It’s the most magical time of the year again. Sadly for many of us, that means we won’t be traveling for the holiday season but staying put at home. Of course, that gives us the excuse to decorate our home early this year with decorating, cooking, and setting up candles that have fire risks involved. Did you know that fire fatalities are 70% higher during this period? While it is wonderful to get into the holiday spirit, you also want to have a few safety tips in place to help you while putting up your decor. Below are a few fire safety tips to remember.
- Candle Safety – I’m the first one to admit I love the ambiance of candlelight, especially when there is a cold winter upon us. The candles are essential for festive activities and set a warm and welcoming mood for you and your family. However, candles are also a fire starter for two out of five homes. To present any unwanted incidents to occur, there are a few safety tips to help you. If you really love candles, think about having a flameless candle. There are several battery-powered candles that give off the desired ambiance without producing a fire. Remember, LED candles do get hot after being on for several hours. Make sure to turn them off when you leave the house or if you go upstairs to bed. Never leave any candles unattended. If you use traditional or flames, you do not want to leave the house without them being blown out or turned off. Practice caution when you decorate with them as well. It’s advisable to use a candle holder to prevent any candles from tipping over. Place the candles about 12 inches away from flammable items too. Keep them out of reach of small children and place them in the center of a table.
- Cooking and Baking – With so much extra cooking happening this holiday season, make sure you take some precautions. The kitchen uses heat and electricity and if it’s misused, this is where many fires start. When you are cooking, always keep an eye on things. Stay in the kitchen to ensure that if something does go wrong you can act quickly. Use timers for cooking too to ensure that nothing stays in the oven or stove for too long and begins to burn. Also, watch your sleeves when cooking near the stove. It might be easy to forget to push your sleeves up when you cook but your attire might set on fire if you are too close. The same goes for any dishcloths that might be nearby. Put those in the sink or away from the stove itself. Another tip is to make sure that you cook when you are not drinking. If you’ve had a drink or are feeling tired, it is difficult to react to any potential dangers. It can be fun to enjoy the holidays of course but if you are having too much fun, leave the cooking to someone else.
- Double Check Your Fire Alarm – If for some reason a fire does start in your home, you want to make sure that you have proper fire alarms. It’s one thing to have them already in your home but it’s another to make sure that they are working. How can you check this? Make sure to switch the batteries every 6 months to ensure that they are fully charged. Are you thinking of upgrading your fire alarm to something better suited for you and your family? Call the handy and well-equipped professionals at Alpha Fire Security Systems. This Hudson County fire alarm installation team is there to make sure everything is working the way it should be. They can design your fire protection while helping you balance your organizational needs. Their goal is to reduce the total cost of protecting against fires and provide operational peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Be sure to give them a call if you have any questions, concerns or looking for a new system to install within your home.
- Practice Fire Safety – Another comforting thing that many homeowners love to do is have an open fire within their homes. If you have an open fireplace, it is essential to understand how to use it properly. We all want to curl up in front of it but it should be treated like a space heater. Don’t have anything flammable around the open flame such as a blanket or pillow and don’t allow children or pets near it. While many homeowners like to have glass in front of the fireplace, this does tend to get very hot so do not let anyone sit up against it. As always, turn the fireplace off before you leave the room.
I’m sure there are many other fire safety tips that I have forgotten but the biggest advice I can give this holiday season is to make sure that everyone knows the rules, keep an eye out at all times when you are around any type of fire in your kitchen or an open one in your family room and do not leave a room without turning the flame off. Have a wonderful holiday season!
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