Federal Government Ranking of Appliance Energy Usage How does electric blanket energy compare to that of other appliances? The United States Department of Energy rates a heated blanket as the most energy efficient appliance in your home. Source: US Dept. of Energy booklet “Energy Savers – Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home” October 2008 Electric Blanket Energy Usage – Actual Cost to Run People often ask us how much energy does a typical automatic blanket use or how many watts do electric blankets consume. Do not be confused by the manufacturer’s rating-tag wattage. Many manufacturers artificially over-state their products’ wattage rating in order to imply more heat and to assure that they will never exceed UL’s stringent requirements on ratings. In fact, all warming blankets consume only around 75 – 100 watts (per side on Dual controlled models) when used on HI. However many people set their controls around #5 or lower thus effectively halving that wattage to 40 – 50 watts.
For eight hours, this amounts to approximately 0.35kwh consumed or about 4 cents per night in most areas of this country. Additionally people ask us how much energy or wattage do typical electric mattress pads use. Again, do not go by the rating-tag watts. When actually measured, most warming mattress pads consume around 60 to 90 watts (per side on Dual controlled models) when used at HI. Inherently, electric mattress pads are more efficient than electric blankets because ALL the heat of the pad is trapped in the air space under the top sheet and top blanket, whereas much of the heat generated by an electric blanket travels upward to the ceiling of the room. Many people set their pad controls around #3 thus effectively cutting wattage consumption to only 20 watts. For eight hours, this amounts to less than 0.2 kWh consumed or about 2-3 cents per night in most areas of the USA. See our Energy Savings Page to read how electric bedding SAVES you money on your heating costs. Things You MUSTKnow When Buying Electric Bedding.
1. Before You Buy – A MUST Review: the Lead Page of the Buyer's Guide offering: Major considerations before your purchase; Links to all of our Reviews and Ratings sections 2. Ready to Buy? If you want to see a list of retailers carrying each of the major brands of Heated MATTRESS PADS this year, click Heated Mattress Pad Retailers OR for Heated BLANKETS, click Stores Selling Electric Blankets. The Electric Blanket Institute’s Consumer Guide and Blog text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 3.0 United States License. For any reuse or distribution you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. This information has been developed over many years of testing and is presented freely for educational use only and without any warranty of any kind. It is not a substitute for the safe usage practices of your individual product. See our Policies Page for other information including advertising and affiliate linkage.
Sorry, all information presented applies only to products sold in the United States. We cannot help with other products.How much do used hospital beds cost? Depending on the quality and type of used hospital bed, the average cost is anywhere from $300 to well over $1000 as of 2015. sell used hospital beds. What are some sources for used hospital electric beds? How much does a King size bed weigh? How do you purchase a used bed? generally has the widest range of used hospital beds to buy, with the option of an either semi-electric beds or total electric beds. The semi-electric beds generally cost around $300 to $400, while the total electric beds cost more. has only a few refurbished hospital beds for sale, with the most expensive one being nearly $6000. However, the cheaper used hospital beds on that site begin at only $650. Learn more about Beds & Mattresses Where can I buy a Murphy bed? Murphy beds can be bought online and in some brick-and-mortar stores.
Prices for Murphy beds can range from the hundreds to thousands of dollars. What are adjustable bed risers used for? Adjustable bed risers are used to elevate beds to preferable heights. There are a number of possible reasons for wanting a bed to be higher from the floor ... What is a Japanese platform bed? A Japanese platform bed is a low-profile bed whose bottom sits closer to the ground than those of most other types of beds. Designed to be used without a b... How do you make a bed the way hotels do? Hotels do not generally use any special procedure for making their beds, as do the military or hospitals. Instead, they rely on layering, tucking and pillo... What is the average cost for transporting a mobile home? How much do Fire Chief wood furnaces cost? What is the average cost of constructing a deck? How much would a Mars mission cost? What is the cost of car wraps? What size is a three-quarter bed?User ReviewedHow to Price Used Furniture
Two Methods:Selling Your Old FurnitureBuying Used Furniture at the Right PriceCommunity Q&A Finding the perfect price for selling furniture can be difficult. You can't exactly sell at market value, and you don't want to walk away knowing that you could have made more money. Furthermore, finding the value of your used furniture can help you decide whether or not it's worth selling at all. While pricing furniture is notoriously difficult thanks to the sheer variety of pieces, there are some general rules of the trade. Wash, clean, and buff the furniture to make the most money. A clean piece of furniture is infinitely easier to sell, and to price competitively. Get out any stains, polish up the edges, and consider cheaply staining or painting faded furniture. A new coat of paint or stain only costs $20, but it can make a used desk look brand new if you apply it well. If there are any small repairs you can make, put them in now. It will disproportionately lower the sale price if you expect the buyer to make fixes.
Test any old electronics to ensure that they still work. Check prices of similar furniture online. Head online and see some of the current styles. Check out new pieces to see how yours fits. For example, a big, plaid couch will sell for significantly less than a plain-colored one, at least until plaid comes back in style. Go on Craigslist and Ebay and check what other people are selling similar items for. Furniture Valuation Guides, found easily online, will give you ranges of prices for most furniture. Look for items as similar as possible to yours. If you know the maker, model, or materials used, look up furniture with similar qualities. If you don't know how much the piece originally sold for, this is the best place to start. Sell most furniture at 70-80% it's original sale price. The easiest way to come up with a price is to slash 20% from the price you bought it for. This is considered industry standard, and is a reasonable guide for quality used furniture.
Note, however, that this is just a baseline. You can tailor the price depending on a variety of other factors, as discussed below. Say, for example, you bought an dresser for $500 several years ago, and want to get rid of it: The dresser is in good condition, and not very old. You decide that 80% is fair. Multiply $500 by 80%, or .8. (500 x .8 = 400) $400 is your baseline asking price for the dresser. Compare the condition now to the condition when you bought it. When do you subtract 30%, and when do you only subtract 20%? The biggest factor is the condition. If it is in almost the exact condition as when you bought it, then you can sell it for only 20% less than when you bought the furniture. But if it's got some scuffs, dings, wobble, or other issues, you may want to lean towards 30% or more. In general, the longer you've owned it, the less you can sell it for. If you bought a beautiful bookshelf for $1,000, and it is in prime condition, you can likely sell it for $800.
If the bookshelf is faded, older, missing shelves, or has marks and chips, you may want to price it closer to $6-700. Subtract an additional 5% for every 1-2 years you've had the furniture. A ten-year old desk, for example, might sell at only 50% the price you bought it. Furniture, like cars and houses, lose value as they age. Unless the construction is incredible, or the furniture is an antique (older than 1970 and in good condition), you're going to take a hit for every year you've had it. Pay attention to construction and materials. You don't have to be a woodworker to know good woodwork. Quality furniture feels sturdy -- it can handle weight, it doesn't wobble, and the joints are all sung. If they're not, prepare to sell your furniture for significantly less than when you bought it. But if the furniture feels solid and built to last, you may be able to sell it at close to the price you bought it. Cheap furniture, like IKEA-brand wares, will often sell far below it's buying price, often for no more than $20-100 bucks.
This is because it is not made to be moved and resold, and is made of cheap materials. If you see particle board -- the layered, rough sheets of wood, chances are good you've got cheap furniture. Get antique furniture appraised by a professional. Antiques are often worth much more than their original price. Unless you're an expert in antiques, or willing to do a lot of research into similar items, past selling prices, and restoration possibilities, you should contact an expert. Most antique stores have appraisers who will give you an honest opinion about your potential selling price. If possible, bring the appraiser the year, make, and model of the furniture, or at least where it came from. Be willing to negotiate. It is very rare that you won't get the chance to discuss the price. If this happens, make sure you know several things before the negotiation begins. Having your strategy planned out before the bargaining begins is the best way to get a good price:Set this now, so that you don't have to think on the spot.
What you want to sell it for, based on the value and your desire to get rid of it.It may be identical to your preferred price. However, you can set the price a little higher than you need in the hopes that someone wants the furniture badly.Who is going to pick up and move the furniture? Make sure this is dealt with in advance of sale. Ask friends and family if they would buy the furniture for the price offered. Poll a few people once you've settled on a price and see if it is reasonable. If a few people you know would pay for it at that price, then you'll likely be able to sell it at that price. If you're completely lost, this is a good way to set a fair price. Remember, you don't want to get their opinion on whether or not the like the furniture, you just want to know if they think the price is reasonable. If you're still stuck, there are several websites, like Splitwise Furniture Calculator and Blue Book Furniture, that that will calculate potential prices for you. Note, however, that these are only estimates.
Shop around for similar furniture before making an offer. Unless you're already a pricing pro (in which case you likely don't need this article), you shouldn't make a purchase without comparing 4-5 similar pieces of furniture. Note the price differences, and ask the seller about any discrepancies. If you're buying a bedroom set, for example, educate yourself on the average costs for a bedroom set. Check out these average price ranges for common furniture to get started: Dining Room Set: $150-1,000 Ask about the age and history of the furniture. Has it needed repairs? How old is it? Any issues to comment on? Most sellers won't tell you their furniture is terrible, but you can get a sense for their pricing with good questions. If someone tells you "it is expensive because it is antique," make sure you know when it was made. If they can't tell you, or if it was made after 1970, it is not an antique. Take any price with a grain of salt. Check for solid construction.
You want snug, tight joints and no wiggle. The piece should feel solid under your weight, especially chairs, sofas, and tables. Trust your own instincts on this -- if it doesn't look solid and well built, then don't spend a ton of money on it. If it's got a few dings or scratches, you might want to ask for $25-30 less than the asking price. Don't buy the furniture if it is cheaply built-- chances are good you'll just need to buy another one in a few years. Find "fixer-uppers" for great deals. If you're looking for a great desk, you don't need to spend $500 on the perfect piece. If the construction is good and you like the shape, but the surface is scratched, faded, or ugly, you might be able to get a great price for a good desk. A can of paint, or wood stain, is cheap. If you're willing to spend an afternoon refinishing a piece of furniture you can often save several hundred dollars. Set the price you are willing to pay before contacting the seller. Ultimately, a piece of furniture is worth the price it is sold for.
So, if you really like a piece, and have shopped around to find a good potential price, make an offer. If you can back up your offer with evidence of similar furniture prices, even better. When making an offer, remember: Know how high you're willing to go. Set this now so that you can walk away if the price gets too high. You don't want to make this decision on the spot. Make your preferred price clear. This is not about tactics or strategy. Be honest and upfront when making your case to get the price you want -- "I'd be willing to pay $200 for this desk."If you're not going to budge on your price, don't bother negotiating. You should never pay more than you decided beforehand, but you should be able to work with the seller. Calculate the shipping and moving costs before purchasing. Make sure you know how you're going to get the furniture from the seller, and how this affects your price. Lock down who is responsible for moving the furniture before finalizing the sale. Remember that you may have to reupholster or restain the piece if it is faded or in need of repair.