Apart from the fun and frolic that comes at Christmas time, statistics show that more than 1,300 people visit hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to Christmas lighting and another 6,000 are injured by Christmas trees and decorations. Surveys conducted by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission also show that Christmas trees are responsible for about 400 fires annually. So to assist consumers with avoiding possible fires or injuries here are a few Christmas lighting tips to ensure a safe and incident free holiday season.
Christmas Lighting Tips To Follow
When choosing Christmas lights for your home select lights with low-watt bulbs as these save energy and help to cut cost on your electricity bill. Use only indoor and outdoor lights that have the UL safety-approved label. Test your lights by placing them on a non-flammable surface and plugging them in for 15 minutes to make sure they don’t smoke or melt.
All lights old and new, should be searched for loose connections or broken sockets before use. Make sure to carefully screen the wiring insulation to ensure it is not frayed or cut and always remember that if a bulb needs replacing be sure that the lights are unplugged before attempting to do this.
As it relates to having Christmas trees in your home homeowners should particularly exercise caution when decorating and adding lights to your tree. If you are thinking of having a metal Christmas tree you should illuminate it with a spotlight and never use regular lights. If you are using an artificial tree please check for the label that confirms it is flame resistant as artificial trees should have a “flame resistant” label.
If using a live Christmas tree do not to let bulbs come in contact with needles, branches and other decorations that may be flammable. Choosing to ignore either of these things can lead to fire or other serious damage to your home. With that said you must make sure to water your Christmas tree daily to avoid drying out and it becoming a potential fire risk.
For the holidays some homeowners go the extra mile and take to the outdoors to further decorate their surroundings. Again, there are some important things to keep in mind when decorating the outdoors of your home. The first thing to be considered when lighting up the outdoors is using the right lights. Some people may have the perception that lights are lights but there is a difference.
Do not use indoor lights on the outdoors of your home as they are not waterproof however, outdoor lights are. They are also designed to burn hotter than indoor lights due to the fact that they are in direct contact with winter conditions.
When stringing up outdoor lights don’t use nails, tacks or staples instead use insulated clip hangers to be safe. Persons should avoid coming into contact with overhead power lines or loose wires as these are shock hazards. In addition homeowners need to remember to unplug all lights before leaving home or going to sleep.
This holiday season to be on safe side install smoke detectors, throughout the home. Purchase extra extension cords to avoid overloading of electrical outlets and constantly check to make sure that cords don’t run underneath rugs or carpet. Contact Spyrka Electric for more information on how you can stay safe this holiday season.
