Chaos abounds in most houses around the holidays. There is so much going on it seems like most folks are constantly on the move. With all the craziness it is easy to forget routine things to keep your house safe. This month more than ever you need to be very diligent to prevent a catastrophe from happening.
- Make sure the extension cords you are using for your holiday décor are the proper ones. The décor at our house is heavily reliant on extension cords. In doing some research for my house I learned from the folks at Gizmodo.com that holiday lights should have a 16-guauge cord that is 24 feet or less. If you need more than 25 feet go with the 14-gauge. If you need to use it outdoors, make sure it has a “W” on the jacket. You can read the complete article here about selecting the right extension cord.
- Never leave candles burning. You have heard this hundreds of times just like I have. Can you believe I almost went to bed with a candle burning in my bathroom after a holiday party? Technology makes it crazy easy to make sure that doesn’t happen again. I plan to set a timer on my phone or ask “Alexa” to remind me to blow them out at the end of the night.
- Unattended cooking in the kitchen is the leading cause of house fires. People fall asleep with food on the stove or during these busy days just get distracted and walk away. Be extra careful when you are cooking and take advantage of technology (timers on stoves, phones, “Alexa”) to make sure you are checking on your food.
- Space heaters can be a great way to warm a cold room but take extra caution and unplug them when not in use.
- Take some time to test your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers before the season gets any busier. Remember these products save lives every day but can only do that when they are functioning correctly.
We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season at your house! For more ideas on keeping your home safe from fires check out this great blog from Erie Insurance.
