Beware of these Holiday Fire Hazards
There’s no faster way to ruin the holidays than by accidentally sparking a house fire. From deep fryers to tree lights and faulty smoke detectors, these are just a few of the many holiday fire hazards that homeowners should address.
Test Your Smoke Detectors
When was the last time that you tested the smoke detectors in your home? I think we’ve all been guilty of “neglecting” this otherwise simple task. With the holidays upon us, though, there’s no better time than now to ensure your smoke detectors are functioning as intended. You can usually test a smoke detector by pressing and holding the test button, at which point it should trigger a loud audible buzz or siren. If it fails to trigger, try replacing the batteries. And if that doesn’t work, replace the smoke detector with a new one.
Fire Safety in the Kitchen
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more residential house fires in the U.S. on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Don’t assume you are out of the woods just because Turkey Day is over, however. Residential house fires are common throughout the entire month of December, as millions of families prepare their home-cooked holiday meals.
Here are some general kitchen/cooking-related fire safety tips to follow this holiday season:
- Never leave cooking food unattended. If you need to make a trip to the store, find another adult to watch the food until you return.
- Instead of deep-frying your turkey, consider using an oil-less infrared (IR) fryer. If your heart is set on having a deep-fried turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours beforehand.
- Avoid placing oven mittens, paper towels, washcloths, or other items that can catch fire near the stovetop.
- When cooking food in the oven, use a timer to remind you when it’s time to remove it.
- Keep children away from hot surfaces.
Water Your Tree!
If you plan on setting up a real tree this holiday season, be sure to keep it watered. When you’re busy preparing food, shopping for presents, and doing the countless number of other tasks that go into planning a holiday get-together, it’s easy to forget about watering your tree. As a result, the tree becomes dry, turning it into a serious fire hazard. To prevent this from happening, try to get into the habit of watering your tree daily.
Consider switching out traditional incandescent bulb strings, which get very hot, with LED bulb strings. When they first came on the market, many people felt like they didn’t look “traditional” but the newer LED strings can look very similar to the incandescent holiday lights we grew up with.
Watch the Candles
FEMA reports that December is the “peak time” of year for candle fires. This makes sense considering the fact that so many homeowners and families use candles as part of their festive home decor. There’s nothing wrong with incorporating candles into your home decor, but you should never leave them burning attended. It only takes a split second for a candle’s flame to jump on the curtains or some other fabric material, triggering a massive house fire.
Consider using LED candles which flicker like a live flame with none of the risk of a live flame. You can place them inside real candles if you want to use real candles, or inside glass candle holders.
We Can Help!
Cultris Security Systems can help you with fire protection, including smoke, heat and CO2 detectors and monitoring to ensure the quickest response in case of emergency. Call us today at 281-506-8466 or visit us online.
