The holidays are a time of fun and festivities. However, with people coming to your home, you will need to be proactive when it comes to lowering your risk of accidents. The following are a few practical tips to keep your home safe during the holidays.
- Never Leave Candles or Fireplaces Unattended
Never leave candles or fireplaces unattended. It only takes one spark or piece of flammable material to start a fire that will destroy your entire home. Make sure you have a fireplace shield in place to prevent sparks from popping outside of the secured area. A warm fire on a cold winter night is a sight to behold. Take special care, and you will be able to make memories you can cherish for many years to come.
2. Don’t Overuse Extension Cords
Extension cords are a great way to add decorations throughout your home. The problem is that using too many of them can overload your outlets and cause the cords to overheat. Also, if the cord runs too close to any type of flammable material, it could easily start a fire. Instead of using extension cords, use surge protectors
3. Don’t Allow Small Children Near Hot Stoves
Keep children away from hot pots and pans. Hot stoves are also incredibly dangerous, especially if a small child tries to reach up and grab something off of the stove. Keep the handles of pots and pans turned in towards the center so that children can’t reach them. If you have the oven on, make sure there is no way for a child or pet to get close enough to touch the door when it is hot.
4. Install a Home Security System
Installing a home security system is the best way to keep your home secure. Unfortunately, the holidays are the most active time of the year for burglars and thieves. Installing a quality home security system with 24-hour, third-party monitoring and environmental sensors is the best way to protect your home during the winter. Not only will there be eyes on your home during Christmas, but the environmental sensors will also notify you if there are any dramatic temperature changes that could indicate a fire or broken HVAC system.
5. Inspect Your Christmas Lights
Inspect your indoor and outdoor Christmas and other decorative lights for frayed wires, broken bulbs, and exposed wires or circuitry, all of which can start fires. Dispose of all damaged strings of lights and replace them preferably with LED lights as they generate less heat, minimizing the chances of a fire.
When you are planning your holiday events, don’t forget to be safe. These safety tips will help keep you, your family, your home, and your friends safe during this joyous holiday season. Also, make sure to have adequate homeowners insurance in place. Contact our experts at ISU Wissink Insurance Agency to get started on your personalized home insurance coverage!