Fire Safety Tips During Holidays

The Christmas season and the other holidays are a great time to be celebrated with your family and friends. In many nations, Christmas is the most cherished holiday. Many families have decorated their homes with different decorations, including Christmas trees, hanging garlands, Christmas lights, and even candles to enjoy the festive mood. However, they have risks that increase the chance of having a house fire. It is possible to avoid a fire by observing simple holiday decoration safety tips during the festive season.

Fire Safety Tips

The decorations for the holidays can be hazardous If placed near a dangerous item or if they are not correctly set. Facilities like PuroClean of Northbrook recommend these ideas to make your holiday safe and enjoyable for your loved ones, family, and guests.

Candle Safety

Candle mishaps  are responsible for around 300 Christmas decorations fires, 36 percent of the reported incidents. Christmas and New Year’s Day are the most popular days to burn candles. These safety considerations can help you enjoy celebrations’ décor safely:

• The lighters and matches must be stored at a high level, preferentially in a locked cabinet.
• Place the candles inside sturdy holders, and ensure they are out of reach of pets and children.
• If you go out of the bedroom or go to bed, extinguish the candles. Place a ceremonial candle in an enclosed glass container in the sink, a metal tray, or a deep water-filled basin if it must burn continuously.
• Keep candles clear of objects that are flammable or with another decor.
• Do not let children hold a candle in flame since they may not manage it with care. When planning your holiday celebrations, think about using candles powered by batteries.

Christmas Tree Safety

Did you know that Christmas trees are the sole cause of the most expensive property damage every year? They pose a considerable risk to your family members and acquaintances in particular. Additionally, the combination of dryness of the tree and electrical problems that involve lights and improperly located heating sources could prove dangerous when you display the live tree at your home. If you have to use live trees to decorate your Christmas celebrations, be sure to adhere to these safety guidelines to avoid dangers:

• Fresh trees are less likely for fire to start; thus, select ones with vibrant and green leaves. They are hard to pull and won’t fall from their branches. The hands of the tree street should not fall off quickly.
• To keep your tree from becoming dry, keep it far from sources of heat, like radiators, fireplaces and heat vents, candles, or lighting sources, and ensure that the tree’s base with water.
• Verify that all your outdoor and indoor Christmas lights have been tested for safety at a lab by UL or ETL/ITSNA. Then take away any damages.
• Keep any seasonal candles away from your Christmas tree, furnishings, and decorations.
• Switch off the lights during bedtime.

Circuit Safety

Electrical circuits are all built to handle a certain level of power. A circuit overload occurs when you draw more electricity than the circuit can manage. Trips on circuit breakers assist in ”breaking” the circuit, thereby interrupting current flow. The overload could lead the circuits’ wires to become overheated if there are no breakers. It could cause the insulation on the wire to melt or ignite the fire to become a major one. When major fires occur due to circuit overloads, house owners contact any property restoration specialist for fire remediation. 

Because different circuits have various capacities, some can deliver more power than others. Home electrical systems help accommodate average home usage, yet we may make the error of overloading a circuit with too many devices. Here are some standard circuit overload options to take into consideration:

• Make improvements to your electrical system as well as electric lines.
• Do not use all of your electrical devices at once.
• Make use of an extension cord when you need to.
• Call an electrician immediately if a short circuit or overload persists regardless of your efforts.