Monday, December 16, 2019

If you celebrate Christmas, there is nothing more joyous than lighting up the tree with your family and friends. However, Christmas and other holiday lights can pose serious safety hazards. To help, Southern Trust Home Services suggest following these safety tips throughout December and the rest of winter:

Keep your electrical cords away from space heaters and water. Appliances that have the potential for water leaks should never be near electrical cords. Water and electricity don't mix well, so keeping your wiring away from water heaters, sinks and showers lowers the risk of water and electricity coming into contact. You'll also want to keep your electrical cords away from any space heaters in order to avoid sparking an electrical fire.

Avoid running electrical wiring under doorways or carpets. Any slightly damaged electrical wiring can start a fire if it makes contact with flammable materials, like wooden doors or rugs. Don't hide cables, especially extension cords, under rugs or carpets. If overheated, they can easily start a house fire.

Know when to replace damaged cords. When it comes to Christmas lights, one damaged cord can pose a pretty serious risk. It can be difficult to justify throwing out an entire string of lights over one damaged cord, but if anything like worn, bent or stripped insulation tubing is present, it could potentially cause a fire.  

Avoid overloading a single outlet. The best practice is to only use power strips that have built-in surge protectors. Even then, you should read the label to know exactly how much wattage the strip can handle. Then, compare that number to your lighting decoration wattages. That way, you aren't overloading one singular home outlet. Consider purchasing a whole home surge protector as well.

Review home insurance policies. Each year, homeowners should be reviewing their homeowner's insurance policies to eliminate any confusion regarding what's covered in the event of a house fire. It's not pleasant to think about, but don't put off asking any questions you may have.

Source: southerntrusthomeservices.com.

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