With the holidays right around the corner, it is essential to take steps to keep your home safe. After all, you wouldn’t want anything to ruin this joyous occasion for you and your loved ones. Luckily, there are several easy steps that you can take to ensure your holiday stays the happiest time of the year.
Light Things Up Safely
Your holiday lights can be a significant source of danger if they are not used properly. To ensure your lights are safe, check them thoroughly for damage. Any lights with broken sockets or frayed cords should be discarded and replaced in order to minimize the risk of fire. Furthermore, use care to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when comes connecting strings of lights together. As a general rule, you should never connect more than three strings of lights together. Other things to keep in mind when using holiday lights include:
- Replace burned out bulbs right away
- Make sure outdoor lights are rated for exterior use
- Plug outdoor lights into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters
- Avoid using lights on a metallic tree
- Keep lights out of the reach of pets and children as much as possible
- Don’t use outdoor lights inside
- Avoid attaching lights with staples or nails
- Don’t leave outside lights up for more than 90 days
- Store the lights safely when not in use
- Turn off lights when going to bed or when leaving the house
Keep Your Tree Happy
Taking steps to keep your tree looking healthy will not only keep it looking beautiful, but will keep it more fire resistant as well. If you are getting a live Christmas tree, get on that is freshly cut if possible, as freshly cut trees are more resistant to ignition. After getting the tree in your house, be sure to keep it watered in order to keep it as fire resistant as possible.
Stay Safe from Thieves
Unfortunately, the holiday season is also the most active time of the year for many thieves. Not only are homeowners frequently distracted by the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but thieves know houses are filled with gifts that are ripe for the taking. Therefore, make certain you lock your home up securely when you leave it. Other steps you can take to avoid being victimized by thieves include:
- As a family member or neighbor to watch your home if leaving for an extended period of time
- Set indoor and outdoor lights on automatic timers
- Leave a radio or television on inside the house so it appears to be occupied
- Do not place gifts in an area where they are easily visible from a window or door
About the Author: John Allen sells Sarasota homes for sale, condominiums and investemnt property. His websites have extensive information on Longboat Key homes, golf communities, downtown Sarasota condos and more.
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