The next couple of weeks will find people across the country decking the halls with all manner of Christmas decorations. What’s unfortunate is that so many people probably don’t even realize that the way they decorate their homes could leave them susceptible to a fire, especially if you’re dealing with potentially unsafe objects that have been a part of the family tradition for decades.
You need to protect yourself from the many fire threats that will crop up during the holidays. Prior to doing anything that could feasibly carry any type of risk, you should think about exercising the safety tips provided in a new report.
You first want to ensure that you’ll be able to act should some type of fire break out despite your best efforts to take the proper precautions. That will mean investing in a smoke alarm that can be found on every level of your home, therefore alerting you to the presence of a blaze. A carbon monoxide alarm is a great idea too, especially if your furnace is on. These alarms should also be located at strategic places around the home.
Station fire extinguishers at appropriate intervals to fight any inferno that breaks out, and make sure your entire family has an understanding of how to use these and how to exit the home when a fire can’t be controlled.
When you start planning to prevent fires early, you look at your home in an entirely new way. That fireplace that acts as a type of pedestal for your family’s holiday decor suddenly gets viewed as a heightened fire threat, as it only takes one drifting ember to set a dry Christmas tree or other flammable objects alight.
The metal screen on the fireplace is there for a reason, and it’s important that you use it. If you have other decorations around the fireplace, you should move them every time you get a fire going. Stockings, for instance, ought to only be positioned there when the fire has been snuffed out; otherwise, these could catch fire. Also make sure that the fireplace is being used to burn wood and wood alone. Discarding trash (including wrapping paper and fallen parts of a Christmas tree) is unacceptable given the increased threat.
Whether stoking a fire or cooking food, you want to wear clothing that is appropriate to the task. Items that are billowy or made of flammable materials could catch fire, putting your life at risk. You also shouldn’t let distractions compromise safety. It can be easy to lose sight of the task at hand during the holidays, but you should always make sure to turn off burners or otherwise ensure supervision whenever your focus is pulled elsewhere.