Celebrate Safely This Holiday Season

12/16/2021 (Permalink)

Candle fires peak around the holidays. Follow these safety tips to prevent such disasters.

Pretty lights, candles, and decorations are just a few of the items that bring cheer and ambiance to your home during the holidays. However, if they are not used carefully, your holidays may go from festive to disastrous. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. Follow our list of tips to keep your family safe and help keep your home from suffering any fire damage this holiday season.

• Place Christmas trees, candles, and other holiday decorations at least three feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, heat vents, and candles.
• When using a fireplace, make sure that the chimney is open and cleared out before using. Keep pets and children away from the fire. 
• Make sure to not use more than 3 strands of light. Check to see if the light strings are in good condition. Do not use anything with frayed electrical cords and always follow the manufacture’s manual.
• Always unplug trees and holiday lights before leaving the property or going to bed.
• Never use lit candles to decorate a tree. Always extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to bed.
• Use only tree stands designed to not tip over. Keep curious pets and children away from the Christmas tree.
• Keep anything flammable away from the stovetop including, potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
• Designate one person to walk around your property to ensure all candles and smoking materials are properly extinguished after guests leave. 

At SERVPRO of Bethesda/Potomac and SERVPRO of Chevy Chase/Silver Spring, we wish you a safe & happy holiday season. Fire damage to your home is always an unfortunate event, but even more so during the holiday season. Your neighborhood SERVPRO of Bethesda/Potomac and SERVPRO of Chevy Chase/Silver Spring is here to help with any fire damage restoration and cleanup that may need following an accident to help get your holiday season back on track.