Originally Created on: September 5, 2022 @ 2:01 am
A dishwasher is a great appliance to have in your kitchen if you want to make your work easy. But can a dishwasher catch fire?
A dishwasher is a kitchen appliance designed to clean dishes. Having this device in your kitchen will not only save your valuable time and energy but it will also save your water and energy. Dishwashers contain heating elements that heat up water, which, in turn, cleans dishes. When you start the cleaning cycle, these heating elements get wet, heat up, and then cool down.
This may leave you wondering whether your dishwasher can catch fire or not. If that is the case, then today you are in the right place. In this article, we will tell you whether your dishwasher can catch fire.
Keep reading to find out more on this topic.
Table of Content
Can a Dishwasher Catch Fire?
A simple answer is YES, a dishwasher can catch fire. Dishwashers are one of the few non-cooking appliances that can catch fire. The main reason why dishwashers are at risk of catching fire is that they are equipped with heating elements, electrical wiring, electronic boards, and water all of which operate together. All these components working together increase the risk of your dishwasher catching fire.
Below are some of the factors that increase the risk of your dishwasher catching fire.
Overheating
If you are fond of leaving your dishwasher to run for an extended period unsupervised, then it may catch fire because of overheating. As mentioned earlier, dishwashers have heating elements that heat water and also dry the dishes after cleaning. If your dishwasher runs for a long time unsupervised, the control board and heating elements may overheat, causing the machine to catch fire.
Faulty Electrical Wiring
More than half of all dishwasher fires are caused by faulty electrical wiring. Dishwashers contain crucial components such as heating elements and electronic boards all of which work together to ensure that the dishwasher operates smoothly. If an electrical wiring fault occurs in any of these components, it can cause sparks which can eventually cause a fire. So poor electrical wiring, including loose wires and naked wires, can cause your dishwasher to catch fire.
Worn-out Electrical Cord
The dishwasher electrical cord plays a vital role in connecting the dishwasher to the wall outlet and also supplies electricity to the machine. If the electrical card is worn out, you, not only risk being electrocuted but the naked wire may also cause sparks when they come in contact with other wires in the dishwasher causing a fire.
Poor Maintenance
Another factor that increases the chance of your dishwasher catching fire is poor maintenance. If you don’t take good care of your dishwasher, then its vital components are likely to fail and even catch fire.
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Is the Dishwasher a Fire Risk?
YES, a dishwasher is a fire risk because of how it operates. They are fire risks because of their high wattage, motors, and friction. The dishwasher operates by heating water, which, in turn, is used to clean dishes. It also contains a dryer that dries the dishes once they are cleaned. These components are likely to catch fire, which makes a dishwasher a fire risk.
When the dishwasher operates for an extended period, the heating elements, electronic board, and machine wiring may start to overheat. If the machine is not turned off on time, the dishwasher may overheat to a point where it catches fire. That is why it is advised not to leave your dishwasher operating without supervision.
Additionally, the dishwasher has its own way of regulating the water temperature. However, sometimes the thermostat which signals the heating element to stop heating the water once it attains a certain temperature may fail to cause the machine to heat the water above the recommended temperature. This may lead to overheating of the dishwasher causing it to catch fire. How the dishwasher is designed and the role it plays makes it a fire risk.
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Why Do Dishwashers Catch Fire
Dishwashers catch fire because they are high-wattage appliances that use heating elements to clean dishes. If the heating elements that it uses to heat water are left unsupervised, the dishwasher may catch fire due to overheating. Additionally, water that is used to clean dishes is also a good conductor of heat and if it comes in contact with naked wires inside the dishwasher, it may cause sparks that may cause the machine to catch fire.
The dishwasher also catches fire because it is a high-wattage appliance. If there is a loose or poor wire connection, the dishwasher may easily catch fire. More so, the dish cleaning process in a dishwasher involves a lot of friction which generates sparks that may cause a fire.
Preventing Dishwasher Fire
How you take care of your dishwasher matters a lot and will determine whether it will catch fire or not. Below are tips on how to prevent your dishwasher from catching fire.
Don’t run the dishwasher without supervision
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when running their dishwashers is leaving them unsupervised. If you don’t monitor your dishwasher, then it may overheat and eventually catch fire without you noticing. So, don’t leave your dishwasher to run overnight or while you are out.
Ensure your dishwasher is well maintained
Proper dishwasher maintenance is also crucial to preventing it from catching fire. As a high-wattage appliance, any electrical fault may cause a fire. So, it is important to ensure that a professional inspects your dishwasher regularly and fixes any problem that may cause it to catch fire.
Get Professional to Do The Installations
When it comes to dishwasher installations, we recommend getting professionals to do the heavy lifting for you. This will ensure that all the electrical wiring and connections are done correctly preventing any fire risk.
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Summing up
Although your dishwasher will help make your work in the kitchen easy by cleaning your dishes, it may also catch fire and cause unimaginable damage. Therefore, you need to be very careful when using this machine. The best way to prevent your dishwasher from catching fire is by ensuring that it is well maintained and not leaving it to run unsupervised for an extended time, like when you are out or while sleeping.