The holidays are a wonderful time for families and friends to get together, but it’s important that you take measures to keep both your family and your guests safe in your home. You also should ensure that your homeowners insurance has you covered should an unexpected accident take place. Holiday decorations make your home more festive, but also have specific dangers that you need to be aware of so you can avoid the possibility of an injury or accident taking place in your home.
Holiday Decorations
Some of the most common hazards stem from electrical fires. It is important that you are aware of the danger in certain types of holiday decorations. Buy lights that have labels indicating that the product has been tested by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Buy your lights and other decorations from retailers with a good reputation so you are not at risk of purchasing counterfeit products that could be dangerous to your family and visitors. Buy the correct lights for either indoor or outdoor usage, and use the lights only as directed by the manufacturer. If you can purchase LED lights, these are safer and they produce far less heat and last longer than standard incandescent lights.
Candle Safety
Candles add a beautiful and festive light element to tables and party areas, but you can keep your family and guests far safer by the use of battery-operated candles. If you do use candles, make sure you never leave them unattended, and always keep open flames in sight. Many home fires are started by a candle that is knocked over inadvertently. Ensure you extinguish all candles. Never use a candle near greenery.
Fireplace Safety
Your chimney should be cleaned before the holiday season. If you are going to have a fire, use wood that burns slowly. A crackling fire is always cozy, but fast burning wood can get out of control, sending sparks into the home. Make sure the fireplace screen is in place so that sparks do not start a fire in your home. Do a test run on your fireplace before the holiday season so you know all is in working order. A gas fireplace is safer, but if you have a wood-burning fireplace, taking safety precautions can help you avoid a fire that could injure your family and visitors.
Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
Talk to us and have your homeowners insurance policy reviewed to make sure you and your family are adequately protected. We want to help ensure that you are well-covered should an unexpected incident occur over the holidays. Many policies will provide you with emergency funds for clothing, accommodations, and all other urgent needs in the event of a fire. Our friendly local team is available to help you at any time. Reviewing your homeowners insurance policy before the holiday season is always advised. There may be higher coverage at a lower rate available, and we can look over what you have and show you all your options. Give us a call today!