Fire Safety Tips for Holiday Decorating

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bay County provides emergency 24-hour fire damage restoration service in Panama City, Callaway, Lynn Haven, Chipley, and surrounding areas.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la--- FIRE!!!

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, the last thing you want is a fire threatening your home, business, or most importantly your loved ones. Decorations are fun and festive, but keep in mind that if they are not properly done, they can be very dangerous and increase the risk of fire damage to your property.

Remember to follow these holiday decorating fire safety tips this season:

• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Do not connect more than 3 strands of mini-light sets at a time, with a maximum of 50 bulbs at a time, for screw-in bulbs.

• Check the packaging of your lights. Some lights are only for indoor use.
• Do not block exits with trees or other decorations that limit your access.
• Dispose of your tree right after Christmas – or when it’s dry – and look for community recycling programs for proper disposal of your tree.

• Dispose of and replace any string sets of lights that have worn/broken cords or loose bulb connections.
• Use hanging clips or hooks, not nails, to hang lights so that cords do not get damaged.
• Store any outdoor electrical lights inside once the holidays are over to prevent hazards and make them last longer.
• Keep any lit candles at least 12-inches away from anything that can catch fire.

• Make sure your tree is a minimum of 3-feet away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, and heat vents.
• When picking out a natural tree, make sure the needles are fresh, green, and do not fall off when you touch them. 
• If you have a natural tree, water it daily to limit drying out and potential of creating a fire hazard.

• If you have an artificial tree, confirm that it’s labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.
• Always turn off any Christmas tree lights before leaving your home or going to bed.

We hope that you will find these tips helpful while you are decorating for the holidays. From the entire SERVPRO of Bay County team, we wish you a very Safe and Merry Christmas!

Call SERVPRO of Bay County today at (850) 785-1077 for any fire or water damage restoration needs. We're Faster to Any Size Disaster.