Maintenance team broke my brand new dryer

[chloeramsrud]

Texas

My husband and I have been living in an apartment complex for about 6 months, and the maintenance team came to do yearly checks on air filters and vents for the dryer. However, when we came home our dryer was not running, turning on or working at all. It seems that when they went to check the ventilation, they did not unplug the dryer and because it was plugged in to the electrical outlet it shocked the person doing it as well as completely breaking my brand new dryer. Is this something that they would have to replace as they should have unplugged it before checking anything?

 

[FarmerJ]

When you spoke to your landlord what did they have to say ?

 

[Zigner]

Texas

My husband and I have been living in an apartment complex for about 6 months, and the maintenance team came to do yearly checks on air filters and vents for the dryer. However, when we came home our dryer was not running, turning on or working at all. It seems that when they went to check the ventilation, they did not unplug the dryer and because it was plugged in to the electrical outlet it shocked the person doing it as well as completely breaking my brand new dryer. Is this something that they would have to replace as they should have unplugged it before checking anything?

A properly functioning dryer won't shock someone who touches it.

 

[TheGeekess]

A properly functioning dryer won't shock someone who touches it.

I'm willing to bet that it shut off the circuit breaker connected to it.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

"I'm willing to bet that it shut off the circuit breaker connected to it. "

I agree. That should be checked first.

Gail

 

[chloeramsrud]

Thanks for all the responses. We checked the circuit breaker, and it seemed fine. Maintenance said the won't come look at it because it shocked one of them.

I'm just trying to figure out if this is something I need to contact the manufacturer for if it was faulty or if it was error on the persons fault? In the handbook it does say to unplug it before working on it as it could cause electric shock. Which seems like common sense to me as if it's plugged in you are connecting a metal filter to a metal piece on the dryer which conducts electricity

 

[FlyingRon]

Again, it would be extremely unlikely that any part of the dryer caused the problem. I bet they damaged the cord or where it attaches to either the dryer or the plug (or yanked the socket out of the wall). I'd look carefully at both ends of the cord since the breaker doesn't seem to be the problem (be sure to fully switch off the breaker and back on, by the way, many breakers don't have too obvious of a "trip" position and you have to turn them to OFF first to reset them).

Anyhow, legally. Call an appliance guy to fix your dryer. You do want it fixed right? Then you can go about hitting up the management for reimbursement (perhaps small claims if that doesn't work).

 

[Zigner]

Thanks for all the responses. We checked the circuit breaker, and it seemed fine. Maintenance said the won't come look at it because it shocked one of them.

I'm just trying to figure out if this is something I need to contact the manufacturer for if it was faulty or if it was error on the persons fault? In the handbook it does say to unplug it before working on it as it could cause electric shock. Which seems like common sense to me as if it's plugged in you are connecting a metal filter to a metal piece on the dryer which conducts electricity

AGAIN, a properly functioning dryer would not shock someone who touches it...even if they touch a metal part of it. It's possible that the dryer was wired incorrectly when it was installed. You should have a professional come out to diagnose the problem. PLEASE tell the tech that the dryer has shocked someone so that they can take proper precautions.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

When you say you checked the breaker did you flip it off and then on again?

Items such as dryers tend to use double breakers. One side can flip off and yet the breakers appear to be in the "on" position.

Ask me how I know...I once spent $60 many years ago to have an electrician "fix" my wall oven by flipping the double breaker off and back on.

Gail

 

[not2cleverRed]

When you say you checked the breaker did you flip it off and then on again?

Items such as dryers tend to use double breakers. One side can flip off and yet the breakers appear to be in the "on" position.

Ask me how I know...I once spent $60 many years ago to have an electrician "fix" my wall oven by flipping the double breaker off and back on.

Gail

Additionally, after trying that, OP should try unplugging it for a couple of minutes (not just 10 seconds) and plugging it back it to "reset" it, if it's one of those new fangled dryers.

As for the shock... it is possible that the cord of the dryer is fine, but the outlet is not properly grounded/not up to code.

 

[Zigner]

Additionally, after trying that, OP should try unplugging it for a couple of minutes (not just 10 seconds) and plugging it back it to "reset" it, if it's one of those new fangled dryers.

As for the shock... it is possible that the cord of the dryer is fine, but the outlet is not properly grounded/not up to code.

EVEN IF...
A properly functioning new dryer won't shock someone.

 

[chloeramsrud]

I got some more information. We do have someone scheduled to come take a look at the dryer. However, the apartment said that it was when they went to unplug it that it shocked them. When we moved in in May that same plug started sparking and didn't work so they already replaced it, but does it sound like it could have been on the electrical side of things rather than the brand new whirlpool dryer?

 

[chloeramsrud]

And yes, when we flipped the breaker off and then back on again just to be sure.

 

[Zigner]

I got some more information. We do have someone scheduled to come take a look at the dryer. However, the apartment said that it was when they went to unplug it that it shocked them. When we moved in in May that same plug started sparking and didn't work so they already replaced it, but does it sound like it could have been on the electrical side of things rather than the brand new whirlpool dryer?

What-say you come back once you actually know what's going on? It's tough for us to give advice when the facts are constantly changing.

 

[chloeramsrud]

Here are the facts:
- the dryer is brand new, six months old
- someone got shocked
-the dryer was working perfectly before maintenance came into the apartment and now it won't work at all, it's not the circuit breaker as they had already been checked
-when we moved in 6months ago, before we bought the dryer this outlet was sparking and was not working. They replaced the outlet, but we have no confirmation that they checked or replaced any wires leading to the outlet.
-the apartment complex sent us an email saying "after the shock nobody touched it and did not plug it back in due to the extremely damaged cord to to the dryer being a fire hazard"
-in the email they sent us they also say that it was running and working before they turned it off and unplugged it
-we have photograph proof that there is absolutely no damage to the cord of the dryer.
-we have asked multiple times to meet with the manager of the building, but they are refusing.