than 69,000 residential fires in the US from 2002 through 2009 in which an appliance was the proximate cause of the incident.
These blazes were directly attributable to a defect in the affected appliance. The fires did not originate from human error, such as unattended cooking or failure to clear dryer lint, nor did they arise from natural causes such as storms or animals.
Why so many problem appliances?
The worrisome number of appliance fires due to product defects isn’t surprising, according to Andrea Gabor, a quality-management expert quoted in the Consumer Reports article. “We’ve seen a race to the bottom in terms of cheap parts and disposable products,” she says in the piece.
Here’s what Consumer Reports says lies behind America’s new appliance problems:
♦ Innovations in controls and function make today’s appliances more versatile and easier to use, but the added complexity is creating unexpected safety problems.
More intricate electronics in appliances lead to short circuits, electrical failures, and overheated wiring that start fires inside the unit.
♦ The increased fire risk that comes with design complexity is being exacerbated by fraud and short cuts by overseas manufacturers.
Consumer Reports says that US companies are losing control over the production of their products by using overseas manufacturing plants, primarily in China. Chinese subcontractors and suppliers sometimes deviate from design specs without authorization. They secretly substitute inferior materials and cut corners with the components. This fraud heightens the risk of malfunctions that spark fires.
♦ To save cost and reduce weight, appliance designers have increasingly resorted to using flammable plastic parts in lieu of non-flammable metal.
Once the electrical components in an appliance catch fire, the fire feeds on all the plastic in the machine, fueling the blaze and spreading the fire throughout the appliance. Even refrigerators now can present a serious fire risk.
How to avoid an appliance fire
Below are some steps identified by Consumer Reports to reduce your chances of having a fire in your home due to an appliance:
1. Check for recalls and consumer complaints before you buy
You can use a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing to see if there have been complaints or recalls on the specific appliance brand and model you are considering buying. But that might leave you open to oversight or error; your search might not pull up some important information.
To help you quickly identify troublesome appliances, the Federal government has created two very helpful websites you can use to find product safety recalls and access a central database of consumer reports of fires and other safety problems with a wide range of consumer products.
This site gives you access to complaints made by consumers about the appliances they own. Created in March 2011, the site posts consumer complaints after notifying the manufacturers involved and giving them a chance to respond. Thousands of complaints exist on the website, including more than 850 related to appliance fires.
This is an umbrella site that links to recalls of many types of products including vehicles, appliances and other consumer products, food, medicine, boats and cosmetics. The site will send you to a variety of other sites maintained by agencies of the Federal government. You’ll be taken to the FDA website for food and drug safety issues, the EPA website for recalls of environmental products and the Consumer Products Safety Commission website for consumer product recalls. Navigation between the sites can be a bit cumbersome, but Recalls.gov is a very helpful clearinghouse site for recalls and problems affecting a very wide range of products.
2. Register new appliances
Consumer Reports states that few buyers of new appliances bother to register their purchase with the manufacturer. If you fill out and return the registration card, you should be notified promptly if a product is recalled. So be smart, register your purchases so you will know about safety recalls if they occur.
3. Be careful with the household appliances you own
Failing to clear lint from dryer hoses and vents and leaving cooking items unattended is a common way to have a fire. Don’t leave coffee brewers, microwaves, stoves, ovens and toasters on unsupervised. Maybe think twice about running your dishwasher over night when you are asleep in bed.
Another smart move is to unplug small appliances such as re-chargers, coffee machines, blenders and toasters when they are not in use. When you are out of the house for extended periods, you might want to unplug your TVs, computers and video equipment.
Please check online to see if any appliances you currently own (or are about to buy) have been recalled or are receiving complaints posted about them. If you do your due diligence and use common sense when you use your appliances, you’ll be doing everything you can to ensure the safety of your home and family!
Copyright ©2012 02038.com
You get more with Warren Reynolds than you do with other top real estate agents. You’ll find in Warren rare knowledge and experience dedicated to helping you achieve all the value that home brings. Warren has a law degree and 20+ years of home selling success in Massachusetts. — talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"We have now bought and sold five homes. By far, you have been the best realtor we have worked with. Your professionalism and knowledge are so valuable to your clients. You made this process so easy. "-CB
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Get creative with Warren.
Warren is a highly dedicated professional in all his real estate dealings. That means he will continue to serve you well, even when others would compromise on their commitments. Warren’s ultimate goals in business are better transactions and greater client satisfaction. Talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"As first time homebuyers we were fortunate to work with Warren. He was a great asset and sounding board. He always gave solid advice. Warren played a pivotal role in helping us negotiate with a difficult seller. We truly benefitted from having Warren in our corner and so will you." -JK
Maximize your home selling success.
All real estate agents are legally and ethically bound to be fiduciaries acting in their client’s best interests. His name stands for integrity and he takes his fiduciary duties to you very seriously. He’ll steadfastly put your interests first throughout your home purchase or sale – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"Warren was always there for us. Throughout the process, Warren kept on top of all our concerns. Warren worked for us, and looked out for our best interest. He is a very professional and caring person." - BP
Feel safe and well taken care of.
Warren is a highly dedicated professional in all his real estate dealings. That means he will continue to serve you well, even when others would compromise on their commitments. Warren’s ultimate goals in business are better transactions and greater client satisfaction. His devotion to excellence can demonstrably improve your home buying and selling decision-making and, consequently, your experience of home ownership. Warren constantly stays current on the local housing inventory. And he is conversant with the broader market trends that affect home sales statewide link to Market Updates. Warren knows that the market knowledge he works so hard to maintain and his high standards of real estate practice help him achieve for you the lasting, true value of home ownership. Talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
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"As first time homebuyers we were fortunate to work with Warren. He was a great asset and sounding board. He always gave solid advice. Warren played a pivotal role in helping us negotiate with a difficult seller. We truly benefitted from having Warren in our corner and so will you." -JK
Maximize your home selling success.
Not only is Warren highly skilled and dedicated to protecting your best interests, he will be highly responsive to your needs! He CARES about his clients and is always, always there for them. In person, by phone, email or text, whenever you need him, you’ll get a prompt response from Warren! Warren’s clients rave about the high degree of consideration and attention they get from him. Why not give it a try? Contact Warren now and see how well he takes care of you! – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"I had many, many questions which Warren was always more than willing to answer with a never ending patience. Throughout the process Warren looked out for my best interest. I may have purchased a garden style condo but Warren treated me like I was purchasing a million dollar estate!" -MP
Get the attention you deserve.
Warren is a very creative real estate practitioner and he uses that creativity in ways that provide important advantages to clients. Creatively runs in Warren’s family! His uncle was Harnett T. Kane, an internationally-recognized investigative journalist and New York Times best-selling author of thirty books about the American South. Warren employs his own creativity by producing compelling marketing, both in print and especially online! His www.02038.com, is a highly effective website promoting the wonderful lifestyle afforded by the Town of Franklin, MA. And his Market Updates content on Massachusetts real estate trends gives home buyers and sellers alike the context they need to make more informed decisions about their housing investments. Warren frequently uses his abilities to devise resourceful solutions to the diverse challenges that threaten to complicate most real estate transactions. Warren has made real estate his career and won many sales awards in his 20+ years in brokerage, including the highly prestigious Chairman’s Circle Gold Award and the elite Centurion Award. Experience Warren’s refreshing difference today! 508-561-6259
"Your creative approach to all aspects of my move helped make the transition easy and pleasurable. You were recommended to me by a friend who appreciated your integrity, expertise, friendliness and conscientiousness - qualities that I have witnessed in abundance as we've worked together." -KB
Get creative with Warren.
You get more with Warren Reynolds than you do with other top real estate agents. You’ll find in Warren rare knowledge and experience dedicated to helping you achieve all the value that home brings. Warren has a law degree and 20+ years of home selling success in Massachusetts. His legal knowledge and decades-long experience in putting — and keeping — real estate sales together give him a better handle on the legal, practical and emotional dynamics of the real estate transaction. Warren uses these skills to empower clients to achieve more! He often anticipates and resolves problems BEFORE they can become serious impediments. Enjoy the sense of trust, security and control that comes from having a highly skilled expert at your side — talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"We have now bought and sold five homes. By far, you have been the best realtor we have worked with. Your professionalism and knowledge are so valuable to your clients. You made this process so easy. "-CB
Make better decisions and feel in control.
All real estate agents are legally and ethically bound to be fiduciaries acting in their client’s best interests. But many agents give their fiduciary duties short shrift in their quest for the quickest and easiest path to a closing. Not Warren Reynolds! His name stands for integrity and he takes his fiduciary duties to you very seriously. He’ll steadfastly put your interests first throughout your home purchase or sale. This may make Warren work longer and harder for you than most other agents would. But ultimately, Warren’s diligence and attention to detail is his commitment to an experience that transcends the sale. He wants you to have the confidence and peace of mind that comes with having a true fiduciary protecting you. Discover the difference of working with an agent who does not view you as just another opportunity for a commission – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"Warren was always there for us. Throughout the process, Warren kept on top of all our concerns. Warren worked for us, and looked out for our best interest. He is a very professional and caring person." - BP
Feel safe and well taken care of.