Electrical Safety Tips for the Holiday

11/27/2018 (Permalink)

It is the most wonderful time of the year!  The holiday season is in full swing as we are counting down to Christmas.  As holiday preparations are underway and make your safety a priority.  Take a moment and review the electrical safety below to avoid any holiday mishap. 

• Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use
  Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
• Do not overload electrical outlets
  Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage into each outlet at a time. 
• Keep trees fresh by watering daily
  Dry trees are a serious fire hazard.
• Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources
  A heat source that was too close to the decoration was a factor in half of the home fires that began with decorations (NFPA).
• Protect cords from damage 
  To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors and windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources, or attached by nails or staples. 
• Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking 
  Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires (NFPA).
• Turn off decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house
  turn off decorative holiday lights before going to bed or leaving home. A timer can help make sure this happens.

 Each of these tips will help you prevent an electrical fire from starting in your home or business. Now, if the worst happens, and you do sustain damage from a fire, you need the help of professionals to get your home and business straightened out. Call on the fire damage restoration specialists here at SERVPRO of Northeast San Antonio (210) 653-4651!