7 Tips to Keep Outdoor Holiday Lights From Catching Fire
Posted by San Diego Landscaper on Wednesday, 20 December , 2017
Decorating your home is fun and exciting this time of year, but a little bit of caution can go a long ways in making sure you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.
In this issue, we’ll share tips for how you can keep Christmas, Hanukah and New Year’s Eve the merriest of times.
What’s the worst that can happen from outdoor holiday lights?
Earlier this month, a house fire occurred in Tennessee after the family left outside holiday lights on for an extended period of time.
“The lights started sparking at 2:51 a.m.,” explained the home owner. “That lasted an hour, and then turned into a fire. Firefighters said that if we’d woken up a minute later, smoke would have filled the entire house. Our mistake was leaving the lights plugged in most of the time. We didn’t think anything would happen.”
The homeowner went on to explain that she purchased the generic lights last year, and had only used them for four days this year.
How can I be safe with my outdoor holiday lights?
There are a number of proactive steps you can take in making sure you’re being as safe as possible with outdoor holiday lighting.
Confirm your lights have been tested and verified by a trustworthy testing laboratory. Good names to look for include UL and ETL. Lights that have been tested will have the logos of the testing labs on the packaging.
Only use lights that have been labeled for outdoor use in cold weather.
Do not tap into the feeder line to your home in order to power the outdoor lights.
Avoid using nails, metal staples and tacks to secure the lighting. Instead, use insulated hooks and make sure the lights are strung tightly so that they won’t be damaged by wind.
Check each strand of lights – whether they’re new or old – for broken or cracked sockets, loose connections, and frayed or bare wires.
Make it a point to turn off all lights on your trees and other decorations when you leave the house or go to bed.
Make sure that the wiring is secured and that they are not a tripping hazard.
Advice for Safe Use of Holiday Trees
There are many artificial trees that are fire resistant, but if you opt for a real tree, choose one that is green and has fresh needles that are difficult to pull from the branches.
Make sure the tree is placed away from fireplaces, space heaters and other heat sources, as well as out of the way of foot traffic and away from doorways.
Cut off about two inches of the trunk so that fresh wood is exposed for better water absorption.
For outdoor lighting and landscaping needs in San Diego, call Juniper Landscape Company.
We hope you have a wonderful – and safe – holiday season. We’ve been providing safe outdoor lighting and expert landscaping in San Diego for years, and we’d love to do the same for you.
For even more information, call us here at Juniper Landscape Company; our number is 619-334-9464 or you can reach us via email.
Juniper Landscape Company is a provider of professional landscaping services in San Diego, we strive to make San Diego a beautiful place by doing business with integrity and creativity.
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