Holiday Fire Safety Considerations

The holiday season is in full swing, and as the lyrics say, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And we certainly hope they ring true for your family and you. As your local NJ Home Insurance agency, we wish you well and send warm thoughts for a joyous holiday season.

We also want you to be safe and avoid potential problems that occur around this time every year. While it’s important to remind you to be extra careful with the dangers that come with putting up and taking down holiday decorations, the focus of this post is fire safety.

Christmas Trees.

Christmas Tree Safety Facts from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• Electrical problems cause about a third of home Christmas tree fires.
• Although Christmas tree fires are not common, they are more likely to be serious when they do occur.
• A heat source too close to the tree causes more than one in every five fires.

Be careful not to let your tree get too dry; if necessary, give it extra moisture by watering it daily – even more than once if your bowl is small or you live in a low humidity environment. Plugging too many lights into one outlet may cause damage to the circuit board inside the wall socket. If any strands are not working correctly, throw them out. Make sure to turn off the lights when you leave home or go to bed.

Post-Christmas Tree Duties

The longer you keep your tree up, the greater fire danger. The watering bowl only helps for so long. A dried tree is an avoidable hazard. Dispose of it properly. Find out how your community handles Christmas trees. There may be a program to recycle it and do good simultaneously. Just don’t leave it outside anywhere near your house, garage, or other structures.

Tips for Handling Holiday Lighting Decorations Safely.

Be selective and only buy flame-resistant products. Don’t tempt fate by using indoor-rated lights outdoors. Instead, check the entire length of each light strand for loose and broken bulbs and worn or damaged cords with exposing wires.

Follow manufacturer’s guidelines for safe product use, including the maximum number of strands you can connect. Never use nails or staples that can pierce cords and expose electrical wires. Use clips instead. Replace any strand that has worn, loose or broken light bulbs. Take your outdoor electrical lights and displays down soon after the holidays to get more life from them and minimize other potential safety problems.

Keep an Eye on Candles.

Place lit candles far away from decorations and any flammable objects. Or, switch to modern battery-operated flameless candles. Today’s electric candles are very life-like. They smell and seem like real candles.

Should you choose to use candles that burn, you must be sure to stand them firmly secured in candle holders with a solid base. Place them where they won’t be knocked down or disturbed accidentally.

Use your smartphone, Alexa device, or other reminder systems to alert you to extinguish all candles at a specific time every evening. Do a quick double-check of all candles in the home before bedtime. Make sure all are out entirely without a hint of smoldering.

Cooking and Baking

Extra people in the house help make holiday meals festive. However, being busy with more traffic adds danger to your everyday kitchen activities. Before your cooking starts, take the precautionary steps to keep kids and everyday flammable items like grocery bags, kitchen towels, and other flammables away from the stovetop. If you see grease dripping from a frying pan, stop cooking, turn off the burner, and remove the pan.

Never use water to douse a stovetop flame because it can spread the fire. Don’t use towels to snuff the fire because they might catch fire and worsen things. Instead, keep a fully charged and updated fire extinguisher accessible when you need it. Make sure you know how to use it now instead of learning when in a panic. Baking powder works when a fire extinguisher isn’t available.

When deep-frying a turkey, keep your fryer away from any buildings or trees as they can catch fire from an electrical short circuit. It’s critical to thoroughly defrost your turkey before putting it into your deep fryer. Take time to read and understand the directions carefully before using the cooking equipment. In addition, the NFPA offers excellent cooking safety guidelines.

Menorah or Kinara

As a safer alternative to lit candles, you can use an electric menorah or kinara for use during Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations. If you keep it traditional, then be safe using holiday candles. Keep all flammable objects at least three feet away from your candles. Always put out any burning candle before leaving the room.

Fireplaces and Chimneys

Fireplaces are a perfect complement to year-end holiday gatherings. Make sure your flue is open wide before you start your fire. It’s too late now but give yourself a reminder to check and clean your chimney and flue next summer before the fireplace season.

If your fireplace doesn’t have glass doors, use a fire screen to protect from embers escaping. Keep anything that is flammable at least three feet away from the fireplace. Don’t start or refuel a fire if you don’t have plans or time to tend it until it dies. And don’t leave it alone until the embers are fully exhausted. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Your Safety Is Our Concern

We trust you found these tips for holiday fire safety helpful. As your local NJ Home Insurance specialists, we publish guides like this because we take helping our neighbors safeguard their homes and properties seriously. It’s not only the right thing to do to care about people, but it’s also good business. We know helping clients avoid insurable losses makes everyone’s lives easier and safer – and a good claims experience is favorable for lower rates.

About Dickstein Associates Agency

Dickstein Associates Agency has distinguished itself as a leading provider of personal and business insurance in the tri-state area since 1965. We pride ourselves on being advocates for our clients and providing them with quality and affordable coverages. As Trusted Choice™ independent insurance agency, we partner with various national and regional carriers, allowing for flexible coverage for each client’s unique circumstances. For more information on how you can leverage all your insurance to work best for you, and how we can secure the best insurance in the marketplace suited to your specific needs and business objectives, contact us today at (800) 862-6662 or www.dicksteininsurance.com.