Must-Know Tips for Preventing a House Fire This Holiday Season
11/14/2018 — We love cozying up to a fire in the winter as much as the next person, but we prefer it to stay inside the fireplace. Unfortunately, house fires spike during the holiday season due to decorations, electrical hiccups, and cooking incidents. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas trees alone cause an average of 10 home fires each day. We talked to experts from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Kidde fire safety about their advice for families who want to stay safe this holiday season.
Preventing Fires Around the House
We love putting up our holiday decorations. In fact, putting Christmas decorations up early could make you a happier person. But all that Christmas cheer can go away in the blink of an eye if you’re not careful. UL, the leading global science safety organization, warns that many of our favorite holiday decorations could cause a house fire. Below, discover top holiday decor items that pose a fire risk and safety precautions to keep your family safe this winter.
Christmas Trees: Having a live (or fake) Christmas tree in your home is a big fire risk. Make sure your tree is at least three feet from heat sources such as a fireplace or radiator. If your tree is in the same room as a fireplace, make sure it’s secured down tight so it won’t tip over into a crackling fire. UL also recommends positioning your tree in a location that won’t block a doorway or exit route.
Light Decorations: Whether you’re dealing with a string of lights or an illuminated village, be sure to check any electrical wires in your Christmas decorations. Mice can find their way into your holiday storage and gnaw away at wires, or bulbs can crack if they’re mishandled. Don’t use any electrical products if they’re in less-than-perfect condition.
String Lights: Limit yourself to connecting only three Christmas string light sets at a time, per the UL recommendation. If you’re working with large blubs, make sure there are no more than 50 bulbs connected at a time.
Candles: Obviously anything with an open flame should be monitored at all times. Make sure to place candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface where you won’t forget they’re burning. They should also be out of the reach of small children and pets.
Closed Doors: This tip can be utilized year-round, but should be taken more seriously during the holiday season when so many decorations and candles are around. UL urges families to sleep with their bedroom doors closed. The seemingly small barrier could be a huge help in keeping a house fire contained.
Related: The Dos and Don’ts of Electric Blanket Safety
Fire Prevention Tips for Holiday Cooking
Aside from holiday decorations, the next thing we think about during the holiday season is the food, of course. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, the days are filled with yummy dinners, cookies, appetizers, and plenty of favorite family recipes. However, working in a crowded, hot kitchen can be a recipe for disaster. In fact, Thanksgiving is the most common day for home cooking fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Agency. To prevent a disaster happening to your family, Kidde, a fire safety product manufacturer, shared their favorite tips for kitchen fire safety.
Locate a Fire Extinguisher: Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. In addition, make sure everyone in your home knows where exactly it is. If a fire starts, you don’t want to waste time digging through cabinets to find the extinguisher.
Check the Smoke Alarm: If you don’t have a smoke alarm in or near your kitchen, get one. Kidde even has a special kitchen alarm designed to detect real fires and reduce false alarms caused by cooking. Make sure an existing smoke alarm has been replaced within the past 10 years as well.
Prevent Grease Fires: Never attempt to extinguish a grease fire with water—it will only cause the fire to spread. Instead, use a kitchen-rated fire extinguisher or, if it’s small enough, smother the flames with a lid. Prevent grease fires in your stove by cleaning it regularly.
Set Boundaries: If you have young children or pets, work to create a safe zone around the stove. Encourage a three-foot distance from the appliance at all times. Also, make sure children know the stove knobs are not a toy.
Related: Simple Kitchen Safety Tips Could Prevent a Disaster
