Electric blankets are a great way to snuggle up and stay warm on those cold winter nights. They are great little devices that have been around for decades, keeping tens of millions of customer’s toasty warm while they sleep. But just like any product on the market, electric blankets to have their critics. Opponents cite several safety factors including an increased risk of fire, burns, and cancer. For your peace of mind, let's address these criticisms.
Beginning with the cancer risk, about twenty years ago group of European scientists began researching whether or not electromagnetic fields (EMFs) caused cancer in children. These scientists were convinced that was the case and set out to prove it with scientific studies. Other scientists, including more than 500 in the U.S., joined the studies to prove once and for all the truth behind EMFs. Eventually the studies concluded that there is no direct link between EMFs and childhood cancer. That's good for users of electric blankets who we're being told that their bedding was causing cancer.
As far as burns are concerned, diabetics are warned not to use heated bedding due to their tendency to be insensitive to heat. But for the rest of us, heated bedding should not pose a serious burn risk; especially since most modern electric blankets have an automatic ten-hour shut off feature.
Among the three criticisms of electric blankets, that only leaves the risk of fire. New low-voltage electric blankets have reduced that risk by adding a power converter that reduces the 120 volts found at the wall outlet to 25 volts running through the blanket. Such a low voltage greatly reduces the risk of fire which can occur from a broken or crimped wire.
Even though low-voltage electric blankets have reduced the possibility of accidental fire, common sense safety practices should still be followed. Electrical cords of heated bedding devices should never be run between mattress and box spring. Friction could cause the wire to fray which could then lead to an electrical fire in the bed. Electric blankets should also not be used on pullout beds, sleep sofas, or any other bed which uses mechanical mechanisms to adjust, fold, or store the bed. These mechanisms can break the wires and cause electrocution or fire.
Finally, care should be taken before allowing children or the elderly to use electric blankets. Individuals who do not understand the danger posed by heated bedding, or understand how control systems work, are at higher risk for safety issues. For an elderly person who insists on continued use of his or her electric blanket, one suggestion is to pre-heat the bed and then unplug the blanket just before the user retires for the evening.
Despite the criticisms leveled at electric blankets, their continued use remains strong. Manufacturers like Sunbeam are continually striving to make their products safer and easier to use. The low-voltage electric blankets currently on the market are just one example of manufacturer's efforts.