Holidays
the
Safety in the home
Winter brings the excitement and anticipation of Christmas
and the holidays. Get in the spirit by tapping into your childlike
wonder by preparing your home for the holiday season. Of course,
this time of the year requires serious attention to detail to ensure
the holiday is accident-free.
The National Fire Protection Association reports that
between 2013-17, an average of 160 home fires were caused by
a Christmas tree. Electrical distribution or lighting equipment
was responsible for at least 44% of these incidents. If you have
avoided an inspection by an electrician, it’s essential to hire their
services before straining your home’s power supply with excessive
decorations.
Decorate safely
Setting the scene for Christmas includes holiday plants, festive
lights and fir or cinnamon scents. If decorations are part of your
family’s tradition, follow these tips from the National Safety
Council to keep your well-being in mind.
• Keep potentially poisonous plants like mistletoe, holly berries,
Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis away from pets and children.
• When using an artificial tree, ensure that it is fire resistant.
• Replace lights that have broken sockets, frayed or bare wires
or loose connections.
• Turn off all lights and decorations before going to sleep or
leaving the house.
Displaying a live Christmas tree requires homeowners to cut off
about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood to promote
better water absorption.
Fireplace safety
...most chimney fires go
It’s critical to ensure your
undetected until significant
fireplace is in good working
damage has already
order before igniting ablaze
and hanging your stockings
impacted the structure.
with care. The Chimney
Safety Institute of America
breaks inspection requirements into three levels.
• Level one: When the chimney is intended for use under
continued service, and no changes have been made, only a basic
inspection is required.
• Level two: A more thorough examination should be made
when changes to the fuel source, shape or flue are administered.
• Level three: The highest inspection level is performed if issues
are found during levels one or two. This typically results in repairs
to the permanently attached components.
According to the CISA, most chimney fires go undetected until
significant damage has already impacted the structure. For peace of
mind this holiday season, hire an expert inspector to ensure it’s safe
to roast chestnuts over an open fire.
Our Coast Property Lines • December 2020 | 15