We Wish you a Merry (and SAFE) Christmas!

Create Beautiful Christmas Decor SAFELY

Creating a beautiful Christmas decor is part and parcel of the winter holiday experience. However, for many of us, safety is not at the forefront of our minds with all the other distractions of the season; the frenzy of putting the lights on the house, getting the tree trimmed and wrapping all those presents. But did you know that Christmas lights on a single home is at a record number of over 1 MILLION?!! That’s a lot of lights put up on one home each year!

Whether you have one strand or 500, the key to enjoying the process is safety. As the excitement of the season sets in with decorative displays and festive celebrations, people are inadvertently exposed to greater risk of becoming the victim of a fire or electrical accident, such as shock and electrocution. Recent statistics show that there were over 150,000 fires during the winter holiday season in the US, directly attributable to Christmas lights. These fires claimed over 600 lives, and caused more than 2,500 injuries, costing over $935 MILLION in property damage. Whew!

Don’t be a statistic. Follow these basic steps in safety, and check our tip of the week for some quickie ideas.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY, INDOORS AND OUT

* Before decorating, determine how many outlets are available and where they are located.

* Avoid overloading electrical outlets, which can overheat and cause a fire.

* Loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire. Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires should NEVER be used.

* Use lights approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

* Follow the use and care instructions that accompany electrical decorations.

* Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.

* Do not mount or support light strings in a way that might damage the cord’s insulation.

* Never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together.

* Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

* Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use insulated staples, or run the lights through hooks.DO NOT pierce the cord with nails, staples or anything else!

* Make sure all products used outside are marked for outdoor use.

* Keep all outdoor extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

* Make sure spotlights used to highlight decorations are well-ventilated, protected from weather, and a safe distance from flammable items.

Some of these suggestions are basic common sense. However, many times in our hurry to get things done, we overlook them. It is your safety that is most important; you and your family’s safety. After all, isn’t enjoying the holiday one of the reasons we invest our time and energy into decorating?

A bit overwhelmed? No need to be frustrated by your long holiday to-do list. Hand it over to your friendly handyman and electrician, John Silva. Contact us today for help with your outdoor lighting installation. Check out our value added coupon in the newsletter today.