Foot warmth

Press, 30 April 1981, Page 25

Foot warmth

An idea that was developed to assist the elderly and the disabled has now been taken up by industry and the commercial field. \The electric foot warmer is (no longer soft and fluffy slippers. It is a tough rigid pad suitable for work boots as well as shoes.

A wide variety of workers are now using foot warmers including machine operators, assemblers, watchmakers and machinists. ■Farmers who use foot warming pads for drying and warming gumboots and work boots overnight claim it is cheap comfort at less than 2 cents per night. Foot warming pads are usually rated at less than 50 warts compared to a one bar radiator which is normally rated at 1000 watts. The use of electric foot warmers thus saves up to 95 per cent of the heating bill for one person in a room.

The principle of operation is quite different from normal heating in that a foot warmer adds weight to the argument that if ones feet are warm, one feels warm.

The energy required to warm the feet is much less than that required to heat a room. As a result, the warmer .is particularly valuable to people who work or sit in large rooms which would be uneconomic to heat in the usual way.

In many overseas countries electric foot warmers

are used in large offices where the temperature of the heating system may not be adequate for some people. Because the power consumed by the warming pad is so little, it is more economic to lower the temperature of the office space as a whole and provide warming pads to those who complain of the lower temperature.

People involved in concentrated study know how a warm stuffy atmosphere can introduce drowsiness and lack of concentration. By using a foot warmer, the body can maintain a comfortable temperature while the surrounding atmosphere can remain crisp, invigorating and conducive to concentration.

A number of users have reported medical benefits because of the low temperature warmth. Arthritis and rheumatism victims and those who suffer from chilblains have gained relief. The elderly too, have found foot warmers useful, not only as a power saver, but also because they are easy to carry from room to room or when going out visiting. Because of the pads’ slim profile on the floor and their low temperature, the warmers are a very safe form of personal comfort. They cannot be knocked over and are safe to use with children around as there is no danger of being burnt.