page_title: Electric blanket
section_title: Mechanism
hierarchical_section_title: Electric blanket / Mechanism
caption_attribution_description: English: Thermal image of an electric blanket and a down comforter. The electric blanket on the right heats up and leaves a warm pattern on a comforter.
context_page_description: An electric blanket is a blanket that contains integrated electrical heating wires. Types include underblankets, overblankets, throws, and duvets. An electric underblanket is placed above the mattress and below the bottom bed sheet. This is the most common type in the UK and Commonwealth countries, where it is known by default as an "electric blanket"; in the U.S. and Canada, where it is less common, it is called an electric heated mattress pad. An electric overblanket is placed above the top bed sheet, and is the most common type in the U.S. and Canada, where it is called an "electric blanket".
  Electric blankets usually have a control unit that adjusts the amount of heat the blanket produces. Blankets for two-person beds often have separate controls for each side of the bed. The electric blanket may be used to pre-heat the bed before use or to keep the occupant warm while in bed.
  Some modern "low voltage" electric blankets have thin carbon fiber wires and work on 12 to 24 volts.
context_section_description: Much like heating pads, electric blankets use an insulated wire or heating element inserted into a fabric that heats when it is plugged in. The temperature control unit, located between the blanket and the electrical outlet, manages the amount of current entering into the heat elements in the blanket.
  Some modern electric blankets use carbon fiber elements that are far less bulky and conspicuous than older heating wires. Carbon fiber is also used as the heating element in many high-end heated car seats. Blankets can be purchased with rheostats that regulate the heat by managing body heat and blanket temperatures, ensuring a comfortable experience.
caption: The heating of an area can be seen with a thermal camera after two minutes under a comforter.
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