Holiday fire safety tips for homeowners.
The winter months bring a festive and fun time of year. Many people celebrate the holidays with gatherings of friends and family, and standing around a warm fire, decorated Christmas tree, or scented candles. Although it is nice to spend quality time with loved ones, it’s important to keep safety in mind. The winter holidays are the time of year when the majority of electrical accidents and home fires occur. To keep danger at bay, check out these tips.
Fire Safety
Cooking up a storm in the kitchen? Stringing up your vintage holiday lights? Minimize the risk of fire in the home by checking out these safety suggestions.
- When cooking, avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing that could catch an open flame.
- Never leave the kitchen when food is on the stove or the oven is on.
- Place lit candles out of reach of pets and children.
- Extinguish candles and log fires before leaving home or going to sleep.
- Avoid using extension cords for holiday lights and other lit decorations.
- Never place decorative holiday lights near flammable substances.
- If your holiday lights have frayed or damaged cords, get rid of them.
- Replace the batteries on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors every year.
Entertaining Safety
When your guests visit, they expect a safe environment. Although you may already have a lot on your plate, don’t put safety on the back burner, for lack of a better term!
- Make sure burning candles are not in close proximity to guests.
- Set the water heater temperature to 120 degrees to avoid scalding any guests.
- Keep children and pets out of the kitchen while cooking.
- Ensure all food is cooked to the proper temperatures.
A few simple changes can keep yourself, your home, and guests safer and happier this merry season. Are you looking for reliable homeowners insurance for your California home? Contact the team at Young Insurance, serving Burbank and neighboring cities.
