‘Tis the season! It’s time to celebrate with friends and family, which means many gatherings and parties. If you are planning on having guests over for the holidays, it is crucial to ensure your safety and theirs by making sure there aren’t any hidden hazards. Read on to learn about some common electrical safety tips to prevent any fun from being spoiled!
Be Cautious with Trees
Whether you’re picking up your Christmas tree from a farm, chopping it down yourself, or just taking it out of the box, it’s a special moment that allows the family to get together and decorate. However, it is essential to know the fire hazards surrounding your tree. When using a real tree, ensure you find the freshest one possible, and don’t forget to cut it at a 45-degree angle and keep it in water. The needles should bend and be hard to pull off the branch. Ensure you are not letting it get too dry by watering it daily. For artificial trees, try to find one that is labeled fire retardant. It will be easier to put out a fire and help resist burning. For both natural and artificial trees, keep them from heat sources to prevent the possibility of catching on fire. Such sources include the fireplace, radiators, and even your television!
Check Your Lights
Differentiate what types of lights you are hanging up. It is crucial to hang outdoor lights outside and indoor lights inside. This might seem self-explanatory, but some lights are only meant to handle certain weather conditions that would ultimately destroy or set fire to indoor lights. Before hanging those lights outside, plug them in to ensure they are all working correctly. If one light is out, fix it and check to ensure no other bulbs are cracked or broken.
Damaged lights are a fire hazard inside and outside the house, so before you hang them inside or on your tree - check them! Inside lights are easier to notice or maintain than outdoor ones when broken. When going to the store to buy new lights, remember to check the labels to ensure they meet specific safety standards. If they have a UL label, then they were tested by a third party for electrical problems. Buying safe lights is a sure way to protect your home.
Watch your Extension Cords and Outlets
Lots of decor calls for lots of plugs! When decorating, be attentive to how you are using your outlets, plugs, adapters, cords, and more. If you require extension cords or adapters, it is wise to call an electrician to visit your home and add more outlets. They will come in handy throughout the rest of the year, too!
Be aware of overheating whether you use an extension cord inside or outside. Once in a while, touch the cord to ensure it isn’t getting too hot. Unplug it as soon as it feels like it is overheating. A contribution to causing the extension cord to overheat is overloading it. Purchase a few extension cords if you don’t have them already. Check the wattage to see how much it can handle before you use it or buy a new one. Also, adaptors and outlets can get overloaded, so make sure you check those as well!
Ensure Safe Set Up
When decorating with long cords, or using your extension cords with proper wattage, keep them from doorways or under rugs. Laying them in areas where people frequently walk can cause them to trip, hurt themselves, be shocked, or even catch something on fire. Being cautious of what kind of cords you buy and where you place them will keep you and your loved ones safe.
Turn off Decorations
As tempting as it can be to keep the ambiance of the holidays going at all times, remember to turn off your lights and other decorations when you are sleeping or when you leave the house. Even if you test your lights before use, turning them off is crucial because most fires occur when people are asleep.
Following these tips and being aware of the dangers of unsafe holiday decorating might save your holiday! Here at Electrical Plus, we want to help secure your home and prevent any electrical problems from occurring. If you need electrical safety help, go to our website and contact us today. From our family to yours, we wish you a safe and happy holiday and a healthy new year!