Come Halloween, Thanksgiving, or whatever occasion you choose to kick off the Holiday Season, be sure it stays happy and safe by following these tips from your friends and neighbors at Allstar Electrical Service.

Don’t Become a Statistic

Here are a few holiday fire facts from the National Fire Prevention Association:

• U.S. fire departments respondto an estimated average of 835 home structure fires per year that begin with decorations, excluding Christmas trees. These fires cause an annual average of 3 civilian fire deaths, 29 civilian fire injuries and $18 million in direct property damage.
• Year round, one-third (33%) of home decoration fires are started by candles. This jumps to half in December when candles start 49% of such fires.
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment is involved in two in five (40%) home Christmas tree fires.
• Nearly one in four (24%) Christmas tree fires are started by lamps or bulbs. Eleven percent are started by candles.
• Almost half (48%) of home Christmas tree fires start in the living room.
• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. And cooking starts nearly one-fifth (18%) of decoration fires.

Carefully decorating your home can help make your holidays safer. Here are a few tips on how to keep your home both welcoming and safe throughout the holiday season.

• Use candles safely
  Decorative candles add a warm glow to cold holiday nights. But neglecting them can result in disaster. Keep them safely away from combustible items like drapes and decorations and keep them seated securely in holders away from high traffic areas, pets, and children. And never leave them unattended; fires can start and spread quickly. This includes outdoor candles such as in jack-o-lanterns and luminarias. A curious (or hungry) animal, a mischievous passerby, or a sudden gust can cause the flame to spread to dry vegetation or other combustible material, including your house…or a whole neighborhood. Better yet, use battery-operated LED candles to eliminate the risks entirely.
• Don’t overload circuits
  Typical household branch circuits are 15 amps, enough capacity for normal household use. Ading large numbers of holiday lights, countertop kitchen appliances, and supplemental heating can put more load on a circuit than it’s designed for. This can lead to annoying trips to the breaker box, but it’s also a warning sign that trouble is lurking. If you keep tripping breakers, if outlets or cords feel warm, or if you notice any off smells around outlets, electrical devices, or cords, disconnect them to avoid creating a fire hazard.
• Don’t exceed extension cord capacity
  Extension cords are rated to carry a specific load, which is indicated on the packaging. When that’s exceeded, it can trip breakers or become overheated, melting insulation and causing short circuits and fires. Feel your cords after a while. If they’re warm, replace them with higher capacity cords. Better yet, arrange your holiday lights and appliances so you don’t need extension cords at all.
• NEVER use extension cords or power strips for cooking or heating
  It may be tempting to plug that new air fryer, toaster oven, or space heater into an extension cord for convenience, but don’t do it.
  Most household extension cords are not adequate for high-wattage appliances. The label may say the cord will support 1800 watts (15 amps), but sustained current at that level can cause them to trip the breaker, crashing everything else on the circuit. Or overheat, melt, or catch fire.  And never “daisy-chain” extension cords. They’re designed to carry a certain load over a specific distance and hooking them together is asking for trouble.
  Power strips are designed for use with multiple low-wattage items like computer equipment and similar electronics. Never use them with high-wattage appliances or they may fail, causing unfortunate results.
• Don’t run cords under carpet or rugs
  Modern building codes require wall outlets to be spaced at least every 12 feet, but older homes may not conform to this, creating the temptation to use extension cords. Use them if you must but realize that even a properly sized extension cord can get warm under load. When they’re run under rugs or carpet, this heat can’t dissipate and can lead to the same disastrous issues as an overloaded cord.
• Protect all electrical cords from pets and small children
  Dogs and cats (and toddlers) love to chew on things, and an exposed cord can be a real temptation. Aside from the risk of electrocution, gnawed-away insulation presents the danger of short circuits and fires. And loose or tangled cords can be a strangulation hazard, too.
  Pets may roam the house at all hours, so check all your cords frequently for damage.
• Avoid tripping hazards
  Run any cords safely away from traffic areas to prevent tripping hazards (but not under rugs or carpet). If you must run a cord across a threshold or other open area, use a cord protector, available at hardware and home centers, and be sure it’s secured properly in place.
• Don’t let your tree or wreaths dry out
  With all the holiday chores, it’s easy to overlook keeping your greenery moist. Check the water levels in tree stands and containers and discard any vegetation that starts to drop needles, turn brown, or feels brittle to the touch before it becomes a fire hazard.
• Turn off lights at bedtime
  Since most holiday fires start in the living room, turning off the lights while you sleep is the safest. If you want to leave your tree lights on later, use a timer and be sure to follow the precautions above. And be sure your smoke detectors are working properly.
• Switch to decorative LED lights
  LED lights come in nearly all sizes, colors, and shapes for decorative lighting —including the retro-look of large incandescent bulbs. They last longer, burn cooler, and draw much less current than incandescent bulbs. Because they draw less current, LED bulbs let you put more lights on a circuit without risking an overload. We highly recommend them for all your lighting needs year-round.
• Use Lithium-ion Batteries Safely
  Lithium-ion batteries power many kinds of devices, including toys, cell phones, laptops, e-scooters, e-bikes, and even cars. If not used correctly, or if damaged, these batteries can catch on fire or explode. This holiday season let's power up the joy while staying safe!
  See lithium-ion battery safety tips.

For more information about holiday fire safety, including downloadable tip sheets and videos, see the National Fire Protection Association website.

The pros at Allstar Electrical Services want to extend our best wishes to you and your loved ones for a safe and joyful holiday season and an even better year ahead. We look forward to serving your electrical needs through the remainder of this year and many more to come. Give us a call or visit our website for any of your holiday electrical needs and for help on your projects in the coming year. And check out our Resource Articles for ideas and expert information about all things electrical.