Using Heated Bedding Safely
When Mother Nature whips out her arsenal of cold, blustery weather, there’s no harm in enlisting the help of a heated blanket to make sure your crew gets the rest they require.
Electric blankets and heated mattress pads are great for making your bed extra cozy and warm over the chilly months, but these snuggly sizzlers have been known to cause serious injury to homeowners and have even been the cause of home fires.
The Electric Blanket Institute recommends following a few safety procedures when using an electric blanket:
- Don’t let infants or very small children (or anyone insensitive to heat) near the heated blanket.
- Do keep the chords free from obstructions or other heated devices (i.e., don’t run chords between mattresses and box springs, beneath rugs, near lamps, etc.).
- Don’t use heated bedding on adjustable beds (i.e., hospital-style beds that fold).
- Do keep the heated area flat when in use, avoiding bunching or folding if possible.
- Don’t allow pets or any sharp items (claws, pins, etc.) around your heated bedding to avoid puncturing the wire insulation.
- Do turn off the bedding when not in use.
- Don’t use a heated blanket on a waterbed or in conjunction with a heated mattress pad.
- Do call the manufacturer if you notice anything unusual about your heated bedding or the way it is operating.
- Don’t iron, dry clean, or use any cleaning fluid on your heated bedding.
For more advice on staying warm this winter, learn more about wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.
© 2015 Texas Farm Bureau Insurance
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