LITTLE ROCK — Decorating your home with festive lights is a great way to celebrate the holiday season. Whether you’re a pro or a novice when it comes to putting up decorations, it’s important to understand the risks of hanging lights.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Christmas lights alarmingly cause 40% of Christmas tree fires. NFPA also reports that each year, U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 790 home structure fires caused by seasonal decorations. Without proper preparation and installation, a fun, holiday activity can turn tragic. Keep your holiday season merry and free of injuries by following these safety tips from Entergy Arkansas.
Inside lighting:
If your family plans to have a live Christmas tree this holiday season, make sure it is fresh with needles that are hard to pull from the branches.
Place the live tree in a stand with water away from heaters or the fireplace. Be sure to check on the water daily.
Examine all lights before putting them on the tree or using them for other holiday displays. Do not use lights with frayed wiring or loose sockets, and make sure they have been tested for safety by an independent testing laboratory.
Save energy and money on your bill by using smaller, cool-burning LED lights.
Make sure all light sockets have bulbs in them and keep bulbs from touching tree branches.
Never burn candles on or near the tree and never use flammable decorations.
Never use lights on a metallic tree. If the lights become faulty, the entire tree could be electrified.
Be careful not to overload extension cords, outlets or even whole circuits in the house.