Immediate cease of use for heat pump tumble dryers ordered by safety authority
The UK's Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued an immediate recall for 17,000 heat pump tumble dryers, following investigations that revealed a serious fire risk despite earlier corrective actions. The affected brands include Haier, Candy, Baumatic, Caple, Hoover, Iberna, Lamona, and Montpellier.
Owners of these appliances are urged to stop using them, unplug them from the mains, and contact the manufacturer for further instructions. This recall is part of a wider scrutiny of domestic appliances and fire safety, including electric underfloor heating and heat pumps, as the government faces pressure to tighten consumer product safety regulations due to high-profile appliance fires causing property damage and injury.
This latest warning underscores ongoing challenges in balancing energy efficiency, cost, and safety in household appliances. Heat pump tumble dryers, while energy-efficient, can pose risks if not properly maintained or if faulty components go unaddressed. Fire services warn of this, emphasising the importance of appliance safety.
The OPSS is responsible for the UK's product safety regulation. Under the 'Requirement to Warn' order, Haier must directly inform all affected customers that their appliance should not be used. No new rules have been confirmed by the OPSS to ensure that safety modifications are independently verified before being rolled out to consumers.
Electrical fires continue to rise across the UK, highlighting the importance of appliance safety. Apart from heat pump tumble dryers, recent fire incidents in the UK have involved several other household appliances. Cookers (including ovens), electric hot plates or stoves, grills and toasters, microwave ovens, washing machines, deep fat fryers, dishwashers, and fridge/freezers have all been linked to fire incidents.
For instance, in 2020/21, cookers caused the highest number of domestic appliance fires (7,246), followed by electric hot plates or stoves (over 1,200 fires), grills and toasters (1,260 fires), microwave ovens (790 fires), and washing machines (456 fires). While heat pump tumble dryers have recently been the subject of safety warnings and stop-use notices, these other appliances remain significant contributors to domestic fire incidents in the UK.
Owners are advised to check their model numbers against the OPSS's published list to confirm if they are affected. The recall underscores the ongoing challenge of ensuring appliance safety while meeting energy efficiency goals. It serves as a reminder for consumers to prioritise safety when purchasing and using household appliances.
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