Potential Causes Of Fire/Water Damage: Leaving Appliances Running When No One Is Home

6/1/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon highlights how you can avoid fire damage and water damage disasters by turning off appliances before leaving the house or going to bed. Springfield/Mt Vernon specializes in fire damage and water damage restoration services, urges homeowners to turn off major appliances when leaving home. Otherwise, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Home appliances make life around the house more comfortable, save time, conserve energy, and use much less water than in the past. While older dishwashers use as many as ten to fifteen gallons of water per load, more modern units use between one and four gallons of water. A new washing machine needs only about seven gallons of water, but the older versions need up to 19 gallons of water. Technology has revolutionized the functionality of both the dishwasher and the washing machine. An ENERGY STAR Certified clothes dryer cuts energy consumption by 20%, saving the homeowner more than $200 over the appliance's lifetime. ENERGY STAR certification is not currently available for space heaters, but electric infrared space heaters are nearly 100% efficient in converting electricity to heat. 

How frequently are these appliances used in the average home?

• Dishwasher: 5 loads per week
• Washing machine: 6 loads per week
• Clothes dryer: 6 loads per week

The growth of the virtual workforce has contributed to an already expanding demand for space heaters to heat single rooms or enclosed workspaces. Space heaters can be found in almost every home or apartment.

Though these four appliances — the dishwasher, the washing machine, the clothes dryer, and the space heater — are more efficient and safer than ever, leaving them unattended while in operation increases the risk of fire damage, water damage, or both.