Our Christmas tree this year

The holiday season is well upon us and no matter what holiday or tradition your celebrate it’s always important to remember some helpful safety tips.  Fire is a common concern during the holidays and the two most common culprits of holiday fires or lighting and the Christmas tree.

Below are some tips from local home inspector Jefferson Livingston with Pillar to Post Home Inspection Services on keeping your Christmas Tree and Holiday lighting safe this season:

Christmas Tree Safety Tips:

• If you’re buying a live Christmas tree, buy a freshly cut one that is not already dried out.
• Place tree away from ignition sources like fire places, heaters, candles, radiators and combustible materials.
• Water your tree regularly to keep it fresh.
• Buy fire resistant tree. Remember that fire resistance does not mean that the tree won’t catch fire, it only means that the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• Avoid lead-based materials when cutting or decorating your tree – they are hazardous when ingested by children.
• Avoid sharp objects when decorating your tree.
• Avoid tree decorations that may break.

Lighting Safety Tips:

• Check the label when buying lights to make sure that it conforms to safety standards.
• Don’t put electric lights on a metallic surface/object – it may charge the object and electrocute those who touch it.
• If putting lights outdoors, make sure that the light is certified for outdoor use.
• Avoid potential shock by plugging all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters.

And always have smoke alarms.

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