For peace of mind while you're away, unplug these key appliances before you hit the road
The Most Surprising Appliances You Need to Unplug Before You Leave for Vacation
Published on Nov. 07, 2024
Everyone needs time away. Work, school, kids—the pressures of life make winding down an absolute necessity. But when you finally get a few days to yourself, are you able to relax, or are you worried about what might happen at home while you’re away?
I’m in the latter camp. As an electrician, I’m confident in the safety codes houses today must meet. Still, electrical fires are a worry. That’s why I walk around my house unplugging things before I leave for vacation. Coffee maker: check. Toaster: check. Every other plugged-in appliance: check, check and check.
“While most home fires are caused by cooking or heating incidents, any time there is electricity involved, like with appliances, a failure could occur, although it is unlikely,” says Jay Flynn, a longtime firefighter and the director of Homes for Heroes, a foundation helping firefighters, law enforcement personnel and emergency medical technicians find housing. “Eliminating the potential failure points should make you rest easier while you are away.”
I don’t know about you, but I feel better quashing even small risks when I can, and that starts with de-powering appliances before a trip. Ahead, we’ll explore why you should unplug appliances when you leave for vacation, what could happen if you don’t and which appliances pose risks—including some surprising ones!
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How can appliances be fire hazards when you’re not using them?
It seems strange, but it’s definitely possible for your appliances to catch fire when they’re not in use. “There is always a chance of an equipment failure, power surge or even a lightning strike while you are away,” Flynn says. “This could damage the appliance at best and, on the more serious side, cause a potential home fire.”
What gives? Well, any time an appliance is plugged in, even when it’s not turned on, electricity flows to it. If the conductors (wires) or their terminations at the appliance are damaged or loose, an unintended electrical discharge (called an “arc”) can occur. Arcing results in a very high current that can ignite nearby combustible materials—and it’s behind a whopping 63% of home electrical fires caused by electrical failure or malfunction, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
True story: Just the other day, I came home from the grocery store to a weird smell in my house. I knew immediately it was electrical in origin because it smelled like burning plastic. I traced the smell to a box fan that was at least 10 years old and had seen better days. The fan was off, but its center was glowing red-hot, so I unplugged it, ran it out to my driveway and doused it with the hose.
According to my better half, the fan had been on for about 15 minutes before I came home. So even though the fan was turned off, an earlier electrical arc had ignited the dust, grime and inner workings of the fan, where it smoldered and eventually caught fire. What if we had turned off the fan and then headed out for the evening—or worse, left for the weekend? I don’t even want to think about it!
What factors increase the risk an appliance will catch on fire while you’re away?
Like my crummy old fan, the age of an appliance and its wiring increases the risk of fires. Worn insulation, loose terminations, a buildup of combustible dust and grime—all of these can contribute to increased fire risk as well.
The age of your home could also be a factor. Today’s electrical codes require arc-fault protection in nearly every room of your home. Remember, arcs are dangerous electrical discharges that cause fires, so protection against them is key. Arc-fault current interrupters (AFCI), in the form of circuit breakers or receptacles in your wall outlets, monitor your home’s electrical circuits for arcs and shut off the power. Older homes may not have this now-standard fire safety protection (but you can add it, which I’ll explain later).
Which surprising appliances do you need to unplug?
Before you head out on vacation, pull the plug on your washer, dryer and dishwasher. Most people, including myself, think of these as permanently plugged-in appliances. But should they be? According to experts, there’s no reason to keep them plugged in—and plenty of reasons to unplug them.
Dryers, in particular, cause about 1,500 fires a year, representing 3% of home fires caused by electrical failure or malfunction, according to the NFPA. Washing machines and dishwashers add another 2%.
What other home appliances should you also unplug before going away?
“It is wise to unplug as much as possible when you plan to be away for extended periods,” Flynn says. “This reduces electricity usage and minimizes potential points of failure that could cause issues, especially if no one is at home.”
So the next time you’re leaving town, unplug the following items.
Kitchen appliances
Start with your countertop appliances, like toasters, air fryers, coffee makers and electric kettles. For one thing, it’s easy to do. Plus, these appliances have heating elements, which introduces risk. If you have an electrical malfunction, anything resting on the element, like food or grease, could ignite. And since we use these appliances every day, the components can wear out more quickly.
Battery chargers
Don’t forget to unplug all of your battery chargers, especially lithium-ion ones. Believe it or not, they’re among the more dangerous items in your home.
Lithium-ion batteries are uniquely hazardous: If something goes wrong, they can explode, start a fire and/or release toxic gases. A major concern with lithium-ion batteries is overcharging, so if you leave for vacation and forget to unplug your e-bike charger, that could go very, very wrong.
Electronics
Computers, televisions, gaming systems and other sensitive electronics are next up. Electrical failures and lightning strikes can damage these often expensive devices.
Pro tip: Plugging your electronics into a surge protector makes it easy to unplug several devices at once.
What are the other benefits of unplugging your appliances?
Energy use, for one. “Unplugging appliances helps eliminate power usage, even when they are not being actively used,” Flynn says.
Did you know that appliances use energy even when they’re not technically on? Called standby energy, this small current flow keeps your appliances’ clocks running, indicator lights on and other needed (but not primary) functions running and ready to go. Unplugging the appliance or device saves small amounts of energy, which can add up when you unplug many appliances.
Unplugging also prevents potential damage from power surges caused by lightning strikes and power-grid fluctuations. Your appliances are designed to operate at specific voltages, such as the 120 volts used in your home. Power surges send too much electricity through your appliance, damaging the sensitive electronics and other components inside. If you live in an area of the country that gets powerful thunderstorms, like we do here in Texas, these surges can really do a number on any plugged-in devices or appliances.
Are there other ways to reduce fire risk?
Absolutely. “I am an advocate for monitored fire alarm systems for early detection,” Flynn says. In the event of a fire emergency when you’re not home, a monitored fire alarm system “allows for a prompt fire department response to hopefully lessen the severity of an unfortunate incident.”
And if you live in an older home, check to see if you have sufficient arc-fault protection. Arc-fault current interrupters were first required in 1999, but only in the bedroom (because many fire deaths happen while people are asleep). More required locations have been added since, but if your home was built as recently as 10 years ago, you may not have the full range of currently required protection. Luckily, adding it is as easy as adding an AFCI to each circuit. Contact a licensed electrician for more information.
Finally, Flynn says it’s important to protect your home from flooding while on vacation. “I suggest turning off the water to appliances like the washing machine if you plan to be away,” he says. Hose failure on a washing machine, while rare, can “cause significant water damage that would go unchecked with no one home.”
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece, Ally Childress tapped her experience as a licensed electrician with six years of professional experience and a journalist who covers home and cleaning for Reader’s Digest. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- James “Jay” Flynn, director of Homes for Heroes; email interview, Oct. 31, 2024
- National Fire Protection Association: “Home Electrical Fires”
- National Fire Protection Association: “Lithium-Ion Battery Safety”
