OK, we get the message! Our last half-dozen blogs or so have been focused on electrical safety and getting through the holidays without the danger of electrical shock or fire. But, no, taking down the tree and stripping off all those lights isn’t the end of all the holiday safety stuff! But, take heart! We are getting closer…

What’s the process of taking down the tree? First you carefully remove all those delicate decorations. With care, you wrap the expensive ones, put them all in their respective storage boxes, and store them away where they won’t get broken or damaged. Then you gather up all that tinsel and other disposable trash, have an eggnog, and start yanking the wires off the tree.

Whoa! Don’t yank those wires! Take them off a little more gently, if you please. The wiring in those lights isn’t of the highest quality, you know, and are not meant for heavy-duty handling! Oh, by the way, when you are so gently and lovingly removing them from the now over-dry tree, trying to keep from dropping more of those pesky needles on the carpet…well, now might be a great time to take a look at those wires, sockets, and plugs just to make sure they don’t show any signs of wear and tear. Inspect them carefully for cracks or splits in the insulation that might lead to shock or worse next time you put them on the tree. Inspect them even more carefully for discoloration on the wires and/or sockets that might be signs of internal arcing of broken wires. Take the time to make sure none of the bulbs are loose or wiggling in the sockets which – you guessed it – might also be a warning sign. Count how many wires you have strung together and make a New Year Resolution not to string more than two together next year. And, once the wires are all off the tree and have passed your safety inspection, carefully coil or wind them up – perhaps around a leftover piece of cardboard box – rather than just gathering them into a lump or ball and tossing them into that plastic bin. (Better yet, now might be the best time to replace all those lights with much safer LED lights for next year)

You should treat the outside lights and other electrical cords with the same care when you put them away. The fifteen minutes you spend carefully inspecting them might save you an hour fighting the crowds in the stores when you run to the mall to make a last minute replacement next year!

It should go without saying: most home fires across this nation are caused by faulty electrical wiring. Please, take the time when you take down your decorations to thoroughly inspect them for possible hazards. And, when you put them up again next year, repeat the process!

Of course, it might be quicker just to check and make sure your home insurance policy is up to date….

You just bought a new set of Christmas Lights for your tree! Did you bother to read the safety warnings that came with them? Did you know that the older style (non-LED) bulbs get hot enough to start a dry tree on fire? Did you know you can’t string more than three of them together and that you may be setting up a fire hazard if you do?

Every appliance comes with a set of user instructions, the first page or two of that instruction sheet/booklet always carries safety instructions that you should read and understand before you even begin to install or use it. We’re all smart enough (hopefully) not to take one of those mini-televisions into the bath with us, right? Most of us wouldn’t take that new electric shaver into the shower unless it was specifically made for that!

So, take a look around the box in which that new electrical appliance, shaver, string of lights, toy, or other gizmo came in. There are probably some warnings on the side, but is there the UL Certified logo? If there isn’t, that may mean that the device has not been tested for them for safety. Personally, if that logo isn’t there, I don’t buy it. Then, once you open the box, read the instructions carefully, especially that first page or two on which are the safety warnings and cautions. Read carefully all the installation instructions and, if in doubt, call an expert for advice. Finally, always use common sense in using electrical items, whether battery or plug in. Your safety or the continued functioning of the item could well depend on how and where you use it.

How about major appliances like a new stove or washing machine? How difficult can the electrical part of the installation be? You unwrap the plug, find an appropriate outlet, and plug it in. Most likely, the people who either delivered or set up your new appliance did that for you. But, did they take the time to make sure that the circuit that appliance is on is safe and adequate to run it safely? Does the appliance require a GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter)? Is it functioning? Is the circuit that the appliance is on a dedicated circuit as required by code? Is the circuit capable of carrying the electrical load the appliance draws? You need to check with a professional electrician if there is any doubt at all in your mind. You might even have asked the set-up or delivery person those questions, but do you really consider him to be an expert in the electrical field? That’s kind of like asking the paperboy if the recipe for cookies in Sunday’s paper was better than your Grandma’s.

Read all instructions. Read the safety warnings. Check all wiring to make sure there are no cracks, wear spots, or discolored areas. Don’t install or use your electrical items until you are positive they are safe to use – and, if you are not sure, call a professional and ask your questions. The safety of your family may depend on itl

There is just nothing like having a home all decorated for the season – the tree, the greens, the lights, the decorations, and the wonderful smells of all that baking and cooking! What a delightful time of year! Delightful to the max! What wonderful memories every holiday creates for us and for our families.

The preparation takes some time, of course. Climbing up into the attic or crawl space to dig out all those dusty decorations – pulling the bins out of the basement – setting all that stuff up, including moving it from where it first went to where you decide you want it – replacing bulbs on the mile or so of light strings…Christmas memories that you just don’t make part of the whole memory package.
Safety! Most of us take extra pains to make sure we keep our home safe, especially during the holidays. We lock the doors when we leave. We make sure all that extra stuff we bring out isn’t in the way of our moving around the house. We no longer light our trees with candles because we know it’s a real fire hazard. We make sure the tree is not going to fall over even if the cat climbs it. Oh, yes! We keep safety in the forefront of our mind the whole season through.

Or, do we? Let’s talk (again) about those strings of lights you worked so hard to get placed just so. Outside: How many strings of lights do you have daisy-chained together? On those boxes the lights came in (which we no longer have) there is a warning not to string more than so many together as they will overheat. Even outside in the cold and snow…they will overheat. That’s a safety problem! Yes, even in the cold and snow, over stringing lights is a fire hazard!

How about where all those light strings meet in one of those cord end converters that allow you to plug in several cords? Overloading the house circuit is a safety hazard!
How about those 4 extension cords? Are they rated for outside? Are they worn or cracked? Where one cord plugs into another…is it going to lie under snow where water might seep in? Hazardous!
Inside: Old light strings on the tree…worn? Cracked? Too many lights strung together and causing a potential circuit overload?

OK, you get the idea. We work our butts off getting everything just so – making the old homestead look like a Courier and Ives scene. In the process, however, it is just so easy to overlook those simple little things that can turn our house into an inferno! With that in mind, we want to offer you a few simple safety suggestions for the Holidays:
1. If in doubt, throw it out! New strings of lights for the entire house will cost you far less than a Holiday Dinner.
2. When you leave the house or go to bed, turn it out! Even the outdoor lights should be turned off when you aren’t there or up to keep an eye on them.
3. If you leave the room, even for a minute, blow out those holiday candles!
4. Make sure your emergency exits are open and clear of clutter.
5. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
6. Don’t assume you are safe. Take the time to check!

From us to you, have a very safe and Happy Holiday Season. YOUR SAFETY is our main concern!