Dishwashers are a handy appliance to have to help save time washing your crockery by hand. Whether you have a freestanding or integrated / built-in dishwasher, like any electrical appliance, there’s always a potential fire risk in using them.
Dishwasher Safety
Safety First
- When buying a new dishwasher, always buy from a reputable dealer, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Always register a new dishwasher with the manufacturer. That way you can be contacted easily if a safety recall is required. While the chances of a faulty product causing serious damage are small, the risk is still there and returning a faulty product or ordering its repair is very easy to do. To register all your appliances, regardless of age, visit our Product Registration page.
- Use our free Product Recall checker to see if you have any recalled electrical items.
- Check that your dishwasher has a UK plug, but if it doesn’t, do not use a UK travel adaptor, but rather have the retailer fit the dishwasher with a UK plug.
- Do regular checks of the plug and socket for burn marks, sounds of ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping or if it feels too hot to touch.
- Ensure your home is fully protected by an RCD or residual current device, which can be found in your fuse box (also known as a consumer unit). An RCD is a life-saving device that protects against dangerous electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires.
- If you don’t have RCD protection on your sockets, consider using an RCD plug, which can prevent serious appliance faults that pose threats to you and your property.
- Sometimes, appliance fires are caused by something beyond your control. Smoke alarms are essential in keeping you safe in the event of a fire. There should be a minimum of one smoke alarm per floor and fit enough alarms to cover all areas where a fire could start, and make sure they are tested regularly.
- If a fire does start, don't try to fight the fire. Get out and call 999 immediately.
Safe Use
- Try to avoid leaving a dishwasher running during the night or when you are out, and as you can’t supervise it throughout the cycle, make sure you have a working smoke detector.
- Ensure there are no leaks, particularly look for cracks in the detergent drawer, as these could allow water into the electrics.
- Keep the outlet filter in your dishwasher clean.
- Dishwashers should be turned off when not in use. If your dishwasher begins making a strange noise, don't ignore it. If you think there might be a problem, always unplug it and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.