With the month of December now in full swing, the holiday season usually kicks off with the decorating of the house and setting up the Christmas tree. Whether you go out on a Sunday drive and chop down that perfect tree or drive into a local retailer and purchase an artificial beauty, Christmas trees can be one of the biggest dangers in your home this Christmas season.
Here are some tree tips from the NFPA and the Chestermere Fire Service to keep your holiday season a happy and safe one. Should you decide to take the route of selecting a real tree, cut a fresh one as it will stay green longer and is less of a fire hazard. Try to pick a tree with a strong green color and a noticeable fragrance. Place your tree in a stand that can hold 2-3 litres of water and ensure the stand has wide legs so that it has better balance. Be very careful when deciding where to set up your tree. Keep it away from heat sources such as radiators, fire places, televisions or heating ducts and never use lite candles on your tree.
Decorating the tree has been a tradition in most homes across the world for a very long time. Some things to keep in mind are to purchase flame retardant decorations, if you have small children or pets – be careful that the decorations are not too small that one could choke on. Use lights that have been labelled from a recognized testing laboratory and watch that you are only using lights that are stated as being for indoor use. Always turn off your Christmas tree when you are leaving your home or going to bed.
The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) state that one of every three home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical failures and although they are not that common, they are likely to be more serious. One if every six of these types of fires are caused by placing the tree to close to a heat source – something to keep in mind along with these other useful tips, as you decorate your home and tree this holiday season.
