It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so don’t let an injury or accident keep you from celebrating a happy holiday season.
“Knowing how to properly install and maintain electric Christmas decorations can prevent you or a loved one from getting an electric shock, and it could eliminate the chance of a home fire,” said Caralyne Pennington, Director of Member and Public Communications for Farmers RECC. “It may also save you money in electricity bills.”
Ensure your holidays don’t go from merry to scary by remembering these 12 ways to minimize risk and decorate safely.
- Test smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors before decorating.
- Inspect and replace damaged cords and decorations. Substitute LED lights that are long-lasting, cool to the touch and energy efficient.
- Reject electric decorations that aren’t tested, rated and stamped with the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) safety certification.
- Choose the right light for the job. Decorations are rated for indoor or outdoor use.
- Avoid plugging too many decorations into an outlet, causing a circuit overload.
- Keep indoor cords out from under rugs or furniture, or through windows and doorways where they can break or become frayed. Run outdoor connections above ground and out of puddles; don’t place them across driveways or walkways.
- Buy only a fresh (needles are hard to pull off) natural tree. Water daily to prevent drying.
- Place trees and all decorations at least 3 feet away from heat sources – especially fireplaces, candles or any open flame.
- Check for overhead power lines before using a ladder to hang decorations outside.
- Secure outdoor lights and decorations with clips rather than staples or nails that can damage electrical cords.
- Plug outdoor cords into GFCI-protected receptacles to protect from shock.
- Turn off decorations when you leave the house or go to bed. Use a timer to automatically turn lights on and off. Or, use a wireless control or smart plug to control lights through an app on your phone.