Grow Your Own Magazine

My washing machine broke down at the beginning of the week leaving me with a HUGE pile of washing that was getting bigger every day. In desperation I put an ad on freecycle and got offered another one. Hubby went to collect it last night. I ran it on empty on a boil wash just to check it out and it seemed fine. Put a load in overnight, then woke up at 5am and put another one in. All ok so far. Just put another load in and thought I'd pop to the shops leaving my eldest lad (18) here with my youngest lad (11). Both were upstairs in their bedrooms asleep. I got to the end of the road and realised I'd left my purse behind so turned round. When I came in I could smell this horrid smell, and there was thick smoke everywhere. I ran into the utility room and the washing machine was belting out smoke and making the most horrendous noise. If I hadn't have turned round, I hate to think what could have happened. I'm still shaking

I would have burnt out and blown a fuse, aslong as the fuse in the plug was the right one for the machine.

Cripes!! Lucky escape indeed, good job you're like me - forgetful

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A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot! (Thomas Edward Brown)

You could of had ours had I of known!

We're having a new one delivered today, nothing wrong with the old one, we just wanted one that was a bit more economical. The outgoing model has an 800rpm spin, the new one is twice as fast.

They take the old one away and "recycle" it.

Glad you're ok and that things didn't turn out any worse. Hope you feel better soon.

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Updated - 25th August

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

*jumps in car and drives up to HeyWaynes*

My mother in law is going away for a few days so she's giving me a key so I can use hers - theres no way I can afford to buy a new one at the moment

Just wondering if you can still keep your old one Wayne or... was it part of the deal that they "recycle" it?

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A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot! (Thomas Edward Brown)

oh gawd - how these things come up too late!!!

One of my pals on camp here is going through marriage breakup and is giving all his stuff away (free just wanted it out) - his washer was only 6 months old - darn I said I would here to and I didn't ... sorry

But glad to hear you are ok

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aka
Suzie

No room. We've had it around 10 years and only had to call an engineer out maybe two times. It's just showing it's age now and is, as previously mentioned, not the most economic. The choice was ours to have it taken away.

Novice Gardener, if you seriously want it I'm sure I can call LadyWayne and tell her not to let it go...

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Updated - 25th August

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

Its a good job you went back!

A fireman who spoke at the girls school reckoned that fires in unattended (or on overnight programmes) washers and tumblers were the main reason they were called out to houses. He scared me so much I never leave the house with our washer running!

Glad everyone is ok (hugs)

A lucky escape! Thank goodness you are forgetfull...
Pootle's made me think tho - I always put ours on the timer for when I go out/overnight...
(still haven't got over the excitement of having one with a timer!)

Awwwww thanks HeyWayne, but its a bit too far for me

Ah, yes, Kent is a bit of a trek, especially over this weekend I'd wager...

Hope you get something sorted soon.

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Updated - 25th August

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

Have you thought of renting? Ours went bang about 4 years ago and we did'nt have the money for a new one. I phoned a local electrical retailer and asked about renting. I had to pay one months rent in advance and the same again as a deposit, total of £31. Got a brand new machine delivered at the end of the week. I pay £15.50 for it a month, and if anything goes wrong servicing/repairing and parts is free as part of the rental agreement.

Hand washing all our stuff in the bath was no picnic!!

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I'd rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.

http://hollandsroadparadise.blogspot.com
updated 14 May 2008

Good grief, talk about fate stepping in! How relieved must you be hon!

I nearly always leave my washing machine running in the mornings when I come to work ... now I shall think twice

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Sorry to hear that, but glad all are safe.

I left mine on years ago, it was a brand new machine. It decided to do a boil wash, and I mean boil, it melted the top of the machine and the soap drawer and ruined the bedding inside it, the problem was it did not switch off it was just stuck in wash mode and kept on washing and boiling. Really scary. I was really cross but managed to get it sorted out. So now I never leave the washing machine or dishwasher on when I am not in. Also stopped using the tumble drier as well. But thats another story.

wow you were lucky and i have now learnt from you and decided not to do any of that again as i always do!!!!!

Thanks for the warning - i would be lost without any of my electrial appliances!! my kids are way too messy!

SS

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Gardening - A labour of love that begins with daybreak and ends with backache!
http://clarkiesveggieblog.blogspot.com/

I set my washing machine/tumble drier and dishwasher to work whilst I'm out so that it's quieter in the house...might think twice about that now

Charities won't take electrical goods in case they turn out to be fire hazards - I'm sure it wasn't faulty when the original owner passed it over to you- maybe something occurred in transit??

Glad you and your family are fine NG

Just a little tip, always keep the transom bolts when you buy a new washing machine, as if you ever move you should reinsert them for transit. Failing to do so can cause all sorts of problems with the machines. Ours has holders on the back to store the bolts for future use.

glad you're ok, i never leave anything on when i go out, the same thing happened to my sisters years ago, she only popped to the local shop, the washing machine was on fire when she got back.

I imagine this is the sort of What if......? that will occasionally haunt you for years, especially as your boys were asleep upstairs. My machine's on it's last legs with no hope of a new one until July, I just hope it hangs on until then, but I'm definitely going to stop putting it on when I go out. I've had a policy of not replacing appliances when they wear out for environmental reasons, but a washing machine is a necessity. I know people managed in the past, but they had all sorts of implements instead like boilers, washing boards, huge tubs, and those "stools on a broom-handle" wotsits, washing in the bath can't replicate that, especially when there's no way to get the water out of the clothes afterwards. I'm glad you're all safe NG and hope you find a replacement very soon.