Your bags are packed for your vacation, and you are ready to leave any minute. BUT NOT SO FAST.
It would be best to put your home in order before departing.
Leaving your house in good condition ensures you return to a neat and organized place.
So, Should You Turn Off Your Coffee Maker When You Go On Vacation?
Well, most coffee makers have an automatic shutoff feature, meaning the machine will turn off within a specific period of being unused. In this case, whether you choose to turn it off or not, it’ll be off by the time you come back.
However, it is advisable to turn it off before the automatic timer. So, yes, you should not leave your coffee maker turned on when going on holiday.
Is It Bad to Leave Your Coffee Maker On?
Yes. When your coffee maker runs for more than the ideal time, it puts your home at risk of safety. The machine can spark an electrical fire.
If this happens and items are nearby, it can ignite the rest of your home. Imagine coming back to a burnt home? How devastating can it be?
Remember that coffee machines aren’t designed to keep coffee hot.
Their main work is to brew coffee and pour it into several cups. The rest of the time, they should be turned off. So, there is no reason to leave yours on if you will not be using it anyway.
Leaving the coffee maker on while you go away will damage the internal parts, causing your machine to break down quickly.
Therefore, you will need to purchase another one sooner than you thought. In fact, it is always advisable to purchase a programmable coffee maker.
Since it comes with an automatic turn-off, you will greatly reduce the risk of potential fires and have peace of mind.
Besides fire, there are plenty of other reasons you shouldn’t leave your machine on. These include:
1. You Will Waste a lot of Electricity
If your electricity bills have recently increased, you need to check what has changed.
Small habits like living the coffee maker on can significantly increase your energy bills.
So, please turn off the machine when you are not using it.
Even if it comes with the automatic feature shutoff, it is advisable to turn it off before the time. This will avoid wasting electricity.
Besides lowering your energy bills, lowering your electricity use reduces your carbon footprint. Shutting down your coffee maker may seem like a small action.
However, it can lead to big results. Plus, you may be careless about other things when you solely depend on the automatic shut-off
. For instance, you may find yourself forgetting to turn off other electrical appliances, which ends up wasting a lot of electricity.
2. Your Coffee Maker Could Burn
Another reason not to leave your coffee pot on when traveling is that you may end up damaging it.
Even if there was little or no coffee in it, your machine might burn. Remember that the coffee left will evaporate and thicken, and once that happens, the machine may burn at the bottom.
The result could be temporary or permanent damage, depending on the burn’s severity.
Generally, if your pot has warped, you may need to buy a new one.
If you only have burnt gunk at the machine’s bottom, you don’t need to replace the entire machine. Simply use baking soda, salt, and lemon juice to clean it up.
How Can You Reduce The Fire Risk from a Coffee Maker?
There are no records of the number of house fires resulting from coffee makers.
Although there have been reports of fire incidents generated by coffee makers, they don’t really say whether the fire spread or burnt down the house.
According to the Consumer Product and Safety Commission, 30-70 fires resulting from coffee makers are reported annually in the United States.
This may seem like a low number, so you may not feel pressured to take any steps.
However, remember that anything can happen. Therefore, taking the right steps toward reducing the risk of fire from your coffee machine is advisable.
You should ensure that your coffee maker doesn’t operate for more than 2 hours.
You can buy an automatic unit that will shut down after two hours.
But don’t worry if yours doesn’t contain the automatic shutoff feature. You can still use the kitchen timer to alert you when to turn off your coffee maker.
Set this alarm when you make the first cup of the day.
Additionally, make sure to service your unit regularly. Remember to do repairs promptly and keep your machine clean.
How Else Are You Damaging Your Coffee Maker?
Besides leaving the coffee pot for a long time, you could be doing these things that significantly shorten the life of your machine:
1. You Use the Wrong Grinder
Coffee makers are not designed to brew the same grinds.
So, if you don’t use the correct one for your pot, you might be damaging it.
For instance, a coarse grind is suitable for cold brewing or French pressing, while a medium grind works well with drip pots.
If you have an espresso machine, a finer grind will be ideal.
You overwork your machine each time you use the wrong grinds, which can ultimately damage it. Besides that, your coffee may taste subpar.
2. You’re Not Filling the Water Tank Properly
Your pot needs enough water to run efficiently.
Remember that once you press the brew button, your machine will pump for the preset time whether or not the water tank is dry.
So it means that when the water is not enough, the pump draws air inside, which means more pressure on the machine’s mechanics that can cause problems down the line.
3. You Aren’t Cleaning It
Many people are surprised to learn that they should clean their coffee maker.
Leaving it dirty shortens its life span. Remember that gunk and dust get into your pot and stick to it.
As a result, it causes overheating and sometimes mold.
It’s advisable to clean your machine at least once every month to avoid dirt particles and mold in your coffee cup and to prolong your coffee maker’s life.
4. You Don’t Remove Old Grounds
Most times, we brew our coffee cups when we are in a hurry.
Therefore, once we collect it, we run our errands, leaving the beans inside for the next person that uses the machine. We don’t think of this as a huge deal most of the time.
However, it can significantly damage your machine.
It’s advisable to take out the coffee grinds as soon as you finish brewing.
These grinds tend to create a warm and damp environment that encourages mold and bacteria growth. Besides damaging your coffee maker, it also increases your risk of health issues.
Final Thoughts
It is not advisable to leave your coffee maker on even for a few minutes when you are not home.
Doing that can be dangerous and do more harm than good. In fact, this is why makers with the automatic shut-off feature are recommended.
They can help prevent fire hazards while lowering your energy bills. So, before leaving your house for a vacation, please remember to turn off your coffee pot.
References
https://www.homeserve.com/en-us/blog/home-improvement/vacation-appliance-checklist/
