Is your House Holiday Safe? It's that time of year again to deck the halls. In fact, many homes are already decked out for the season, a fun and festive tradition we all enjoy. As many as 76% of Americans celebrate the holidays by decorating their homes. Unfortunately, this time of year is also fraught with safety hazards galore and many find themselves in the emergency room for injuries suffered from decorating mishaps. As a result, here are a few friendly safety tips to help you and yours have a happy and safe holiday . . .  Almost
one-quarter of all Christmas tree fires are
started because the tree was placed too
close to a heat source. When
purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are
hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not
break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on
the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. Once
you've brought your tree home, cut one or two inches off the bottom and place
it in water
as soon as possible. This allows for
better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. Then,
place the tree at least
3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat. Also, heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly
and dry needles catch
fire more
easily, so be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of
the way of
traffic,
being sure not to block a doorway. If
you have a metallic tree, don't hang electric lights on it. If for some reason
a short develops,
the lights can charge the tree and
someone who touches a branch could receive a bad shock or worse. Whenever possible, choose tree trimmings that are flame-resistant, flame-retardant or made with non-combustible materials.  66% of homeowners expect to use one or more extension cords to bring power to outdoor decorations this holiday season.Whether
you have a brand new set of lights or the ones that have served you well year
after year, you'll want to check each set to see if they're in good condition.
Specifically, look to ensure there are no broken or cracked sockets , frayed or
bare wires or loose connections which can cause a serious shock or start a
fire. Throw out any damaged sets you find. Always replace burned-out bulbs
promptly with bulbs of the same or less wattage. Check the packaging for the
maximum number of strings that can be safely linked together. Use
lights that are approved by an independent testing laboratory such as UL, CSA
or ETL. Before using lights or other decorations outdoors, check the labels to
be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. When using an extension cord,
check it over first to ensure it too is in good condition. Never use an
extension cord that has damaged insulation, a splice or frayed wires. When
hanging outdoor lights, keep electrical connectors off the ground and away from
metal rain gutters. Use insulated tape or plastic clips instead of metal nails
or tacks to hold them in place so the wire's insulation isn't damaged. Be sure
to choose a dry, wooden ladder for the job and stay clear of any overhead
electrical wires. Waterproof
all electrical connections and keep them elevated so that water won't drain
into the connection, thus causing a short or a shock. Plug outdoor electric
lights and decorations into circuits which have ground fault circuit
interrupters (GFCIs) for added protection against electric shock. Portable
outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. More
than 20% of Americans don't turn off their electrical
decorations before going to bed. And while
most homeowners have smoke detectors, 25%
haven't replaced the batteries in the
last two years.  Turn
off all holiday lights when you leave the house or go to bed to make sure a
short (and a potential fire) doesn't happen when you're not there. Test
your smoke detectors and replace the batteries to ensure they'll work if
needed. If you're smoke detectors are more than 10 years old, replace them.
Also, have at least one properly installed carbon monoxide detector in your
home if you have a gas fireplace or other gas appliances. Before
lighting any fire, remove all
greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.
Don't burn wrapping paper in the fireplace
-- a flash fire may result since wrapping ignites suddenly
and burns fiercely. When
it's time to pack it up again for another year, remove outdoor holiday lights
with care.Never
pull or tug on lights -- this can stress the connections and create a potential fire hazard the next time the lights are needed. sources:
Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI); National Association of
Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI);
Underwriters Laboratories
(UL); Home Safety Council; National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);
Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) Wishing you and yours a happy and
safe holiday! |
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