According to a survey by the Electrical Safety Foundation International, nearly 86% of Americans choose to decorate their homes, in some way, for the holidays. Also, nearly 67% of these individuals who decorate choose to make use of decorations which require electricity.
Decorating for the holidays can be fun, and many homeowners even try to “out do” their neighbors by having the most colorfully decorated and festive home on the block. However, when you choose to decorate the inside or outside of your home with electrical decorations, you run the potential risk of starting a fire.
Here are some tips from the ESFI for safely decorating your home this holiday season:
- Get rid of old incandescent bulbs and make use of new LED-style decorations. They are much cooler to the touch.
- When hanging outdoor lighting, be sure that you are using a fiberglass or wooden ladder.
- Try not to use real candles if at all possible. There are many LED alternatives available that you can use instead. Never use real candles on your Christmas tree, or on wreaths and garland.
- Carefully inspect each strand of indoor or outdoor lights before hanging them.
- Prevent overloading electrical circuits by only plugging in the number of items the outlet can handle. This would typically be two items per outlet.
- Don’t mount lighting in a way that could damage its cord.
- Unplug all electrical decorations before going to bed, or before leaving your house.
- Be sure that you follow the manufacturer’s directions for electrical decorations.
With these tips, your family will be able to safely decorate your home for the holidays.
Get more tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International website.