The Christmas season is hectic and it’s easy to get caught up in it without thoughtfully considering holiday home safety. Keeping your home and family secure doesn’t require extensive measures that take a lot of time. A few simple steps will ensure that you are protected from theft, fire, or other hazards.
Sandifer Insurance Agency has handled many claims during the holidays that could have been prevented. In light of this, we offer a few tips to help you avoid costly holiday disasters.
Holiday Home Safety Tips to Minimize Risk
One of the first things to do is to check your homeowners insurance policy to make sure it provides coverage for the potential holiday risks. Sandifer Insurance will be happy to assess your policy so you can have peace of mind knowing your family and home are protected during the festive season.
Your next steps involve taking a few precautionary measures to help minimize the risk of a holiday disaster. Here’s what you need to do:
Holiday Lighting
Be sure the wires and sockets are not frayed or kinked before stringing up those twinkly lights. Also, make sure the lights are UL or ETL-certified to ensure they comply with safety standards. Although it’s difficult to avoid using extension cords, avoid overloading them. An overloaded extension cord can overheat, resulting in fire.
The use of electric lights on a metallic tree presents an electrocution risk, so you should definitely avoid this type of decoration. Always remember to keep children and pets away from the light strings and be sure to turn them off when you’re going to bed or will be away from home.
Live or Artificial Trees
Although artificial trees have increased in popularity, many people prefer a live tree because of its pleasant scent. No matter which one you use, there are a few safety precautions to follow. If you choose an artificial tree, look for the “fire-resistant” label. If you buy a live tree, pick one that has fresh needles that don’t break or fall off easily.
Whether your tree is live or artificial, set it up far from heat sources such as radiators, portable heaters, or fireplaces. About one in every six holiday tree fires result from the tree being close to a heat source. The dry heat inside your home can cause a live tree to dry out quickly, so keep it watered to reduce the risk of fire.
Ornaments and Other Decorations
If you are sentimental and still use older ornaments to decorate your home, it may be time to replace them. Older ornaments may contain lead paint and are not fire-resistant. However, most of the newer ornaments are non-flammable, unbreakable, and fire retardant. Furthermore, both old and new ornaments may have sharp edges or moving parts that can harm children, so check for those as an additional precaution.
Home Security
It’s not a pleasant thought, but criminals may be watching your home during the holidays. You can prevent burglars from entering your home in several ways. Of course, you should lock all doors and windows when you leave home. You can also try leaving a radio or TV on so it looks like someone is home. Installing a timer on the lighting system is also a great preventative measure.
Do you plan to be away from home during the holidays? If so, have someone pick up your mail, newspapers, and other deliveries. You also need to properly dispose of empty shipping boxes. Don’t stack them by the curb for trash pickup. It’s the kind of clue burglars are looking for to see if you have lots of stuff to steal. Instead, take them to a recycling center.
Entertaining Guests
When entertaining during the holidays, you want everything to be perfect. A roaring fire in the fireplace, poinsettias in all the right places, and tasty foods for snacking will keep your guests happy. In addition to all this, you also need to ensure their safety while in your home. Here’s how:
- Before lighting the fireplace, make sure the flue is open and no packages or decorations are nearby. Also, remember to check your smoke alarms.
- Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires, so don’t leave something cooking if you need to leave the kitchen. A kitchen fire will ruin your festivities and result in repairs that may take weeks.
- Did you know that poinsettias can cause nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation in pets? Try to place the festive plants out of reach of animals and children.
Following these 5 holiday home safety tips will help you relax and enjoy the festivities. It will also save you money and allow you to avoid the inconvenience of home repairs.
Homeowners Insurance Is the Key to Holiday Home Safety and Protection
The Christmas holiday is not the only time your home is at risk. The upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations may include fireworks that result in property damage. Now is the time to make sure you’re protected from these potential holiday disasters.
Holiday home safety begins with having adequate insurance coverage. Contact Sandifer Insurance Agency today to review your policy and make any needed changes before the holidays arrive. Reach out to us by phone, email, or online to speak with one of our knowledgeable agents.
Sources:
nfpa.org/ – Smoke Alarm Information
ul.com/ – Product Certification