One of the best ways to avoid a house fire this holiday season is to understand fire hazards, identify potential causes, and eliminate dangers. This time of the year, many Americans plug in lots of lights, use fireplaces, light candles, and otherwise increase the risk for house fires.
To be prepared for potential fire hazards in your home, consider having a fire alarm system installed or updated. These alarm systems can detect a fire or smoke and notify your local fire department immediately, which is especially important if the fire occurs while your family is sleeping or away.
Know Your Hazards:
- Lights: Decorating your house inside and out with lights is a holiday tradition for many cultures. This can lead to overloaded electrical outlets, tangled and frayed cords, and other issues that can arise from improper configurations and too many lights. If you have an old set of lights or other decorations that are electrical, always check the cords and verify the integrity of the installation.
- Candles: Open flame is obviously a big fire hazard. Never let candles burn unattended and always keep wicks trimmed so they do not smoke or produce abnormally tall flames.
- Outlets: Don’t overload your outlets, and use surge protectors where possible. Because many people will be using a lot of electricity in the holiday season, the chances of a power surge are greater.
- Space Heaters: During the cold season, it can be tempting to reduce your utility bill by using a space heater. Keep in mind that not all space heaters are efficient and actually draw a lot of power, leading to a potential electrical hazard. Flammable items too close to a space heater can also easily ignite.
- Fireplaces: Always keep your fireplace well shielded and properly loaded with wood. Have a bucket of sand on hand in case you need to extinguish it quickly.
- Christmas Trees: For those who love to have a live tree for Christmastime celebrations, it’s important to choose a tree that is fresh and to keep it well watered at all times. Christmas lights get very hot, and a tree that is beginning to dry out is at greater risk for fire.
Check out holiday fire prevention safety tips for this season.
To protect your home this season, choose a fire system from Delco Alarm Systems, LLC. Contact us at (610) 494-9100 for more information.
