Hotpoint, Indesit or Creda dryer mods

[Dave Liquorice]

Just had an email from Hotpoint about when our "house incinerator" vented dryer is going to get modified: Feb 2017.

They also offered:

"... as a goodwill gesture, we are able to offer you a brand new tumble dryer at a reduced price: Vented machine £59 Condenser £99 ..."

" ... Please be aware that this may not be an exact replacement of your current model, and will only be available in white. This charge is a small contribution to help towards the cost of delivery, installation, and removal of your old appliance. Available models are subject to change without notice."

Stuff that, an unknown model so no doubt the cheapest one they make. We don't use it much and the mitigation of the problem is just to keep the fluff filter clear. We'll wait for the free modification in February.

I can't help feeling that they are seeking to exploit the Great Unwashed lack of understanding of anything "technical". Can't people follow simple instructions (keep the fluff filter clean) or install a dryer where one was previously? ie the vent and fixed wiring is already in place.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at

12:27:37 on Sun, 24 Apr 2016, Dave Liquorice remarked:

I suspect it's worse than that. I had one of these dryers, and always kept the fluff filter as clean as one would reasonably expect (empty it every day, or after every two dries).

But, after about ten years, it started squeaking in time with the rotation, I opened it up and discovered pretty much the *entire* inside that was originally air was now fluff. Scraping it out, it was probably more fluff than the equivalent amount of filling in a single duvet. Soon after, I bought a new one (and this was before I'd heard the news about the problem).

[Davey]

We always clean the filter after every use, and when the man came a few weeks ago and took the thing apart to modify it for the free repair, there did not seem to be any undue amount of fluff inside it. I am happy to keep the same unit. It's always been a policy that we only run the dryer while we are at home, we knew of two house fires while we lived in the US that were caused by lint flaring up, so it always seems to be a good plan to be around while ours is running. I'm with Dave Liquorice on this one.

[Brian Gaff]

Yes a friend of mine had a Creda which squeeked, the enginneer eventually sold her a refurbished on of the same type. It does make you wonder if they actually cannot be bothered to do the job and shifting an old one is less hassle.

One thing I remember, one has to watch idiot Kitchen designs. As most will know washing machines have a filter usually in the bottom right of the front to get rid of fluff etc, however the house I was visiting had all the white goods on plynths and in the plynth under the washing machine sat a thermostatically controlled fan heater. I'm sure you know where this is going. Due to the daft level of the filter and the guts of the fan heater just below it, the first time it was dreained it blew the circuit braker. Clearly idiot schools are alive and well in the local area. brian

[Roland Perry]

In message , at 14:39:26 on Sun, 24 Apr

2016, Davey remarked:

How old was it, how many people's washing, and what seasons? Ours was ten years (all 12 months) and a family of four. Having moved house about the time we got the new one, we've now got a line to hang things on in the summer.

Same here, for washer and dishwasher too. Had a couple of water leaks over the years and it's better to be around to deal with them straight away.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at 14:51:13 on Sun, 24 Apr

2016, Brian Gaff remarked:

If you are going to be charging for your time, then supplying a new one is probably going to be cheaper, than taking the old one apart on site sufficiently to remove all the lint spread around inside.

[Davey]

Five years, two people, all seasons. The time taken to remove and clean the filter is seconds, and we know it's clean ready for the next use.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at 16:17:56 on Sun, 24 Apr

2016, Davey remarked:

So about a quarter of the usage.

I still think "every other cycle" should be enough.

[Steve Walker]

Our previous (Hotpoint) vented dryer had the filter cleaned out every time it was used. Despite this we smelt a burning smell. On investigation we found mounds of fluff under it, some of which was sucked into the air intake and had scorched on the heater elements.

I worked out that a small amount of fluff always manages to bypass the filters and the mounting of the tube from front to the rear exhaust was a poor design which allowed some air to leak out, taking some fluff with it.

From then on I got the machine out and checked underneath regularly and found that significant quantities of fluff could build up in a couple of months.

That machine has since been replaced and we have had no problem at all with the current one, that has been in use for nearly four years.

[Davey]

Maybe, maybe not...

As I said, it takes seconds, but it's up to you.

[Bob Eager]

It also depends on what is being dried. Better to do it every time.

[PeterC]

Next door had that choice/offer. Went for the £99 option and, after a couple of months, are very pleased with their choice. I don't have a rumble grinder as I have the space for drying via ventilation.

[F]

A relative had hers replaced a couple of weeks ago with the £59 vented dryer. I did have the model number but threw it once the replacement had been made. However, I think it was a Hotpoint TVM570P. She's delighted with it.

[Andy Burns]

Another year for them to perform all the checks/mods according to Y&Y.

[alan_m]

A item on one of the Radio 4 consumer programs today (5/5/16) said that a fire caused by one of these appliances will invalidate your household insurance. As the manufacturer has admitted that they could cause a fire you would be responsible for deliberately starting the fire by using it.

[Steve Walker]

I'd be tempted to contact Hotpoint, point that out to them and demand a much more timely modification or replacement, suggesting that if they don't I'd buy a replacement and take them to the small-claims court for the cost. People cannot be expected to carry on using a dangerous machine or doing without for 10 months.

[Dave Liquorice]

household

Ah but the manufacturer has also given instructions on how to operate the machine safely. It would be up to either the maker or insurance co to show that those instructions had not been followed for them to wriggle out of any claim.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at

08:34:34 on Fri, 6 May 2016, Dave Liquorice remarked:

The dryer is unlikely to catch fire unless the inside is full of lint. And I mean *full*.

The issue is whether or not the dryer filling up was caused by a design fault, or customer misuse. In turn one could examine the manufacturer's instructions and try to determine what it was that cleaning the lint filter was supposed to do - ie stopping the dryer filling up with lint and catching fire, versus simply operating less efficiently.

[Steve Walker]

As I've posted in the past from experience with a Hotpoint dryer. It was a design/manufacturing fault and despite cleaning the filter every time the machine allowed a large build up of lint underneath it, where the air is drawn in and passed over the heater.

Basically even with a clean filter, some lint always slips past it and due to recurrent leakage from the rigid pipe passing air from front to back of the machine, some always escaped - enough to build up to dangerous levels within 1 to 2 months.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at 13:30:36 on Fri, 6 May 2016, Steve Walker remarked:

Getting back to the business of the manufacturer's operating instructions, you seem to be saying that even if followed the lint will build up.

Ours didn't have its filter cleaned every single time, but did fill up with lint - taking about nine years. It didn't catch fire though, possibly because we always ran it on the lower heat setting as that appears to be kinder to the clothes.