Lee Company is focused on keeping you happy and safe this season.
During the holidays, specific safety issues arise. (And it’s easy to overlook them when you’re tired from trying to do all the shopping, cooking, gift-buying, decorating, etc.) Remember that a safe holiday is a happy holiday.
Lee Company’s 10 Holiday Safety Tips
- Test your smoke alarms and notify your guests regarding your home fire escape plan. Replace expired alarms and keep batteries fresh to ensure you have life-saving warnings from fire or smoke.
- Get a dedicated circuit – Do not overload your breakers with space heaters and other electrical items. During the winter months, we find people will add two space heaters to a room, adding up to 1,500 watts to a single circuit, resulting in a tripped breaker. Dedicated circuits allow proper electrical distribution in your home.
- Replace old and loose wall outlets. Loose outlets can cause electronic equipment to heat up and result in a fire.
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop. It is easy to get distracted with guests this season. Make sure to never leave your cooking unattended.
- Make sure to blow out your lit candles when leaving a room or going to bed. More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles. Keep the kids and your pets away from lit candles. Remember to store matches and lighters up high and in a locked cabinet.
- Move furniture and curtains away from baseboard or wall heaters. This also applies to holiday decorations. According to statistics, 25% of the Christmas tree fires are related to some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, being too close to the tree.
- Check Christmas lights and toss any with brittle or broken electrical cords. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged. Make sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for best practices on stringing multiple light strands.
- Use timers for your Christmas tree and outdoor holiday decorations. It is important to turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed. Timers offer safety and convenience from the hassle of having to remember to turn your holiday decorations on or off. And if you have a living tree, do not forget to water it.
- Protect outdoor wiring from the water with cord covers. Cord covers keep your holiday display wires and connections dry and out of the elements. And remember, some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but NOT both.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Lee Company’s professional electricians are ready to help you plan for a bright and safe winter!
Thank you for inviting us into your homes. All of us at Lee Company are grateful for the opportunity to serve you. Please feel free to visit us online at leecompany.com for more information.
Have a happy and safe holiday season!
The Lee Company Team – leecompany.com
