Compare How Accident Causes Differ Across Types of Heating Appliances

Where to look first depends on which kind your own appliance is closest to.

Where do these figures come from?

They are based on the winter heating product warning that the Korea Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Consumer Agency issued in December 2025. They analyzed 4,154 accidents reported to the Korea Consumer Agency's Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) from 2020 to 2024, covering 8 product types: electric blankets, hot water mats, electric heaters, heating pads, fan heaters, electric seat cushions, warming products, and rechargeable hand warmers.

The report counts are injury information gathered from hospitals, fire stations, consumer consultations, and so on. They are not a ratio against sales or the number of units in use, so a high count does not mean that product is more dangerous.

How did causes split by type of heating appliance?

Taking only the two big categories from the material's table of hazard causes by product, it looks like this.

The basis is the Korea Fair Trade Commission and Korea Consumer Agency press release, and the date checked is 2026-10-11. The two categories do not add up to 100% because other causes, such as electrical leakage, short circuits, and physical impact, are counted separately. Warming products and rechargeable hand warmers, which are missing from the table, are not covered because their counts are small.

What should you watch for with electric blankets and electric heaters?

Electric blankets and electric mats had the most fire and overheating reports. The press release cited cases where a latex mattress or a thick comforter was put on top, so heat could not escape and the blanket overheated. It does not mean that covering yourself with bedding is itself a problem. It means avoiding combinations that trap heat.

For electric heaters, many cases were damaged heating elements that threw sparks. The material also includes a case where someone touched a cover that had melted from overheating and got burned. If your heater is an old one, look at the exterior and the heating element area before turning it on.

Why did hot water mats have so many product defect reports?

Product defects accounted for the most hot water mat reports, at 60.7% (415 cases). The press release said it confirmed cases of burns from leaking hot water or a faulty temperature controller. It also lists a fire that started when sparks flew while connecting wires.

So with a hot water mat, it is better to look first at the condition of the connections, any signs of leaking water, and how the temperature controller responds, rather than at bedding combinations. If anything is wrong, do not use it and contact the seller or manufacturer.

What rules apply to every type?

The two agencies urged four things.

• Buy KC-certified products.
• Do not place or use them with things that trap heat and burn easily, such as a latex mattress or comforter.
• Do not leave them on for long, and unplug them when not in use.
• Store them so the heating element and cord do not get bent.

Of the 579 cases with confirmed physical harm, 85.3% (494) were burns. Most were burns from fires, but there were also low-temperature burn cases. The longer an appliance touches your body, the safer it is to shorten the time you use it.

When do accidents cluster?

By month, January was highest at 17.8% (741 cases), and November, when heating has just started, was 14.2% (589 cases). October was still low at 5.4% (223 cases). You can read this as saying it is a good time to take out the appliances you put away last year and inspect them before it gets cold.

How do you check whether an appliance you already own is under recall?

On the Product Safety Information Center's recall search, you can look it up by product name or model name. First jot down the model name printed on the back of the appliance or on its controller. If you had an accident or have a concern, the press release says you can report it on the CISS website (www.ciss.go.kr) or by phone at 080-900-3500.

Sources: Korea Fair Trade Commission and Korea Consumer Agency warning on winter heating product fire and safety accidents, Product Safety Information Center recall search. Date checked: 2026-10-11. The counts may change when this winter's warning comes out.