Deck the Halls  – Away from Flames

Beautiful ornaments, festive garland and other décor will literally go up in smoke if they are placed too close to an open flame. Candles have the potential to burn a little too bright if unattended or forgotten.

As December is the peak month for candle fires, the NFPA recommends keeping candles or any heat source at least 3 feet away from your holiday decorations. Also, avoid placing candles where people or pets can accidentally knock them off a shelf. Most important, if leaving the house or going to sleep for the night, be sure to extinguish them.

If you use electric candles in your windows, unplug them at night and don’t just loosen the bulb to turn them off – technically, they’re still “on” and present a potential fire or electric shock hazard. Cordless, battery-operated, or sensor-based candles are a safe alternative and add a pretty flicker of light on shelves or in windows.

O Evergreen Tree – Please Water Me

Silent Night – All Is Calm, All Should Not Burn Too Bright

Holiday lights come in many colors, shapes, sizes and functionality. Some lights are now more energy efficient, don’t burn as hot as some traditional lights and last longer so check all labels. Other important features to look for include:

According to the NFPA, Christmas lights cause 40% of Christmas tree fires. When plugged in, broken bulbs or damaged light strings can potentially cause an electric shock or fire, especially on a dry tree. Even artificial trees are susceptible to a fire hazard due to faulty wiring or lights running too hot.

Inspect your lights prior to hanging them to ensure all bulbs are working properly and the wires aren’t exposed or damaged. A single blackened or broken bulb tends to impact some or all bulbs on a string, so narrow down the bad bulb(s) either manually or with a bulb tester. Carefully fix bulbs with those orphaned packages of replacement bulbs/fuses – usually found cast aside in a junk drawer or a holiday box somewhere – or if more than half the string is out, it’s probably time for a new one.

When attaching your string of lights to extension cords, be mindful extension cords can overheat and cause fires if used improperly. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), 3,300 home fires originate in extension cords each year. They recommend matching the power or amperage on the light strings with the amp rating on extension cords. Don’t plug one extension cord into another or pig pile several light strings into one – you can overload the electrical circuit. The ESFI also warns don’t nail or staple extension cords to walls and don’t run them under rugs, through walls, doorways, ceilings or floors as the extension cord can overheat and catch fire.

In addition, always be sure your extension cord wires aren’t damaged. When used outside, plug them into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which is an inexpensive and easy-to-install electrical device (gift idea!) that could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. The device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year. Finally, a good best practice is to wrap the connecting extension cord juncture with electrical tape and keep the connection off the ground – out of water or snow.

Up on the Roof Top – Avoid Flying Off a Ladder

Hanging decorations and lights on the exterior of your house is well worth the effort but can be hazardous when accessing those high roof edges. To prevent flying off a ladder and making a huge clatter, observe these safe ladder techniques: