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Holidays Fire Safety - part 2

By Jonathan Meyer
Published: December 22, 2006

While the first part of this article covered the safety measurements, required to reduce fire hazards presented by your Christmas tree, this part covers additional safety steps you can follow to reduce fire threats presented by the holiday lights and decorations.

Holiday Lights

When decorating your tree, always use lights approved by a testing laboratory and follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use tree lights properly. Every year, before installing holiday lights, inspect for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.

Keep in mind that some lights are designed only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. If you use outdoors lights, be sure to bring them inside after the holidays to prevent hazard. This will also help extending your holiday lights life.

Prevent Electrical Fire
Do not overload electrical outlets. Be sure to link up to three light strands, unless the manufacturer's instructions indicate it is safe to link more. In addition, it is recommended to connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. This way you can light all light at the same time.

Check the wires 2 times a day by touching them and verify they are not too warm to touch and never leave holiday lights on unattended.

Holiday Decorations

As you decorate your tree, use nonflammable decorations or flame-retardant decorations and placed away from heat vents. Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and make sure any lit candles in the room are placed away from tree branches (keep three feet clearance).

Smoke Detectors

Having a Christmas tree in your home increases the chance for fire damage. The holidays season is the best time to check, test, and service your smoke detectors. Make sure you have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, especially above the tree.

Disposing of Your Tree

When the tree becomes dry and begins dropping needles, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

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