Don’t Leave Your Dishwasher Unattended

One week ago, I woke up to probably the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.

After going to bed just after midnight, I woke up at 1:07 A.M. to the smell of something burning.

Fire has always been my biggest fear. I have never lit a match or used a cigarette lighter in my life. Seriously.

My city recently switched to time-of-use rates for hydro and everyone is encouraged to do laundry, run their dishwasher etc. after 7 P.M. or on the weekends.

I had not accomplished as much as I wanted to on Sunday evening so when I went to bed the dishwasher was running as well as the washer and the dryer. I was hesitant to run the dryer but I didn’t want the clothes to smell musty.

I always start the dishwasher when I go to bed. It’s part of my routine.

Never again.

Here’s why:

Our bread knife (which had been used to cut a tomato so, in my opinion, it needed to be washed) fell from the top rack and landed on the heating element during the wash cycle.

Once it got to the dry cycle, it proceeded to melt and burn on the heating element.

After waking Mr. Mechanic from a dead sleep, I turned on the light to find that the whole hallway was smoky and smelled like burning plastic crossed with birthday candles.

We didn’t see any flames or feel heat so we started to look for the source, and our cat. She was sleeping on a chair in the basement. Completely oblivious. I took this as a good sign.

When I went back upstairs to the kitchen I noticed there was smoke, not steam, coming out of the dishwasher vent.

At this point, I started to shake and hyperventilate. It was a night hot enough to have the air conditioning on yet I was shivering uncontrollably while wearing a robe.

Conversely, Mr. Mechanic jumped into action. He turned off the breakers for the kitchen and then opened the dishwasher (the last thing that I would have done).

Smoke came pouring out of the dishwasher but there were no flames.

He found the knife and carried it outside with tongs.

Crisis averted, we were safe again.

Our house smelled like something toxic, but we were safe.

Then, as I came down from the adrenaline rush, I started thinking all these questions.

Why didn’t the smoke detector go off?

. . . because it was sitting on the counter covered up by my lunch bag after taking it down to avoid it screeching at me when I drain pasta.

What would have happened if I hadn’t woken up?

. . . Mr. Mechanic doesn’t think it could have turned into a fire but given the quirks of our house and the issue of our dishwasher being directly above the breaker panel, I think he was just trying to make me feel better.

Was our house and our lives worth the money I saved on hydro?

. . . Absolutely not.

Didn’t I read about this happening to two different families on Young House Love?

. . . Yes. 

We were so lucky. Things could have turned out very differently.

Please.

Learn something from me.

Check your smoke detectors.

Change your batteries.

Make an escape plan.

And read this if you still need it to really hit home.

 

Don’t leave your dishwasher unattended.

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I link up at: Serenity Now, I {Heart} Naptime, Under The Table And Dreaming, Nifty Thrifty Things, Simply Klassic Home, Home Stories A to Z, Craftomaniac, Skip To My Lou, Not JUST A Housewife, A Bowl Full Of Lemons, Alderberry Hill, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, A Diamond In The Stuff, Creatively Living, The Winthrop Chronicles, Clean & Scentsible, Oopsey Daisy, Lil’ Luna, Live.Laugh.Rowe, The 36th Avenue, aka design, House of Hepworths, 52 Mantels, Thrifty Decorating, Crafty Scrappy Happy, How To Nest For Less, Tatertots & Jello, The Grant Life, It’s Overflowing, Lolly Jane, Too Much Time, Six Sisters’ Stuff, Positively Splendid and The Crafted Sparrow

Thank you to all the hosts!

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