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Home Safety for the Holidays

By MNR News posted 12-08-2022 02:55 PM

  
The hubbub of the holiday season is upon us. For many, the most wonderful time of the year is also the most chaotic; packed with gift giving, meal shopping, observing religious practices, and hosting or attending family gatherings. In all the festive frenzy, home safety may be the one thing on your list you don’t check twice. But holiday decor, live trees, hanging exterior lights, candle burning, heating systems, and travel all present potential home hazards that intensify during the holiday hustle.

Taking the time to ensure you’re practicing proper home safety during yuletide can offer you peace of mind while you’re busy helping make peace on earth—or at least peace at home. We’ve put together four home holiday safety topics to protect you and yours this season.

Indoor holiday decor

  •  Trim the tree and decorate other areas inside your home with non-combustible materials like foil, glass, and other non-leaded metals. Ceramic ornaments, tinsel, and plastic icicles are all low-risk trimmings.
  • Once you have unearthed and untangled the many yards of knotted holiday light strings, be sure to carefully inspect them for frayed wires and cracked sockets—then replace any damaged bulbs before decking the tree, halls, or banisters.
  • If you’ve got a live Christmas tree in your living room, it’s going to get thirsty. A dry Christmas tree around flammable materials is one of the most dangerous aspects of holiday decor. Water your tree daily, because a six-foot tree requires about one gallon of water per day to stay hydrated. You can even spritz the tree branches and needles to keep it properly moisturized.  
  • According to the National Fire Protection Association, an estimated 20 home candle fires are reported each day, a statistic thought to increase over the holiday season. Whether you’re lighting candles as part of a religious ceremony or simply to set the mood, keep flames at least a foot away from other surfaces or materials. Blow out all candles before leaving the room.  

    Outdoor holiday lights 

    • As with indoor holiday light safety, the first precaution to take before hanging exterior lights on your property is to inspect strings and bulbs for loose sockets, frayed wires, and other abnormalities; then replace damaged lights. 
    • Be sure only to use lighting that is approved for outdoor use. Exposing unverified light strings to wintry elements is a major safety hazard for your home. Look for the UL tag on holiday light packaging and/or on light string labels. The UL tag means the lights have been properly tested and verified for outdoor use at a certified facility. If the lights are in good condition and have that tag, you can get out the ladder.  
    • Consider using LED lights over incandescent bulbs. LEDs are up to 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, which reduces home energy output according to the U.S. Department of Energy.  
    • Find a spotter if you’re scaling a tall ladder to hang lights on your home's roof or climbing steep pitches while you’re up there. Wear gloves and boots that offer adequate grip. Don’t attempt to hang lights in wintry or icy conditions. After all, your local urgent care facility care isn’t a very merry place to spend the holidays. 

    Heating system and fireplace 

    • Give Jolly Old Saint Nick a clean drop zone this holiday season by getting your fireplace and chimney swept and inspected before cozying up to a crackling fire in your home. Even subtle issues with flues, vents, and chimney tiling can make your fireplace energy inefficient, and at worst, dangerous to use. It’s best to go with a trusted contractor in your area to complete this important safety task. 
    • Regularly inspecting your furnace is part of all good homeownership maintenance, but especially when preparing to host company for a short or extended stay during the cold season. If your home has a forced-air heating system, you can replace the furnace air filter yourself if the time is right or call in a professional to do a holistic evaluation or duct cleaning.  

    Travel 

    • While there’s no place like home for the holidays, many people travel during this time to visit friends and relatives. If you’re leaving your home unattended during this season, it’s best practice not to broadcast your travel plans by divulging dates or locations on public social media pages. Keep those specific travel plans on a need-to-know basis with loved ones.  
    • Lock all doors, unplug all holiday lights, and set your heating system to a lower temperature, which can help with energy savings while you’re out of town.  
    • Consider investing in a 24/7 monitored home security system, if it’s within your budget. Doing so can alert you and local authorities to intrusions or accidents moments after danger occurs. In some cases, installing home security systems and devices can also lead to monthly savings on your homeowner's insurance premium.  
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