As the holidays draw near, many people will begin breaking out the Christmas lights and icicles hidden in storage units to hang them up to celebrate the holidays. No matter what celebrations you will be attending or hosting this year, safety is always the number priority.
Top 3 Holiday Electrical Safety Tips
Electrical issues can lead to electrical shorts, fires, and injury or death. Follow these tips to stay safe around electrical devices this season:
1. Examine Your Lights
Christmas lights are notorious for snagging, getting tangled, and getting twisted in a variety of ways—especially when they have been sitting in your basement or attic since last Christmas. When the wires tighten in this way, it can create friction that impacts the wiring. Thus, when you plug in your lights, this can lead to a shortage. It is generally a good idea to inspect your wires as well for any exposed wires or damaged pieces that can shock you if plugged in.
2. Don’t Overload Outlets
There will be many appliances running at this time of year, not just your Christmas lights. From hairdryers to TVs and even the stereo blaring in the background. Our needs depend so much on technology these days. Plug your devices in a good-quality surge protector, but do not use every single socket available. Overloading can lead to blown fuses and, eventually, fires.
3. Turn Off Lights Before Going to Sleep
While this may be the most obvious tip of all, it is still a good reminder to have. Before you leave your home or go to bed, blow out candles and turn off all of the appliances and electrical devices. Candles left burning continuously are one of the major causes of home fires during the holidays.
7 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Around Electricity This Winter
The holidays can be a busy and chaotic time of year. Make sure everyone in your household (especially young children) knows and understands the following rules to ensure a happy holiday for all!
- Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands connected have a high risk of blowing a fuse or starting a fire.
- Don’t let your tree dry out. If you opt for a real tree, create a watering schedule to keep it fresh and watered. Dry trees are a serious fire hazard since the lights on dry branches can quickly heat and ignite.
- Swap out real candles. Candles start almost half of holiday fires. To create the ambiance of a candle while keeping your home safe, stick to battery-operated décor.
- Don’t keep flammable or combustible objects in warm places. Keeping the tree and gifts near the fire might seem like a good idea for your holiday pictures but can ultimately be a hazard.
- Keep your cords from being damaged. Wires and cords pierced by nails, staples, or otherwise damaged are a fire hazard. Avoid closing wires in doorways or other tight spaces as well.
- Check décor for certification. Décor that hasn’t been tested for safety could be a liability. Look for certification labels on your electric decorations before buying. (Certification by an independent testing lab is the best option.)
- Don’t leave the stove or oven unattended. Unattended cooking is the number one cause of cooking fires. If you are baking something for the family, watch to make sure everything comes out okay.
Lightning Bug Electric are your go-to electricians for all safety concerns, inspections, repairs, and installation services! Contact our team online or by phone at (404) 471-3847 to schedule an appointment or speak to one of our experts.