As the Holiday season approaches, is your home truly ready to host that big Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas party? There are several aspects to consider before hosting an event with rooms full of people, delicious food and beautiful decorations. Is the lighting in your home right? Are the outlets in which decorations are plugged into safe? Are your decorations themselves safe? Below are the top tasks to check off your list to make sure you’re ready to celebrate!
Brighten Up Your Home
In a room full of people, proper lighting can be essential. If the room is too dark then people could spill their drinks, bump into one another, or trip over an unseen item on the ground. Upgrading your indoor lightning can add a warmer and more welcoming feel while keeping your guests safe and environment-friendly. You can make simple changes to existing fixtures including pendant lights, studio lights, chandeliers, sconces, recessed lighting, tracking lighting, ceiling-mounted fixtures and under cabinet lighting.
Switch Your Outlets
Around the holidays especially, your outlets can be putting in a lot of work. From all the cooking appliances to holiday decorations, to your TV, to the speaker for music and more, there are a lot of aspects riding on those outlets. So why not look into safer outlet options that also help conserve energy and money.
The first option can be set up to a timer. Once the timer runs out, all power to the outlet will be shut off. This can save you from something known as “vampire energy” which draws energy from the outlet even when it is not being used- which adds to your energy bill.
Another option is an outlet that while automatically cut power if something is going wrong. This can prevent things such as fires, or electrocutions from potentially small children playing with the outlet. This option allows you to take preventative measures as far as safety.
The next option is to include features such as rotating surge protectors which allows you to adjust to fit multiple bulky plugs into one outlet. This gives you the ability to decorate your home accordingly and not have to worry about plugs not fitting into the outlets. This also applies when it comes to appliances. With holiday parties come holiday treats which involve a lot of time in the kitchen. This outlet option allows you to use several appliances at once and not have to worry about not being able to plug them in.
The last option even gives you the ability to install remote-controlled dimmers so that you can control the brightness of your lights to your pleasing. This option allows you to adjust any lighting from a remote without having to step away from what you’re doing- whether that be cooking up a delicious dessert, or socializing with your guests.
Inspect Your Decorations
When it comes to your decorations, you want to make sure they are in good condition before hanging them up. According to the U.S. Fire Administrations, December is the deadliest month for electrical fires, presumably due to the decorations. You’ll want to make sure you have no frayed cords or cracked light bulbs in any lights or decorations before you hang them. If you find any be sure to throw away the decoration or replace them. You’ll also want to be sure to turn off any decorations that are not being used. This is where options such as the timer outlet, or the outlet that shuts off in the event of an emergency play a big role. The last thing you’ll want to be sure of is that any curtains or rugs surrounding your decorations are not too close to a heat source and are also flame resistant. If something were to go wrong, curtains and rugs surrounding this area could play a large roll in the spread of a fire.
Inspect Fire Alarm Systems
Holidays wouldn’t be the same without all the delicious food. With increased cooking, this season comes increased likelihood of fire. Before you get cooking, you’ll want to make sure all your smoke detectors and fire alarms are operating correctly. While you are running around getting your house, family, and food ready it is easy to become distracted while that big Holiday Feast sits in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. While you aren’t keeping your eye on it- you’ll want to be sure your house is. Also, ensure that all carbon monoxide alarms are safely operating to protect your family and guests.
Schedule An Inspection
The only way to be 100% sure that your house is ready to host the big Holiday party is to schedule an inspection today. Have an experienced electrician perform a walk through to make sure that all your electronics are safe, as well as to help you install any of the previously mentioned updates. For all your electrical needs, contact us HERE at electrical plus to get your home ready for the holidays! Or call 484-459-4940 today!