Tumble drier recall

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to check the make of their tumble dryer after a full recall was issued by a manufacturer.

Whirlpool, which makes Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit dryers, have issued a recall for up to 500,000 of its products and told people to stop using them immediately. 

The affected brands are Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline. All the tumble dryers affected were made between April 2004 and September 2015. 

The fault is in two different types of tumble dryer and means that in some cases excess fluff can come into contact with the heating element. 

If you are concerned that you have a tumble dryer which needs to be recalled then please visit the Whirlpool safety notice site or Which? Tumble dryer alert site and enter the model number into the online product checker. Alternatively you can call Whirlpool on 0800 151 0905 to find out whether your dryer needs a repair. 

The alert from Whirlpool said: “Following Whirlpool’s acquisition of the Hotpoint/Indesit brands, Indesit Company has closely reviewed the safety of its product portfolio.

“As part of this review we have identified a potential concern with two types of tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015. In some rare cases, excess fluff can come into contact with the heating element and present a risk of fire. 

The affected brands are: 
• Hotpoint
• Indesit
• Creda
• Swan
• Proline
“Whirlpool branded tumble dryers are not affected by this safety notice.

“We are activating an extensive consumer outreach and service action plan in order to provide our consumers with products that are updated to higher safety and quality standards. We will arrange a visit from an engineer, free of charge, to modify your appliance. The service call will take approximately one hour. The improvements we believe are necessary will further enhance the safety and quality of your dryer.

“Until your appliance is modified, you should unplug it and not use it until the upgrade has been installed by a Whirlpool engineer.

“The Office for Product Safety and Standards completed a comprehensive and detailed review of the tumble dryer modification campaign which concluded that the modification is effective and that consumers that have had their tumble dryers modified can continue to use them safely.”

Nick Evans, Head of Prevention at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Our advice is, if you think you are one of those people affected by this recall, to please stop using the tumble dryer immediately and contact the manufacturer for the free modification. 

“In general keep your tumble dryer well maintained by cleaning the filters after every cycle and never use your machine when going out or going to bed.

“If you notice that clothes are taking a long time to dry or items are much hotter than usual at the end of a cycle that can be the sign of a faulty dryer. If you smell burning unplug it immediately.”

Tumble dryer fires are one of the top ten reasons for domestic fires in Cheshire, accounting for 3% of house fires. 

If you want to be the first to know of any safety repairs or recalls then sign up to Register My Appliance. The service is free and will let you know if any products you own are subject to a recall.