Why dont you use Thermacare heat pads? A fire can occur if you use a heating pad after drinking alcohol or using drugs that produce significant sleepiness. These fires result in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and millions of dollars in property damage.. First off, extension cords can only be so long. The Sunbeam XpressHeat Heating Pad heats up in just 30 seconds, is budget-friendly, and has easy-to-use LED temperature controls. 6. Did you know that based on a national average electricity rate, it would Be sure to know how to turn the oxygen on and off, and set the flow rate. Could she use it in the medical clinic twice per day w/o being charged for a medical fee every time? However, it is serious for my wife. Purchase only cords that have been approved by an independent testing laboratory. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". His work has been published by iFixit, Lifehacker, Digital Trends, Slashgear, and GottaBeMobile. You can alternate between the two shoulders should both be in pain. Can You Plug Surge Protectors and Extension Cords Into Each Other? Don't use a heating pad for more than 30 minutes at a time. Doc did steroid injections in my neck and shoulders today, and when I awoke from a nap this afternoon, my low back is in . Is It Safe To Plug A Heated Blanket Into A Surge Protector? Keep sparks and flames away from tanks, oxygen machines, and tubing. Turn your oxygen container or concentrator off when you are not using your oxygen. Uses: tools and heating appliances drawing up to 15 amps of power. Cortisone shots - Mayo Clinic There are an average of 360,000 home fires each year and fires started by electric blankets represent just a small part of them. If youre using an old heating pad with a surge protector, the surge protector may not be able to protect your appliance from power surges and spikes. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Nicks and bare exposed wires can cause electrical shock. 12-Gauge Cords: If your tool load is between 10 and 15 amps and the length of the cord is 50 to 100 feet, you need a 12-gauge cord to safely power any tool. This. It is not recommended to plug space heaters into an extension cord or power strip, as this could lead to an electrical fire or overheating of the equipment. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Good enough extension cable for heat : askanelectrician - reddit Lowergauge (aka thicker) wires allow more electrical current to flow through the extension cord, making lower-gauge cords better for larger appliances and tools that need a lot of juice. Let your oxygen supply company know about any cylinders that may be damaged. Please remember not to place anything on top of a K&H outdoor bed or pad other than the cover provided. Heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in the United States, said John Gasstrom, CEO of Indiana Electric Cooperatives. What about a hot water bottle? DONT fold an electric blanket when its in use. In the event of problems, call them. LauraS What are her options? Never use an extension cord to avoid overheating. Protect Appliances and Electronics Against Their 20 Bad Habits That Could Burn Down Your House. Powered by Invision Community. Sale. Avoid flammable objects, too. When you leave a room or go to stay toasty warm when the temperature drops. Containers can be damaged if they fall over. However, you can sometimes find light-duty extension cords that look like heavy-duty ones (like this one), so be sure to double check the gauge, which can sometimes be found printed on the cord itself. RELATED: How to Choose the Best USB Charging Station for All Your Gadgets. You can plug an appliance with a two-pronged plug into a grounded extension cord without a problem, but do not plug in a three-pronged plug into an ungrounded extension cord (by using one these adapters), mostly because anything with a ground prong is usually high-powered and should not be plugged into a light-duty extension cord in the first place. Related: 10 Things You Should Never Do When the Power Goes Out. Never use indoor extension cords outdoors. That's because they can't predict the gauge of the wire people will use. Check how much energy your appliances are taking out of the circuit with a utility meter. These are always grounded extension cords that include a third wire and plug prong for grounding and have plugs with three slots for accepting grounded appliance cords. Similar to an electric blanket, these pads can give your cat a cuddly place to sit on cold days. You need to have a nearby electric outlet or an indoor extension cord. Avoid using appliances with control boxes, such as heating pads, while wearing your oxygen. Heating Pad for Back-Pain Relief and Cramps - 16"x 30" Auto Shut Off, 83 inch Super Long Cable, Machine Washable Electric Heat Pad for Neck and Shoulders with Moist & Dry Heat Therapy Options 4.3 (733) $3599 Join Prime to buy this item at $21.59 FREE delivery Wed, Mar 8 Simply remove this and wash it on the gentle cycle with cold water, then line dry. I find that heating pads are easier to use and provide more consistent heat over a large area. However, you need to make sure that the extension cord is rated for the same voltage as the heating pad. Extension cords range anywhere from 18 gauge to 10 gauge, with 10 gauge being the thickest. Put signs on all the doors of your house to let visitors and emergency personnel know that oxygen is in use. What are her options? Search by name, address, language, or products. Certain door hinge designs may help keep your home secure. An extension cord can be a fire hazard. If the cylinder is damaged, it can become a missile and shoot off at a high rate of speed. This premium-soft, LoftTec blanket gently wraps you in warmth with ThermoFine technology to auto-adjust for consistent heat control and 10 custom heat-settings. Among them are: Normally, heating pads dont take up much power. Extension cords offer a means of extending a home's or workshop's electrical circuits when a lamp, appliance, or tool has an attached cord that is too short to reach the needed location. A fire hazard can be created by over loading the power strip. Keep the oxygen container upright. I use one too at times and was told by Celebrity Cruises that as long as it had an automatic shut off it would be allowed. These fires typically occur due to any one of the following problems: a short circuit; improper wiring; overheating; or misuse. Also, MET suggests that an extension cord is not recommended as a permanent fixture and should only be a temporary solution when using any electrical product. I had it in our checked bags, and we had to report to security to claim it the day of departure. But all that marvelous activity requires more energy than a power strip can provide. How to Use Both Outlet Receptacles with a Bulky Smart Plug. When you plug a heating pad into a surge protector, you need to be very careful with the circuit breaker. No, because our beds are NOT pressure sensitive. You may not think that your morning cup of joe requires that much energy to brew, but most coffee makers need quite bit of amperage to turn those roasted beans into a hot beverage. No matter where you livehouse, apartment, dorm room, mobile homeone factor remains constant: There never seem to be enough power outlets. A comfortable, top-rated pad with six heating levels to choose from. - Make sure extension cords are properly rated for their intended use, indoor or outdoor, and meet or exceed the power needs of the device being used. Basically if you use common sense, inspect the cables for obvious damage and/or wear & tear regularly, and use the cables for their intended purpose, you should have no problems using extension cords and/or power strips. A Closer Look at Muscle Pain Myalgia is the medical term for muscle pain. Its not a good idea to use a heating pad in the bathroom. The Dangers Of Using An Extension Cord With An Electric Blanket Call your oxygen supply company. It is easy to maneuver around the driveway with your snowblower when it is -67F. In the scheme of the major issues discussed on this board, this one is not as serious. Learn how your comment data is processed. If this was for me, thanks for that info. plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. He worked as an electronic technician and later an engineer for the IBM Corp. is a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board. However, dont get this confused with the actual thickness of the cord itself (though the thicker the gauge, the thicker the cable, to an extent). Heating Pad for Back Pain: Benefits, When and How to Use - Healthline Are you wondering if it is safe to plug a heating pad into a surge protector? 6) There are Better Ways to Address Ice Dams. For more information, please visit www.metlabs.com. that are rated for 7 amps or less. Extension cord lengths of 50 feet or less can be used based upon the chart shown below, but runs over 50 feet should implement the next heavier-sized cord to accommodate voltage drop due to the natural resistance of the wire. Do not use an extension cord with an oxygen concentrator. or shredded patches. Kindly let me know if you have any questions in the comment . They also usually have bulkier connectors at the ends to protect the components on the inside. Examine them for black, burnt, or frayed places, as well as cracked or frayed electric cords. Keep a new tank of oxygen available at all times. Its important to make sure the cords are not cracked, or that the block heater plug is free of salt. Learn more about dogs, cats, chickens and small animals on our blog and sign up for to be the first to hear about new products, discount deals, company news and more! There are three main dangers associated with using an extension cord with a treadmill: Fire Hazard - One of the most significant dangers of using an extension cord with a treadmill is the fire hazard that it poses. Special Extension Cord Features Extension cords can have special features that help them work better and safer. Most people have several extension cords they keep on hand for this purpose. They should also be placed in a pet house, under an overhang or deck, or somewhere that provides shelter. Safety Tips for Heating Pads and Electric Blankets - Anchor and outside all sleeping areas. The cord can overheat and start a . Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Youll mostly see light-duty extension cords sport only two prongs, which is also known as an ungrounded extension cord. My wife and I both have a medical need for them. If you find that a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows when you plug in a space heater, you should try another circuit with heavier wire and a larger circuit breaker amp rating. 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Why You Shouldn't Use Extension Cords for Space Heaters - Family Handyman Portable heaters and air conditioners are designed to cycle on and off, and they draw a large amount of current when they switch on. It should be serviced every 9,000 hours of use. Great idea! Old heating pads are often not designed to handle the voltage and amperage of modern energy sources, which can lead to damage or even fire hazards. Look for any cracks or frays on the electric cord as well. By simply plugging in the heater and leaving it on your battery overnight, this low-heat pad keeps the cells inside the battery warm enough for proper function. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. You should be aware that each circuit in your house is protected by one circuit breaker (or fuse) that is limited to 15 or 20 amps of current. Special caution should be taken with electric space heaters. Its also sometimes referred to as AWG, which stands for American Wire Gauge. Never increase the flow rate on your oxygen without your physician's permission or above the prescribed level. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Best for Targeted Areas: Sunbeam GoHeat Portable Heated Patches. If she gets a letter from her doctor, will they let her take her pad on board? Don't bend or coil cords when they're in use. I know that heating pads are not allowed on ships and I understand why. In longer extension cords, the resistance of electrical current is higher, and the potential for overheating is greater. In the case of an old apartment, it is likely to be 15 years old. Don't plug multiple cords together. They said they would supply the extension cord if needed and the heating pad had to be an auto turn off type. Also, MET suggests that an extension cord is not recommended as a permanent fixture and should only be a temporary solution when using any electrical product.Temporary use of a UL listed cord is fine, but consult your electrician for the proper cord for your application. Electric blankets and heating pads are also popular during the cold months. You can use the heating pad for longer periods of time . What Kind of Extension Cord Should I Use? - How-To Geek If the label of a container reads differently, do not use the container. Treating Muscle Pain with Heating pads What you dont want to do is use a light-duty extension cord that isnt rated for the power draw a space heater pullsthats asking for trouble. I used my heating pad on our Princess cruise on the Royal. If the injury is less than 6 weeks old, ice should be used. Why You Shouldn't Use Space Heaters with Power Strips and Extension Cords. You do need to be aware of where your O2 hose is if you're around areas . Perhaps the most important reason why roof heat cables are ineffective for preventing ice dams is that there are much better ways to prevent them. Dont let your guard down if you keep yourself or your home warm with an electric space heater, electric blanket or heating pad. . This could cause overloading of the power strip, which could lead to damaging of the strip, blanket or even cause an electrical fire. MET requires that all manufacturers put the extension cord statement Do not use with extension cord on every item that is MET listed by UL 499 standards. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire. How to Use Cron With Your Docker Containers, How to Check If Your Server Is Vulnerable to the log4j Java Exploit (Log4Shell), How to Pass Environment Variables to Docker Containers, How to Use Docker to Containerize PHP and Apache, How to Use State in Functional React Components, How to Restart Kubernetes Pods With Kubectl, How to Find Your Apache Configuration Folder, How to Assign a Static IP to a Docker Container, How to Get Started With Portainer, a Web UI for Docker, How to Configure Cache-Control Headers in NGINX, How Does Git Reset Actually Work? Check the tubing if you are not sure the oxygen is coming through the tube. Plugging a heated blanket into a power strip is not a good idea. Best budget heating pad: Up & Up King Heating Pad, $35.49 available on Target. info@indianaec.org, Copyright 2023 Indiana Electric Cooperatives, All Rights Reserved |. Related: 9 Energy-Saving Upgrades That Pay for Themselves. Fires in your home can devastate your family and property alike. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You should never use an extension cord to plug one of these heaters into a power source. Never fold them and avoid using them while sleeping. $35 from Amazon $35 from Lowe's A quality electric heating pad is safety-certified, quickly reaches and maintains. Tip 3 - Take Care of Heating Safety Issues. Constant unplugging is harder on the thermostat because it's forced to reset itself each time it's plugged in. Do not smoke or go near sparks or flame while using oxygen. But it will be unsafe when you will use it incorrectly. But dont forget about safety before This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I would not fly with one on as gawd knows what the TSA swabs will think they are. Numerous house fires have occurred when heaters are plugged into extension cords, due to their high wattage and amperage demands. Do they have legal heating pads on board that she can borrow.