Four Fire Damage Concerns During The Holiday Season
One under appreciated element of the holiday season is that it invites a host of new potential fire damage threats. Christmas lights, candles, space heaters, and decorations, coupled with the usual fire damage threats combine to make fire damage during the holiday season a major concern.
Fire Damage Cleanup Hannibal
From our fire damage cleanup professionals at Clean Restoration, here are four of these holiday fire damage concerns and what you can do to prevent them from causing any damage.
Christmas Trees
Christmas trees are great for the holiday spirit but not so great for fire prevention. There are two main ways that Christmas trees pose a fire damage threat. First, Christmas lights can overheat and cause the tree to catch fire. Second, dry Christmas trees are like kindling for a fire. Even a small spark can cause them to catch fire.
The obvious way to avoid this is to use an artificial Christmas tree, but many people appreciate the authenticity of a real Christmas tree. If this is you, you could use lights that are certified to be safer. You should also make sure that you turn off your lights each night to prevent overheating.
For preventing dry Christmas trees, the solution is pretty simple — keep them watered well! It’s also a good idea to get rid of your Christmas tree soon after Christmas so it doesn’t begin to die and dry out.
Candles
Candles are also a holiday favorite. However, they are one of the biggest fire damage threats out there. While they may seem safe enough, a candle is literally an open flame in your house. A small accident or mishap can cause your candle to fall and set your home ablaze. Experts recommend using alternatives to candles that still produce desirable smells but do not require an open flame. If you do choose to use a candle in your home, make sure you are well aware of the hazards and take care to prevent any candle-induced fires from starting.
Space Heaters
Space heaters are a huge help during the cold winter months if your home’s heating system doesn’t totally keep up with the freezing outside temperatures. The drawback of space heaters is that they pose a serious fire damage threat if not treated properly. Placing a space heater too close to clothes, papers, or other flammable items can cause those items to catch fire. Make sure that you always keep your space heaters several feet away from any flammable objects.
Decorations
Like Christmas trees, holiday decorations are also great for the Christmas spirit. However, because you are not used to having them around they can hang loosely around heat sources, you need to be careful that they never get too close to a heat source or an open flame.
Don’t let your holidays be ruined by accidental fire damage! The tips above will help you keep fire damage at bay, but if you do deal with any damage don’t hesitate to give us a call at Clean Restoration for help.
