A heating pad is a small electrical unit that is usually a continuous electrical wire encased in a plastic pad. The pads also come with a removable sponge-line inner that holds the moisture to pass heat.

Major problems with the heating pads

Although, the pads don’t require any maintenance, they tend to develop a number of problems. One of the problems is the breaking of the electrical wire resulting to the pad heating intermittently or not at all. Another major problem is the malfunctioning of the thermostat.

Before you take any action you should try manipulating the pad. If you manipulate it and it goes on and off, the problem is most likely due to a broken wire within it. In this case you shouldn’t try repairing the heating pad—you should simply buy a new one.

If the pad works on some settings and not on others, the problem is most likely in the thermostat. You should open the pad and repair the thermostat according to the manufacturer instructions.

Heating pad repair

You should consider repairing the unit if you manipulate it and there is no change. You need to two items to repair the heating pad: screwdrivers and multimeter. You should attach the multimeter to the electric cord prongs while the controller is in the “off” position.

The multimeter will help you in determining the resistance. When you see that the resistance is infinite, it means that you have an open circuit or no connection. This means that there is a break inside the wire in the electrical current. If you test and you see zero ohms, it means that there is good flow of electrical current.

You should also test the thermostat. If you test the thermostat and you see a zero reading, it means that the switch is working well. If you see any other reading, there is an interruption thus you need to replace the thermostat.

Although, you can test the unit by yourself, it’s highly encouraged that you hire an appliance repair professional to test it for you. In addition to the professional, testing the unit, he/she will also recommend the best heating pad in case you need to replace it.

Conclusion

These are tips on how to undertake heating pad repair. If your heating pad is faulty and need to be replaced, you should ensure that the heating pad replacement is done by a certified technician.