Fun and Festivities Can Lead to Fire- Don’t Fall Victim to Decoration Disasters!

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Leon County residents begin to plan for holiday decor early by using safety tips from SERVPRO experts.

Here come the holiday festivities, and decorating is top of the “todo” list! 

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, the last thing you want is a fire threatening your home, business, or most importantly your loved ones. Decorations are fun and festive, but keep in mind that if they are not properly done, they can be very dangerous and increase the risk of fire damage to your property. 

Remember to follow these holiday decorating fire safety tips this season, so that you can rest assured your family, friends and FUN activities are safe.

• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant. Halloween decor is not always safe, so triple check these items.

• Do not connect more than 3 strands of mini-light sets at a time, with a maximum of 50 bulbs at a time, for screw-in bulbs.

• Check the packaging of your lights. Some lights are only for indoor use.

• Do not block exits with trees or other decorations that limit your access.

• Dispose of your tree right after Christmas – or when it’s dry – and look for community recycling programs for proper disposal of your tree.

• Dispose of and replace any string sets of lights that have worn/broken cords or loose bulb connections.

• Use hanging clips or hooks, not nails, to hang lights so that cords do not get damaged.

• Store any outdoor electrical lights inside once the holidays are over to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

• Keep any lit candles at least 12-inches away from anything that can catch fire.

• Make sure your tree is a minimum of 3-feet away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, and heat vents.

• When picking out a natural tree, make sure the needles are fresh, green, and do not fall off when you touch them. 

• If you have a natural tree, water it daily to limit drying out and potential of creating a fire hazard.

• If you have an artificial tree, confirm that it’s labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.

• Always turn off any Christmas tree lights before leaving your home or going to bed.

• We hope that you will find these tips helpful while you are decorating for the holidays. From the entire SERVPRO of Bay County team, we wish you a very Safe and Merry Christmas!

Call SERVPRO of Central Tallahassee at (850) 765-5706 for any fire or water damage restoration needs. We're Faster to Any Size Disaster and are on our celebration squad for all of your events and festivities!