Holiday Safety Tips for Homeowners

What’s In This Articles

• Be careful with candles
• Safety with circuitry
• Plan ahead

Did you know that house fires are likely to occur during the winter holiday season? Keep your family safe during the holidays with these safety tips for homeowners.

Be careful with candles

FEMA  and team report that more than half of the home decoration fires that happen in December are caused by candles. Make caring for lit candles a priority. Above all, do not leave burning candles unattended. Likewise, do not burn candles within 12 inches of anything that can catch on fire. Blow out candles before bedtime, and be careful if alcohol plays a role in your holiday festivities. Too many cocktails + forgotten candles = disaster! Could this be why FEMA reports the top 3 days for home candle fires being Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve? All things considered, it may be worth it to opt for battery operated candles.

Safety with circuitry

Most importantly, DO NOT go Clark Griswold with an over-the-top holiday light display. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) recommends preventing electrical fires by first inspecting all holiday lights for loose wires or connections. Next, ESFI advises against overloading outlets. For instance, plug just one major appliance into each outlet. Additionally, ensure that cords are not pinched under furniture or located too close to a heat source. Finally, set decorations on a timer or unplug your decorations at bedtime and when you leave your home or business setting. 

Plan ahead 

Unfortunately, countless accidents happen during the holiday season. Be prepared to handle any emergency by thinking ahead. Start by talking with your family to develop a fire safety plan. Outline ways to get out of the house safely in the instance of a fire, and include a meet-up spot at a neighbor’s house or other location. Next, maintain your home’s smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors by changing the batteries, and purchase new fire extinguishers if yours are expired.  Round out your plan by adding a fire restoration company to your contacts, in case you experience a disaster at home. Having a reliable 24-hour emergency fire restoration service on speed dial, like Del Mar Builders, located at 905 W. 175th St in Homewood, Illinois, just south of Chicago, makes dealing with a home disaster less daunting. Visit www.getdelmar.com to learn about the wide range of emergency services Del Mar Builders offers.