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Decorating Basics for Fire Safety | SERVPRO® of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties
11/7/2022 (Permalink)
Should a fire issue pop-up during this holiday season, SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties will be on call ready to assist.
Isn’t this a beautiful picture: glowing holiday lights, sweet smelling pies and music wafting through the air? This is the time of year to catch the lights at the Nature Center or grab a sweet gift at the Christmas Craft Fair.
The holiday season is so full of magic, but it is also one of the top seasons for home fires.
You can take preventive steps and decorate carefully to ensure that your home stays safe. Enjoy every moment of the season with your family peacefully when you know that your home is safe from the risk of fires.
There are an average of 790 structural fires responded to each year that are started by decorations.
Many fires started when a decoration was hung or placed too close to a heating source like a fireplace or space heater. Christmas trees and candles are also frequent causes of blazes that can completely ruin your holidays.
If you keep a live tree in your house, water it frequently and sweep up any fallen needles. Check for fire-resistant tags on artificial ones, and if yours is several years old, consider replacing it. Don’t overload your power strips or outlets, and turn your decorations off in the evening and when you are away from home.
Remember that line, “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care? Use that line as a motto when you hang items around your home and avoid putting anything near an open flame.
There are an average of 20 house fires a day that originate from a candle. Always blow them out when you leave the room and burn them away from any materials. If you have a fireplace, make sure it is inspected and cleaned before you light it.
Any decorations you place outside should be rated for the outdoors. String lights should be hung tightly with insulated nails to avoid brush fires. If there are local guidelines in your area that dictate outdoor decorating safety rules, be sure to follow them.
Check the batteries in your smoke detectors while you are decorating, and make sure you have plenty around your home. Talk with your family about your emergency fire plan, and write down SERVPRO’s number to make a quick call in the event that your home is damaged during a fire.
Have smoke or fire damage in your house? Contact us today to get cleaned up fast.