Leaving Oven On Unattended

[Jennykenny]

Am I being unnecessarily over-cautious worrying about the oven being left on when nobody is home, even if only for five minutes or so?

[bhg481]

Ovens are just boxes designed to have a fire inside them - they must be the safest thing in the kitchen to leave unattended. Having said that, we never leave the house with any of the large power-consuming devices on.

[Maydup]

I never leave the house when any of the appliances are on. Although I do set the washing machine to come on at 5am when I'm still asleep! But I wouldn't leave an oven or a tumble drier unattended.

[chrissa1]

Reading some of the answers here makes me wonder how we ever survived, in the old days.

//you may be only out for five minutes, but what if you have an accident while nipping out to the shops//

You may have a heart attack while you're in the house, while your oven is quietly and safely cooking away. How did we ever have roast turkey on Xmas Day after coming back from church??

H & S gone mad, again.

[Jennykenny]

I suppose that perhaps I am over-cautious. Dad, (the fireman) had us pulling out the tv plug, the kettle and toaster plug, etc every night.
I used to pack the iron in my suitcase every holiday whether I used it or not so that I knew I hadn't left it on. (Now I just don't iron anything.) I have four smoke alarms dotted round the house and test them regularly. I never leave my phone etc to charge overnight or if I am out of the house.
I suppose we are all different.

[jennyjoan]

I have done over the years left tops of cookers unattended but no no more.

One time I had just run over to the neighbour for one minute - she kept me talking - I came back just in time to see a kitchen/cloth towel starting to smoulder.

Can't remember others but there were others and no - I turn cooker off and tumble dryer. I am usually in the house when I wash.

It is true if you leave any hot thing on and you go out you don't know what it is happening to you, anything. Oh yes I am forever forgetting to turn off tongs etc but I usually have. Turn everything off every time you go out and then you will be safe

[Mamyalynne]

I have on many occasions put something to slow cook in the oven and then gone out for the day, similarly put on a wash and gone shopping, mo issue.

Never had a tumble drier but they do sound a bit more prone to be problematic if left.

For those who set their washers to come on at silly o'clock, please check it can't be heard by your neighbours like the guy 2 floors above me - grrrr.

[mastercraft]

In order for your House/Contents Insurance to be affective, I'd advise that you switch off all appliances before you exit.

[mastercraft]

Or even... effective!

[Maydup]

Rest assured mamya, our neighbours are at the other end of the garden. Have you popped a polite note to yours to tell him that his machine is a little louder than he realises?

[Mamyalynne]

I have and in fairness he has stopped now - it was just a point worth asiring.

Do we have to turn off our central heating when we leave the house then?

Confused of Bolton - we still have t'gas mantles here;-)

[Mamyalynne]

^^ a point worth airing , fingers are broken,sorry.

[hc4361]

I've been thinking about this and I think things are very different today than in the days Jenny's dad was a fireman.

Everything is so much safer today with gas safety cut off devices, electricity breakers as well as safety features in individual appliances.

I've spoken to my insurer today and they assure me that I am still covered if I go out leaving appliances on as long as there is not a 'foreseen risk'. There's been a lot in the news lately about certain tumble dryers catching fire and if my dryer isn't one of those models it is fine. It's not meant to be stood over while it's being used. Today's tvs, sky boxes and pvrs etc are designed to be left on standby 24/7 and record when unattended.

Appliances that are meant to be used manually such as fryers, irons, hair dryers and tongs may not be covered if they cause a fire when unattended.

It's all down to common sense and of course what we feel comfortable with.

[alavahalf]

Jenny ... My bet is you unplug the telly at when you go to bed .. do you ?

[murraymints]

Well I leave oven on cooking all the time otherwise we'd starve !

[ummmm]

Like hc says....if there's a faulty item it trips the house.

[jennyjoan]

I remember years ago too I left my iron for a whole week while I went on holiday. Thank God it was on its stand but obviously had a switch-off-on button.

I do leave lots of plugs on ie TV on standby - lamps on standby etc. Would I too not be covered by my insurance. Really couldn't be bothered having to stretch around all this to get access to the switches.

[hc4361]

No problem with insurance if you leave your appliances on standby, jenny

[ummmm]

I've only ever claimed a few times on my insurance and they didn't ask any questions really.

[jennyjoan]

they might ask questions if you burn your house down and they have to hand out hundreds of thousands pounds LOL

[Islay]

I often go out and leave stuff cooking in the oven or on the hob, several hours for the oven and 30 mins and more on the hob.