Actually, that's a hoax.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes link

Really? I feel dumb now :(

No - don't feel dumb! You were just passing along what you thought was accurate and helpful information, which probably all of us who receive emails have done at some point!

www.snopes.com is an excellent source for checking into the validity of these email warnings that inundate us. Too, it's sometimes just fun to visit the site and read all the "weird" stuff there! :-)

Oh man jen, I was about to go destroy all my plugins. I have them in every bathroom. Even though it is a hoax, could they cause a fire?

Wow...I have plug-ins all over the house. I was starting to sweat when I read this. Glad to hear that Snopes debunked this rumor.

this hoax has been floating around for a few years and resurfaces from time to time; I'm sure Glade would have removed their plug ins a long time ago if it were true.

don't feel bad for posting it, your intentions were good.

You have to admit, this does sound logical. Yes, I have those plug-ins in every room too. Makes you wonder...

I guess my electrician fell for it, because HE told us that those Glade Plug-Ins can be dangerous.

BTW-- the reason he was here . . .we smelled a weird fishy smell in our LR. After some research, I called an electrician. Had I not called, we could have had some serious damage. Just a weird thing I thought I'd pass along!

What was causing the weird fishy smell that would have caused damage?

Hmm. I wouldn't call that a hoax. Companies usually deny those claims anyway, until they no longer are able to.

I unplug all appliances that aren't in use. There was a news show segment showing how they can malfunction and melt down. Included brands like Black & Decker. Either with these or with something else, those little computer chips some of these products contain can go into melt down.

Judie- Hoax or not, I appreciate that you were concerned for everyone's safety.

This is a great time to remind everyone to test their smoke alarms, make sure they have fresh batteries, and are functioning properly.

Make sure your family has an exit plan, meeting place, and kids know how to get out of the house. There are lots of parents of young children on this board.

I am a stickler about fire safety because I have known two families who lost their homes in fires: one kitchen, one from a bare lightbulb igniting stored items. 4 adults and 3 children are alive because their smoke alarms worked properly.

-PC

And while we're at it! Don't leave dryers running when not in the house. They can also be a source of house fires. I wouldn't leave my d/w running either.

Same with washers, there can be a hose break or broken fill part -- and you want to be there to nip it in the bud. When the washer is not in use, turn off its water source to cut the pressure on the hoses. The hoses can burst, leaving a running water hose in your house. Also, when going away, turn off the water main to the house. No one will get hurt with the water, but the damage to your house can be as bad as fire.

I do have a friend who had a house fire from one of the glade type candles. The ones in the glass cups/jars. The candle turned to liquid and got so hot that the glass broke and the liquid caught her dresser (this happened in the bedroom) on fire. The damage was pretty extensive, too. This happened a few years ago (she's since remodeled, divorced and sold the house), so maybe the glass is better made than it used to be? Still something to be aware of.

That weird fishy smell described earlier is a warning sign. There is a thread on another forum here, I believe the Home Disasters one, about that. The smell is caused by something in the internal wiring of electrical sockets that can break down over time and cause a fire. When it does, it emits a fishy smell. I am probably not saying it correctly, but if you smell a strange fish odor in your home which cannot be traced to anything, you should have an electrician check your lighting and sockets for melting behind the walls.

My husband and I suffered a terrible house fire in November. It was due to old construction around the fireplace which couldn't have been detected either in our home inspection or when we got our chimney cleaned a few months prior to the fire. We had a fire in the fireplace late afternoon, by the time we had dinner there were no burning embers in the fireplace. What we didn't know was the fire had escaped through a small crack in the mortar and was burning in the walls around us. We woke at midnight to our smoke alarm-- and by all accounts that's what saved our lives. We lost our home and basically everything in it. Thanks to the smoke detector,though, we were able to get ourselves (and our kitty cats) out. Just had to chime in-- whether this is true about the plug ins or not-- please use it as an excuse to double check your smoke alarms. (and actually it's not a bad idea to check your homeowner's policy as well)

I've read those glade candles/scents can be deadly to pet birds. Who knows what we're breathing in that could be harmful to humans also.

RE: The smell is caused by something in the internal wiring of electrical sockets that can break down over time and cause a fire. When it does, it emits a fishy smell. I am probably not saying it correctly, but if you smell a strange fish odor in your home which cannot be traced to anything, you should have an electrician check your lighting and sockets for melting behind the walls.

YES. The thing for us was that we did not know where it was coming from. First we thought it was the vacuum. Then the DVD player (in a cabinet). Finally (DUH), I put 2 and 2 together . . .if these things are BOTH creating the smell, what do they have in common? They are both plugged into electrical outlets. For us, it was "only" one outlet that was damaged, but the smell came from several of them. We had to have 3 rooms of outlets replaced as they were on the same circuit.

I would stay away from any of those fake scent things anyway. A neighbor worked at a co. for those and said they were horrible for you.

Well, this may be a hoax or not, but have you heard of people hanging a crystal in their car or home window? The strong sun shines through it like a magnifying glass and can ignite flammable stuff nearby. It sounds possible to me, if you live where the sun gets very hot.

Gawd, the woild's a scarey place : [ I think I have heard that actually, and it certainly makes sense. You really just have to keep thinking, all the time, about everything to try to stay ahead of things.

Cruise control devices in some cars can ignite when simply off and tucked away in the garage for the night, also. There's a chip that keeps running or something and goes into melt down. Taurus is the only one I can think of right now, but there are other cars as well. I seem to remember the mfrs still being in denial. But maybe there's been a precautionary recall.

"Same with washers, there can be a hose break or broken fill part -- and you want to be there to nip it in the bud. When the washer is not in use, turn off its water source to cut the pressure on the hoses. The hoses can burst, leaving a running water hose in your house."

To minimize the hassle factor and likelihood of human error (especially if multiple people use the washer), there are several gadgets you can get that either automatically turn on the water only when the washing machine is in use, or sound an alarm and shut off the water (instead of just sounding the alarm) when a leak is detected, which work with MANY different appliances and fixtures. This is especially useful if you cannot reach the shutoffs easily - climbing over the washing machine is a distinct drag, BTDT! Also, replacing the plastic hoses that come with most appliances with braided-steel-encased
ones significantly reduces the possibility of blowouts. For the average $500 homeowner's insurance deductible you can outfit multiple appliances, and most of these things are easy enough to install that the average homeowner can do it. There are also more expensive automatic detectors/shutoffs that can be hooked right into a housewide security system. Your homeowner's insurance company may even give you a credit on your policy for having these sorts of things installed - ask, the worst they can say is no!

These are just a couple of the many products out there to choose from:
Watts Intelliflow automatic washing machine valve - Watts website
FloodStop automatic shutoffs for washing machines, dishwashers, icemakers, water heaters, toilets, sinks, etc. - manufacturer website
Water Controller Inc. offers the AquaGate and Leak Controller

In addition, consider having your gate-valve shutoffs (has a sort of star-shaped knob, takes several turns to open/close) changed over to ball-valve shutoffs (long lever that only moves 1/4 turn) if you have a plumber at your house for something else. Ball valves are SO much easier and faster to operate, especially with wet hands, you can see easily whether the valve is open or closed, and they are less likely to malfunction with age. There is a special "two-in-one" ball valve made especially for laundry hookups where flipping one lever opens and closes both valves instead of having to smash your knuckles turning that little knob.

Don't forget your carbon monoxide detectors, either! The fire department here recommends separate CO and smoke alarms, both so that if one goes kaput you still have the other functioning and also because the optimal location for a smoke alarm isn't necessarily the best for a CO one. Hardwired or plug-in ones should have a battery backup.

Re plug-in CO detectors, I was told that they are too low to be effective. I keep meaning to research this, as they oddly continue to be on the market, but have yet to do so -- so am just throwin' it out there in case!