So, are you living life in the chic lane?
The CSI Chic Chronicles is all about inspiring one another to live our lives in the chic lane
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Since we are living life in the chic lane, we need to protect our homes especially here at the holidays. So, you can spend more time picking out that chic holiday outfit and you might want to spend more time with all the relatives that are staying at your house. If that is you, then worrying about your Christmas lights or tree may be the last thing on your mind, but read this and plan ahead.
Here is an article written by Erin from Home Savvy A to Z, to tell you how to do that.
Holiday Safety 101
I am so excited the holiday season is in full swing! Hooray for the smell of evergreens, fresh pies in the oven, and wood burning in the fireplace. I won’t complain about the fabulous holiday deals going on in stores now either.
Along with holiday fun, I encourage my friends and family to practice holiday safety. There are a few extra hazards in the home this time of year and, if you are anything like me, a full belly and fun with family sometimes distracts me from recognizing those dangers. Before you get caught up in the holiday bustle, I encourage you to take a few minutes to review a few holiday safety recommendations:
Trees
- Keep your trees moist! A dry tree is a flammable tree!
- Make sure live trees are as fresh as possible. To pick a fresh tree, look for green needles that do not pull easily from branches. Needles should not break when bent and the trunk of the tree should be sticky with resin.
- If you are purchasing an artificial tree, look for one that is “Fire Resistant.”
- Do not block important emergency exits with Christmas trees or other holiday décor.
- Whether artificial or real, avoid putting your tree up near fireplaces, radiators, or any other sources of heat. No one likes a forest fire… Especially in their livingroom!
- Do not use true lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
Lights
- Make sure you are using your lights in their intended setting: indoor vs outdoor lights
- Only use lights that have been safety tested by a recognized testing laboratory
- When hanging lights, use materials that will not damage the strand. String strands through hooks made specifically for holiday lights or use insulated staples.
- Avoid using nails or tacks. When removing the lights after the holidays, avoid tugging or pulling the strands to remove them.
- Check lights for damaged wires, cracked light bulbs, or cracked sockets before each use. Discard any damaged sets.
- Follow the restrictions set by the instructions for each set of lights for the number of lights sets which can be strung together. Most lights sets recommend no more than three sets of lights per single extension cord or to be strung together in general.
- Avoid using electric lights in metallic trees to avoid a charged tree causing a shock.
- Fasten lights as securely as possible to structures to avoid wind damage.
- Consider turning off all lights when you go to sleep at night.
- Plug outdoor electric lights into GFCI outlets. If you do not have GFCI outlets in your home, GFCI extension cords like this can be purchased at home improvement stores (such as Lowe’s).
Fireplaces
Stockings look fabulous hanging from the mantle… when not on fire. Consider moving your stockings to a safe place when burning a fire.
When decorating your fireplace for the holidays, be sure to keep combustibles (such as evergreens and ribbons) on top of the mantle and not dangling down where a stray spark may lead to fire.
Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace as many papers may cause flash flames.
Decorations
- Make sure candles are placed on heat resistant surfaces and cannot be knocked over.
- If you have children or pets, choose decorations that are free of sharp edges or parts small enough to create choking hazards. Also, avoid decor materials that may shatter and cause injury.
Well, the list looks long, but these few precautions are easy to implement in any home and can keep the holiday season merry! If you are feeling super safety motivated and want to take your home safety savvy a step further, pop on over to Home Savvy A to Z to make your home a safer place by Preparing for Fire, Preparing Your Home for Travel, or Making a Your Laundry Room a Safer Place. Thank you for letting me pop in for The CSI Chic Chronicles!
