For decades, people have been using electricity to keep warm. Whether in the form of a water heater, heat pump, or even an electric blanket. These items are all important parts of a warm and cozy fall season.

But, as with all things electrical, it is important to use these items with care and safety. Every year, thousands of house fires are started due to improper use of electricity. Many of these fires could have been prevented by using some simple safety measures.

Here are some electric blanket safety tips for you and your family to use this fall:

• Don’t put your electric blanket in the washing machine. While the blanket is obviously unplugged during this process so there is no immediate electrocution threat, the twisting and pulling motion of the washing machine can seriously damage the heating coils inside of the blanket. Any damage to these coils could lead to electrical shock or fire once the blanket is plugged in.
• Don’t purchase your electric blanket second-hand. While there are plenty of things that you can buy from a second-hand store that still have a lot of use in them, it is not recommended to purchase an electric blanket second-hand. There is no way to ensure the integrity of the blanket, the heating coils, or electrical cord. All of these areas of the blanket could cause serious injury when the blanket is in use if they are damaged.
• Don’t have your electric blanket dry cleaned. The chemicals that are used during the dry cleaning process can be damaging to the heating coils that are inside of the blanket. When the blanket is plugged in, this damage could easily lead to an electrical spark and thus a fire.
• Don’t allow the cord of your electrical blanket to run between the mattress and box spring. The confinement could cause the cord to overheat and begin to melt. Also, any pulling on the cord due to being trapped between the two places could damage the cord or pull the insulated covering away from the wires.

Electric blankets have been around for years, and many people use them because they remember their parents using them around the home. While the design of these items has come a long way in both safety and integrity, it is still up to the user to be careful and use common sense.