When the weather drops, electric space heaters and blankets are great methods to stay toasty warm. But, before you plug in these chill-chasers, don’t forget about safety. Home fires rise during the winter months, when space heaters and electric blankets come out of hibernation.
Keep in mind that using an electric space heater for supplemental heat is only a short-term solution. Many homeowners may use this method to heat specific rooms while sleeping, however it is dangerous. It is critical to turn off your electric space heater when you leave a room or go to sleep. It could overheat or fall if you leave it unattended. Space heaters should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet. To minimize overheating, never use an extension cord.
During the winter, electric blankets and heating pads are very popular. They should never be folded and should not be used while sleeping. Examine them for black, burnt, or frayed places, as well as cracked or frayed electric cords. Before using them in your house, read the manufacturer’s directions and warning labels carefully.
If you use an electric space heater, electric blanket, or heating pad to keep yourself or your home warm, be cautious. You and your family will have a higher chance of avoiding serious fire and electric shock threats if you follow these guidelines.
- A space heater or an electric heating blanket should never be left alone. When you leave a room or go to sleep, turn it off.
- Before each use, inspect heaters for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections.
- DO keep heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials such as papers, clothing, and rugs.
- Space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Use caution while using extension cords because they can overheat and cause a fire.
While an electric space heater does not pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, it does pose a number of additional risks if not utilized appropriately. Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home, as well as outside all sleeping spaces, to ensure fire safety. If you already have them, test them at least once a month to ensure they’re in good working order.
What should an electric blanket not be used for?
Despite the fact that modern heating blankets are generally regarded safe, they must be used carefully. The following are some suggestions for correct usage:
- If you don’t want your blanket to turn on by accident, don’t connect it into a light switch-controlled outlet.
- Pillows, blankets, books, toys, and other items should not be piled on top of an electric blanket.
- If you have an adjustable, hospital-style bed or a waterbed, don’t use an electric blanket.
- When storing an electric blanket, fold it up gently or hang it up to dry. If you must fold it, try to keep the creases to a minimum.
- An electric blanket that has been folded or balled up should not be turned on or left on.
Unplug an electric blanket if you have any worries about it. It can be used as a conventional blanket as well.
Is it possible to plug a heating blanket into a surge protector?
There are many different types of heating pads available, however this page clarifies whether or not they should be used with surge protectors. Find out if hating pads are safe to use and what you should think about before doing so.
This is a matter of both safety and basic sense. Surge protectors are designed to allow continuous electrical current to flow through them. The surge protector on the power strip just needs to be able to withstand the additional demand.
Electricity is used to generate heat in the heating pads. The heating pad cannot achieve its full capacity when plugged into a surge protector because the voltage is restricted by the current running through the surge protector.
Connecting a heating pad to a surge protector is exceedingly unsafe. Because they were never built to withstand such high levels of energy, they will overheat and possibly catch fire. If you have to use a surge protector for your heating pad, only leave it on for an hour at a time.
If you notice that the heating pad is not performing to its full potential (i.e., it shuts off before it should), you can acquire another surge protector and connect both devices to the same cord, although this will usually result in overheating.
If you want a surge protector that can handle the needs of both, search for one that is developed exclusively for high-capacity appliances. They should be capable of handling this load without overheating.
Keep in mind that these surge protectors are far more expensive than standard surge protectors. Despite their low cost, they should not be used with heating pads.
Also, when using a heating pad, never use an extension cord. This is also extremely dangerous because if the cord becomes too hot, it can easily melt through the insulation, resulting in a short circuit or fire.
Is it possible to sleep with an electric blanket on all night?
One of the most frequently asked questions concerning electric blankets is if they are safe to use overnight. While correct usage of a modern, well-maintained electric blanket is unlikely to create problems, keeping electric blankets on all night is not suggested.
Instead, use electric blankets to warm up your bed before getting into it and then turn them off before falling asleep. The more advanced types feature timers that allow you to fall asleep in a bed that is still warming up, but manual switches may usually offer enough warmth to keep you comfortable even if you turn them off before falling asleep.
Consider heating the sheet-covered mattress with the covers pulled down while using an electric blanket to heat your bed. Pull up the covers after a few minutes and place the electric blanket on top as the top layer. When you get in, the covers will retain the heat in the mattress, making the entire bed seem warm. You may feel the warmth for up to an hour after turning off the heat, giving you plenty of time to fall asleep.
How many amps does an electric blanket require?
Each side of my electric blanket consumes 60 watts. That would be the case. At 120VAC, it draws 5 amps, and at 12VDC, it draws around 6 amps. If you’re going to run both sides of the blanket, multiply those numbers by two.
Is it possible to layer blankets on top of an electric blanket?
Can You Cover an Electric Blanket With a Blanket? Heating blankets should never be placed under another blanket or under oneself; they should always be placed over a blanket. This can put you at risk of overheating.
Are electric blankets a source of home fires?
Consumers may find the electric blanket to be a handy and practical item. The usage of an electric blanket, on the other hand, can raise the risk of a house or property fire as well as physical damage. Electrical fires, smoldering, and full flame combustion are possible due to the nature of the product, and the likelihood of these incidences occurring increases dramatically when the product becomes worn or damaged.
Electric blankets are thought to be the cause of 5,000 house fires each year, according to experts. These fires are usually caused by one of the following factors:
Improper electric blanket handling, such as extended or unattended use in scenarios involving tiny children or elderly people with physical disabilities.
Normal wear and tear can lead wire implements or other components to fray, break, or otherwise become damaged and prone to malfunction.
Electric blankets and heating pads that are 10 years old or older are thought to be the cause of 99 percent of all fires and other catastrophes. Fires and injuries can be avoided with regular safety checks and efforts to discard and replace outdated blankets.
What can’t you plug into a power outlet?
To function, high-capacity appliances require a large amount of electricity to be drawn through an electrical circuit. Keep in mind that an appliance does not have to be enormous to consume a lot of energy.
Here are a few high-capacity appliances that should not be plugged into a power strip:
So, why is it that plugging these high-powered devices into a power strip is a problem? If an appliance’s load (ampacity) rating is exceeded, the power strip will be overloaded. When something overloads a power strip, the circuit breaker will trip, potentially resulting in an electrical fire. Bottom line: it’s safer not to risk a house fire if you don’t know how to calculate what will or won’t exceed your power strip’s load rating.
Is it possible to be electrocuted by an electric blanket?
When used inappropriately or if they are malfunctioning, winter devices such as wheat packs, hot water bottles, electric blankets, heaters, and even pyjamas can be dangerous.
“Hot water bottles can cause burns,” said Ivo da Silva, a senior regional officer with the Department of Commerce in Kalgoorlie.
“When they show indications of wear and tear, such as fractures in the rubber, they should be discarded; the rubber can also expire from the inside, therefore it’s better to replace hot water bottles every two years.”
Hot water bottles should not be filled with boiling water and should be covered with a towel or fabric cover once filled with warm water.
Wheat packets, likewise, should not be heated for longer than indicated on the label or box.
“Even after it has been withdrawn from the microwave, this could cause the wheat to ignite and create a fire.”
To avoid overheating and fires, electric blankets should be used and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services recommends only using electric blankets to warm the bed and turning them off before getting in, not putting heavy items on the bed while the blanket is on, and replacing the blanket every 10 years or sooner if it is significantly worn.
Electric blankets should always be stored by hanging or rolling them, as folding them can damage the heating wires.
“Electric blankets and heaters can overheat, causing an electric shock or spark, and perhaps causing a fire,” Mr da Silva explained.
“In Australia alone, 40,000 faulty electric blankets and almost 41,000 potentially unsafe heaters were recalled last year.”
“To make sure yours isn’t one of them, go to www.productsafety.gov.au and make sure heaters aren’t placed too close to furniture or left unattended.”
Even those with a low fire hazard rating, winter pyjamas are frequently fashioned from highly combustible synthetic materials.
People wearing pyjamas, especially children, should stay away from open heat sources such as fireplaces and gas stove tops.
Is it necessary to plug in heated blankets?
Electric linens will feature large connectors in the end region of the blanket that are utilized to channel energy from your outlets to the wires inside the blanket, depending on the brand and design. Before cleaning or washing, these connectors must be physically removed and unplugged from the blanket. During use, the connector should be placed at the foot of the blanket or near the end of the bed. This prevents the blanket from being disconnected or overheating during the night owing to sleep-related motions, such as plugging and unplugging cables, which can disrupt the power source.
Electric bedspreads with thermostats and temperature gauges that read the combination of body heat and electric heat to give a nice sleeping experience are available in newer models (post-2001). Shutoff mechanisms are also included in these versions to prevent overheating and potential fire concerns. Once the blanket reaches a certain internal temperature, these devices will promptly turn off the blanket in the event of overheating. Some models let you to program when the blanket will turn on and off, which boosts the safety of using an electric linen even more.
To provide even more safety while maintaining consistent temperatures, newer models use carbon-fiber cables to heat them. The majority of automobile manufacturers also employ carbon-fiber wires in the creation of heated seats.
On the bed, where should I put my electric blanket?
We recommend putting the electric blanket on top of a fitted sheet (so the direct heat is not against your skin). In most circumstances, if you have layers on your bed, such as a mattress topper, underblanket, underquilt, and so on, we would recommend: Doona/Quilt/Duvet (from the top down).
