Electric Blanket Bed Warmer

Electric blanket: How safe is it?

Is the electric blanket safe? Many years ago, it most definitely was not safe and was the cause of many a household fire. Are they any better today for warming your bed? Yes, they are much improved upon but I still don’t feel all that comfortable with leaving them on overnight whilst someone sleeps in the bed. The best improvement, and there have been many in the past 30 years, is the low voltage used for the blanket. New ones are run on a 24 volts supply which is very safe. An electric bed warmer running at mains voltage is potentially hazardous. If you have an old blanket you should throw it away and get a replacement. The recommended time interval for replacing an electric blanket is every 10 years of normal use. This is a long time especially if the blanket is used every winter or maybe all year round. In the authors opinion an electric blanket should be replaced every 3 to 4 years.

Heated bedding

Over body heater

The electric blanket has improved over the years and no longer is it possible to feel hard wiring strands through the material. Modern blankets are fleece lined and the wiring has been replaced by a softer, more flexible, carbon filament. This allows the blanket to be folded and wrapped about one as you would do with a normal fleece wool blanket. Unlike their predecessors new warming blankets can be machine washed and dried.

Electric blanket checking

Safety check

Manufacturers of these bed warmers and heated wraps will check them periodically for damage. They suggest every 3 years but an annual check would be a safer option. Many safety features are in-built such as automatic turn off, overheat settings and sensitivity controls. The latest development is the remotely controlled blanket which removes the annoying trailing mains cable from the blanket but there are no reports on its effectiveness, as yet.

Electric padded mattress

Under body heater

These electric mattress pads are really electric blankets that sit directly on top of the mattress for bed heating. All of the remaining bed linen is then placed on top of the heated pad so that you get the benefit of heat as it rises. Unfortunately the mattress itself absorbs a large quantity of the heat too. This was the way electrical blankets were used in the past as they were placed at the lowest linen level.

Electric bed warmer safety

Electric blankets fire hazard

Under no circumstances should an electric blanket be used where young children are concerned. Other who should steer well away from this form of electric heating are diabetics or people suffering with breathing difficulties. The problem with this form of heating is that it is not natural and can be very dangerous if one does not have control of the temperature of the heating device. Great care is needed if any electrical heating means is used for heating the sleeping quarters of infants or pets. Always ensure that you use a low voltage electric blanket to warm bedding.

Remember to switch blankets off

People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease should not use these warming blankets for fear they would forget about the controls. It is easy, too, for a busy parent to forget to switch off a blanket and therein the danger lies. The best advice is to use hot blankets sparingly and never leave electric heating blankets or mats switched on whilst unattended.

Warm beds

Above all do not sleep with the blanket still switched on. There are alternatives which are modern day so there is no need to heat a stone by the fireside and wrap it in a blanket before placing into the cold bed. A hot water bottle works well and if you are concerned by possible leakage the newer ones are made from a gel like substance and are leak proof and can be heated in the microwave oven.

Hotties

Hot water bottles are safer than electric blankets and are more cost effective too but if you do opt for the blanket please ensure it is rated for only 24 volts DC and not a 120 volt AC mains supply.