As families prepare their homes for the holidays, the LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse Research and Education Center encourages residents to keep safety at top of mind while choosing decor.
Holiday decor, especially lights, trees and inflatables can increase fire risks if not managed properly. Following proper safety protocols for common decoration pieces can help keep your family and home safe during the holiday season.
Electrical fires increase each winter and much of the risk comes from overloaded outlets, older lighting strands and dried-out trees. La-House recommends: Inspect lights before hanging. Replace strands with frayed wires, cracked bulbs or loose connections. Choose LED holiday lights, which stay cooler and reduce fire risk.
Don’t connect too many lights. Most indoor and outdoor lights have a limit on how many strands can be connected, be sure to follow this recommended number to reduce fire risk Avoid overloaded outlets. Plug décor into multiple circuits when possible and use power strips with built-in circuit breakers.
Water real Christmas trees daily. A hydrated tree is far less likely to become a fire hazard. Keep all trees at least three feet from heat sources such as fireplaces, space heaters and candles.
Use outdoor-rated lights outdoors. Weatherrated cords, timers and lights prevent electrical hazards.
Turn off decorations before bedtime. Use timers or smart plugs to ensure lights are off overnight and when no one is home.
Also, decorate with efficiency in mind.
December can also bring higher energy bills as temperatures drop and decorative lighting increases. LaHouse recommends these easy efficiency tips: Choose LEDs over incandescent lights. LED strings use up to 75% less energy and last longer.
Use timers and smart plugs to limit run time for lights and inflatables.
