With Thanksgiving upon us, the holiday season is in full swing and that means decorating your custom home. With twinkling lights, yard ornaments, Christmas trees, and candles burning, it’s exciting to decorate your new home for the first time. Be sure to keep your holidays festive as you and your family begin to decorate by keeping yourselves safe. There are hazards that come with holiday decorating. Here are some tips to keep everyone injury free while getting in the holiday spirit.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR TREE
Nothing feels like Christmas more than a real Christmas tree: the smell of fresh pine, the imperfectly, perfect shape of the tree. Real Christmas trees hold nostalgia, beauty, and potential dangers. Every year there are trees that go up in flames, and a home is destroyed by fire due to the negligence of the homeowner. Start with a fresh cut tree, as they are more resistant to fire. Keep your tree away from heat sources, particularly fireplaces. Water your tree regularly and keep it hydrated. A well-watered tree is less likely to go up in flames than a dried-out tree.
Be sure the lights you are stringing on the tree are safe. Be sure there are no cracks or tears in the wires. Purchase lights that have the UL (Underwriter Laboratories) tag on them. This means they have met certain safety requirements. A green label means they are safe for indoor use, and a red tag means they are safe for both outdoor and indoor use.
HAVE A BUDDY FOR HANGING EXTERIOR LIGHTS
Every year people end up in the ER after falls from ladders while hanging Christmas lights. Have someone spot you and hold the ladder when hanging lights on the house. Check over the lights as well as the extension cords for damage before using them on your home. Use one long cord versus multiple cords to avoid electrical problems.
USE TIMERS
The use of timers both indoors and outdoors will take away the worry of remembering to unplug everything if you head out for the evening or going to bed. Plug lights into different outlets with timers so that your circuits don’t overload, particularly if you have extensive lighting on the exterior of the home.
CAUTIOUS WITH YOUR CANDLES
The flicker of candlelight and the scented fragrance of candles embraces the feeling of the holidays, but open flame needs to be treated with care. Keep all decorations at least 3 feet away from an open flame. Be sure they are set on sturdy bases where they are out of the reach of children and pets and not near other decorations that could easily catch on fire.
Enjoy the traditions you and your family have started this holiday season; hang the stockings and the wreaths, put up the tree and string the lights with care and caution. Your custom home will look beautiful for the holidays!