Electric blanket Safety
When it’s cold out, people tend to bring out an electric blanket to help keep them warm. It’s certainly a cheaper option than turning up the heat to heat up your whole home. Though electric blankets are wonderful at keeping you warm and toasty at night, it’s important to remember that they’re electric. When it comes to any kind of electricity, you need to put safety first. Here’s a few do’s and don’ts to help keep you safe when using electric blankets this winter.
Do’s
- Choose an electric blanket that conforms to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards. This safety certification organization has been testing products and establishing standards for over 100 years.
- Lay the heated area of the electric blanket flat rather than folded or balled up
- Keep the blanket on top of you, don’t lay on top of it. This will prevent you from damaging the blanket’s internal coils.
- Turn off the electric blanket when you’re not using it. Many models don’t automatically turn off.
Don’ts
- Don’t wash your blanket – the motions of a washing machine can easily damage the internal coils.
- Don’t iron your electric blanket – heat from the iron could melt the internal coils of the blanket.
- Don’t dry clean – cleaning solutions used in dry cleaning can damage the cord insulation.
If you come across any electrical problems while using your electric blanket, be sure to contact a professional like A-Abel to help solve the problem. When it comes to electricity, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
