The holiday season is incomplete without candles, lights, greenery and other decorations. But, unfortunately, all of these festive items come with the risk of fire. So, one should be very much careful while handling these decorative items.
Again, this is the time of year when people do a lot of cooking and baking. Due to this reason, December is known to be one of the most common months for house fires to occur.
In the below-mentioned section, we will talk about some of the leading causes of house fires during the holidays.
Also, you will get to know about the best ways to prevent them so that you can enjoy a happy and safe holiday.
To ensure the safety of your building, you can opt for the assistance of a professional passive fire protection London or Kent company.
Now, let’s get started with our discussion.
Christmas Trees
Live Christmas trees can cause one of the deadliest types of fires which occurs predominantly during the holiday season.
If you fail to water the trees properly and leave them to dry out, then there are chances that the indoor trees can easily ignite.
And the worst part is that the fire can go up in flames only in a few seconds. Opt for a passive fire survey London or Kent to understand what can impose fire risk in your building.
Here, are given some of the best ways in which you would be able to avoid Christmas tree fires successfully:
- Always ensure that your tree is adequately watered.
- Remove any heat sources that are present close to the tree.
- Check for and fix any electrical problems and broken bulbs at the time of hanging lights on the tree.
- Consider unplugging your tree while you are not at home and also overnight.
Candles
Candles are another big reason for fire incidents during the holiday season. It is because more people light them inside their houses over the holidays. But, it can impose fire risks all around the year.
That is why it is essential to be careful while dealing with candles. Consider placing lit candles on the stovetop or in another safe area away from greenery, Christmas tree, and other flammable things.
It would help if you never left candles lit when you are not available at home. So, keep them lit only at the time you can attend.
Electrical Malfunctions
When stringing light outdoors, you should always ensure that all the lights, extension cords and other electrical wires are labelled for outdoor usage. Another important thing is to make use of UL-rated clips at the time of hanging up lights on your house.
Always avoid making use of regular staples or nails. If you come across any significant issues, then the best thing to do is seek the assistance of a reliable passive fire protection Kent service provider.
Some other essential tips that will help to prevent fires caused by electrical malfunctions successfully include:
- Refrain from connecting multiple extension cords.
- Consider checking for and discarding any broken bulbs and frayed wires.
- Avoid running more than three light strands end-to-end.
- Unattended Stoves.
It is easy to become distracted in the holiday season. One of the main problems that occur due to this includes unattended stoves. It is one of the significant causes of house fires, especially over the holidays.
So, it would help if you never left cooking equipment unattended. Also, consider double-checking whether you have turned off the oven and burners when you are done with your cooking.
Fireplace
Before lighting a fire in your fireplace, you should take a lot of precautions. You should always make sure that your fireplace is updated with professional cleaning. Also, check whether the damper or flue is open before starting a fire.
Even if you have recently opted for professional cleaning, you need to check that the chimney is not obstructed. The final step is to clean out ashes from the previous fire. Also, remove anything from the fireplace which could be flammable.
When selecting wood for your fireplace, consider using well-aged and dry wood that comes in a diverse variety of sizes and shapes.
Dry wood burns more evenly and produces much less smoke when ignited. In this way, you would be able to prevent the risk of fire outbreaks successfully.
Wrapping Up
So, the ones mentioned above are some of the most common causes of holiday fires. We have also talked about some of the best ways to prevent these fire incidents. I hope you have found this comprehensive guide to be very helpful.
It would be best to go through a passive fire survey in Kent or London conducted by a professional fire protection company.
One ultimate fire safety tip involves checking your smoke detectors at a regular interval. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season!
