Safety Tips for Christmas Decorations

With the advent of the holiday season, millions of families resurrect their fairy lights, motorized Santas and ornaments from their basements and garages and prepare themselves for the most awaited task of Christmas holidays: decorating.

While festive decorating is mostly about adding sparkle, warmth and fun to the very special Christmas season, what most people forget is that many of the popular decorations they use carry risk of electrical injury or fire if used carelessly. One should use preventive measures so that an accident doesn’t take the fun out of holiday season. Following are a few safety tips that should be kept in mind while doing holiday decorations.

Lighting and decorations

• While purchasing electric decorations, extension cords and lights, it is important to buy only UL-listed items.

• If you plan to do outdoor decorations, ensure that the decorations and lights you are buying are suitable for outdoor use. Using products that are meant only for indoor use outdoors in the weather may lead to fire hazards and electric shocks.

• In case you have a doubt whether your purchase is listed for indoor or outdoor use, check the back for color-coded marks that specify conditions suitable for the product.

• Whether you are using brand new products that are straight out the box or old products that have been reused multiple times, it is important to inspect all extension cords, electric decorations and lights before putting them up so that you don’t use damaged goods. If the damage is repairable, for instance broken bulbs that can be replaced, use the product only after the repair has been made. If plugs and cords are damaged, discard the decoration and replace them.

• Always remember to change bulbs, make repairs or replace fuses etc only after you have unplugged the lights.

• If you have to replace a single bulb from a string of lights, ensure that the bulb you’re replacing the damaged bulb with is of the same wattage as that of the rest of the string. If you use a bulb with a higher wattage, you run the risk of causing a fire.

• When you’re hanging your lights outdoors, avoid using metal ladders and instead choose non-conductive ladders made of wood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic etc. This reduces risk of electric shock.

• Remember to follow manufacturer’s instructions while using any decoration product.

• Before beginning your decorations, check the number of strings of lights that can be safely connected end-to-end. This number is usually 3.

• Always avoid overloading extension cords. Before plugging your decorations in, check the power requirements of your lights as well as the wattage rating that your extension cord has.

• Check the wires of your Christmas lights regularly to ensure they aren’t warm to touch.

• Before you settle for the night or leave the house, remember to turn your lights or decorations off.

Safety Measures for Christmas Trees

Your choice of the tree for Christmas decoration usually affects its flammability. Trees that are older or dried-out run the risk of igniting and burning faster than trees that are well hydrated and freshly cut. Therefore, some points need to be kept in mind while purchasing a Christmas tree.

• Before you take your Christmas tree home, ensure that it has green, fresh needles that are attached firmly to the branches. Try bending them between your fingers. They are too dry if they break under pressure.

• Check that the cut surface of your tree’s trunk is sticky to touch to ensure that it’s fresh. Finally, pick it up vertically before tapping its trunk on the ground. You’ll know it is dry if they needles fall off.

• Trees that have thicker needles dry out after a longer duration. Thus, pick a robust variety.

• If you are choosing an artificial tree, ensure that it’s not flammable.

Boon Electrical is a leading electrician in Melbourne offering all types of electric services and repairs. They are the Electrical Contractors providing services to commercial and residential properties.