During the holiday season, we all enjoy the festive spirit with dazzling lights, beautiful trees, and decorations. But did you know that more house fires happen during this time than any other? It’s because of all the holiday cheer we bring inside and outside our homes. To keep your family and home safe, let’s go over some important safety tips from a professional electrician to prevent fires during the holidays.
Electrician Tips: Avoid Holiday Fires
1. Inspect Your Christmas Lights, Cords, and Power Strips
Those twinkling Christmas lights are lovely, but they can also be dangerous. The National Fire Protection Association says that Christmas lights cause almost 800 fires every year in the United States. Before you hang them up, inspect all your lights, cords, and power strips.
- Check the lights for damage and cracked insulation. If you find any, it’s best to throw them away.
- Make sure none of the bulbs are broken; replace them if needed.
- If you use extension cords, check them for damage and ensure they are rated for outdoor use if used outside.
- Inspect power strips for burn marks, scorching, or melted plastic. If you see any, replace the strip immediately.
2. Use the Right Lights for the Job
If you’re decorating outdoors, use lights that are designed for outdoor use. When in doubt, use them inside and get new ones for the outside. For Christmas trees, it’s best to use LED lights because they produce very little heat, making them safer than traditional bulbs, which can cause trees to catch fire.
3. Don’t Overload Outlets and Circuits
Overloading outlets and circuits is a major cause of fires. Large incandescent light strings use around 125 watts, so you can safely run only 11 strings on a 15-amp circuit without other devices. For small incandescent light strings, connect no more than four or five strands together, and never exceed six 5-string chains or 30 strings total on one circuit.
LED lights use less energy, so you can connect more of them together. Typically, you can safely connect 20 to 40 LED mini-light strings, depending on their length and the number of bulbs on each one. However, remember not to exceed 80% of a circuit’s capacity, which is about 1,400 watts on a 15-amp circuit.
4. Unplug or Turn Off Lights When You’re Away
A simple way to reduce fire risk is to unplug or turn off your lights and decorations when you’re not at home or before going to bed. This way, you’ll be aware of any issues as they happen.
5. Consider Installing Separate Circuits for Outdoor Decorations
If you love decorating the outside of your house, consider having a residential electrician in Myrtle Beach install separate circuits and outdoor outlets for your decorations. You might even need multiple circuits for all your decorations to avoid overloading. Outlets along the roof eaves are convenient, and using a switch to control them from inside can make it easier to turn everything on and off.
Stay safe this holiday season! By following these simple safety tips provided by professional electricians in Myrtle Beach, you can enjoy a festive and fire-free holiday season.
Protect your home, your loved ones, and the holiday spirit. Be safe and have a wonderful holiday season! Call MB Electrician Pros now.
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MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
electriciansmyrtlebeach.com
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