For many people, the celebration of Christmas will not be complete without a tree. While Christmas trees are beautiful and festive, however, they can also be dangerous. Although it doesn’t happen very often, Christmas trees can catch on fire. Most of the reported fires are caused by malfunctioning Christmas lights and other heat sources. A Christmas tree fire that starts while the home dwellers are asleep or away could be disastrous.
Here are a few tips to prevent Christmas tree fires in your home:
- Make sure that your smoke alarms are working. Test them regularly, especially before putting up your Christmas tree. Replace damaged smoke alarms immediately.
- Position the tree away from heat sources, such as heaters, fireplaces, lights or candles.
- Water your Christmas tree daily to prevent it from drying out. A 6-foot tall Christmas tree needs about a gallon of water every day.
- Cut at least 2 inches from the base of the trunk to allow better absorption of water.
- Use only lights that are rated for indoor use to decorate your tree. Make sure that the lights have the label of a testing laboratory, such as the UL.
- Check for any frayed or damaged wires before installing your Christmas lights. Do not overload electrical outlets or extension cords when you plug in the lights.
- Make sure to turn off the lights before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Use battery-operated LED candles to decorate the tree, never a burning candle.
- Discard the tree when you notice dropping needles. It is already dry and will easily catch fire.
- Do not keep a discarded tree at home. Find a recycling center in the community.
- Use a Christmas tree safety system. This device will warn you when the water in the stand is low.
Christmas trees add flourish to your home, but make sure that you exercise the necessary precautions to keep them from catching fire. If you do experience a home fire or any other type of catastrophe, contact Kaysville fire restoration experts or Farmington disaster cleanup specialists.
