Be Safe with Your Holiday Decorations

12/13/2018 (Permalink)

Here to Help!

Holiday Lights and Electrical Decorations Safety Tips

by ESFi.org

Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us will be decorating our hoes for Christmas.  While decorative lights and other electrical decorations add to the magic of the season, they can increase the risks of fire and electrical injuries if not used safely.

• Always purchase electrical decorations and lights from reputable retailers.
• Use lights approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
• Never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together.
• Consider purchasing LED lights, which use less energy and run cooler than traditional incandescent lights.
• Before decorating, determine how many outlets are available and where they are located. Plan your displays accordingly.
• Carefully inspect each  electrical decoration.  Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
• Follow the manufacturer's use and care instructions that accompany electrical decorations.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations or electrical devices.  They can overheat and cause a fire.
• Make sure that cords are not pinched in doors, windows or under heavy furniture, which could damage the cord's insulation.
• Do not mount or support light strings in a way that might damage the cord's insulation.
• Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.
• Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep.

Remember SERVPRO of Brainer and Park Rapids is Here to Help @ 218-568-6923.