Holiday Safety Tips To Avoid Fire Damage in Springfield Missouri
4 Dec 2019

Holiday Safety Tips To Avoid Fire Damage in Springfield Missouri

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Though the holidays are a joyful and peaceful time, they can quickly turn tragic. Holiday decorations, especially those with candles, cause approximately 800 house fires and more than $4 million in property damage each year, according to statistics from the National Fire Protection Association.

With these tips, you and your family can enjoy a warm and safe holiday season while avoiding potential fire damage in Springfield Missouri.

  • Choose decorations that are flame-retardant or flame-resistant to avoid fire damage.
  • If you must use candles, choose the battery-operated variety. When using real candles, do so with care and constant supervision of children.
  • Keep lighters and matches well out of the reach of children.
  • When inside, be sure to keep real candles away from combustible materials such as decorations and curtains. The NFPA says that almost half of all fires occur because decorations get too close to a source of heat.
  • For interior and exterior decorating, choose lights that have been tested by a well-known safety testing laboratory. Use plastic clips instead of nails to hang the lights so the wiring isn’t damaged.
  • Check all light sets, old and new, for cracked/broken sockets, bare or fraying wires, and loose connections. Toss out damaged sets and don’t connect more than three strands per electrical outlet.
  • Keep decorations away from exit points so escape routes aren’t blocked.
  • Remain in the kitchen when cooking your holiday meals. If you have to leave, even for a few minutes, turn off the oven and the stove.
  • Politely request that smokers go outside to smoke. Furnish them with ashtrays and remind them to keep their lighters and other materials away from children. Be sure to wet cigarette butts before putting them in a trash receptacle.
  • Be sure that your smoke detectors are in working condition. Test them monthly by pressing the appropriate button.
  • Inform house guests of your family’s fire escape strategy. When visiting others for the holidays, ask them about their plans for escape. This is particularly important when kids are allowed to go to sleepovers at friends’ houses.

Break-Ins and Theft

With holiday travel, you’ll encounter another set of issues. Though home automation has made it easier to monitor everything from your lighting to your locks, there’s still the potential for trouble. Theft is at a yearly high during November and December, so be sure to ask someone to watch over your house if you’re going on vacation.

Keeping Pets Safe

Don’t ignore your four-legged family members this holiday season! Your pets can get into some serious mischief when you’re not watching. From digging through the trash to climbing the tree, they can really cause trouble. However, the most serious things to worry about are pets eating poisonous plants and chewing on wiring. Plants such as holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, Christmas cactus, and amaryllis are all toxic, so use them carefully if you have pets.

Call on the Pros at PuroClean

Though the safety tips in this guide will certainly help you have a joyous (and safe) holiday season, accidents can and will happen. If your home ever suffers from water or fire damage as the result of a holiday mishap, you can count on the fire damage restoration team at PuroClean Certified Restoration in Springfield Missouri to make things right. Visit us online or call today!