To help keep you safe this season, ESFI recommends following these important safety tips as you decorate your home and yard for the holidays:
-
Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
-
Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.
-
Follow the use and care instructions that accompany electrical decorations.
-
Never nail or staple light strings or extension cords.
-
Do not mount or support light strings in a way that might damage the cord’s insulation.
-
When hanging decorations, do not connect more than three light strings together.
-
Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
-
To reduce the chance of electrical shock, use a dry, wooden ladder when hanging lights.
-
Use caution when decorating near power lines. Contact with a high-voltage line could lead to electrocution.
-
Plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to prevent electric shock.
-
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree, which can become charged with electricity from faulty lights.
-
Avoid overloading electrical outlets, which can overheat and start a fire.
-
Keep all outdoor extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.
-
Use lights that are approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
-
Never leave your toaster or stove unattended. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States.
-
Select a fresh Christmas tree and keep it in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily.
-
Know the location of your fire extinguisher, and how to use it.
-
Choose holiday decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or noncombustible materials.
-
Before using any electrical decorations outdoors, make sure the product is approved for outdoor use.
-
Never allow children or pets to play with electrical decorations.
