Electric Blankets And House Fires

As the cold weather spreads across the country through the autumn and winter many people will be dusting off their electric blankets ready for use.

Electric blankets and house fires. Onfocus the chilly temperatures means it s time to bring out the electric blankets and heating pads. About 8 30pm last friday crews from inglewood. Electric blankets account for over 5000 fires a year in the home and you can prevent these by taking some simple steps. Never place a baby on an electric blanket they can dehydrate and get burns at fairly low temperatures.

Incontinent people should not use electric blankets. A deadly 2010 fire in walnut creek california started when an electric blanket. Electric blanket danger signs. A taranaki mother and her 15 month old son were home less than 10 minutes before a faulty electric blanket started a fire that destroyed their home.

I e improperly installed wiring faulty control unit. Many of those fires involved electric blankets that were more than a decade old. Experts estimate that an average of 5 000 house fires are caused by electric blankets every year. The house fire is believed to have been caused by a faulty electric blanket.

Fire risks of electric blankets explained. Electric blankets have started fires when left unattended or left on during the day. Never use an electric blanket when it s wet. According to state farm insurance heating equipment including electric blankets is the second leading cause of house fires in the u s.

The fact is there are fire risks in using an electric blanket. Though electric blankets can be a great cost effective way to keep warm and cosy it s important to use them with care. 6 top tips to use electric blankets safely. Like any electric appliance electric blankets can spark fires in the home that damage property and threaten lives.

These fires typically occur due to any one of the following reasons. The number of heating equipment fires each year is. This cause is rather uncommon and the least often occurring cause in cases of electric blanket fires. Store electric blankets flat rolled up or loosely folded to prevent damaging the internal wiring.

However a search of the internet for news of electric blanket caused fires will reveal a surprising number of print and video news stories reporting house fires and deaths caused by what the fire investigator determined to be an electric blanket. But be careful don t risk a fire. However 500 home fires are caused by improper use of these products according to the electrical safety foundation international esfi.