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Electrical Safety Tips for the Holidays

Holiday lights on a tree.
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Just like that, summer has come to a close and fall is officially here. Once the weather starts getting cooler, there’s usually one thing on our minds as we head into the fall and winter months: holiday season. While the holidays are a time to enjoy the company of friends and family, there also comes decorating and cooking large meals. Whether you’re hosting holiday parties at your own home or taking the fun to a family member’s house, there is typically a lot of hard work and preparation that goes into the holiday season.

Throughout all of the hustle and bustle in your kitchen and while you’re holiday shopping, it’s important to make sure that your home’s electrical system is safe, especially if you’re expecting company. In this blog, you’ll learn about some electrical safety tips to ensure smooth sailing during this holiday season.

Don’t Overload Outlets

A big mistake homeowners can make during the holiday season is overloading electrical outlets by plugging in various appliances and lighting sources into the same outlet. You should only be plugging one high wattage appliance into an outlet or using a power strip as an alternative option. Overloading outlets can cause an electrical fire and that is the absolute last thing anyone would want to experience during the holidays.

Incandescent Lights

While incandescent lights aren’t commonly used as holiday decorations anymore, some homeowners still prefer the look of bigger and brighter light bulbs. If you choose to use incandescent lights in your holiday decorating this year, make sure you never connect more than three strings of the lights together. Not only can using more than three strings of the lights blow a fuse, but it can also cause a fire.

Battery-Operated Candles

Of course we all love the warm and cozy scents that holiday candles give off, but candles are also a huge culprit of fires during the holiday season if they go unattended. This holiday season, opt for battery-operated candles to ensure extra safety. If using regular candles is a must for you this season, please do so with caution and make sure all candles are blown out before you go to bed.

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen is one of the most crowded and busiest rooms in the house during the holidays. Between cooking meals, baking dessert, and the kids running around, it can be easy to get sidetracked and forget about food left on the stove or in the oven. Always remember to focus on the food that is simmer on the stove and the treats that are baking in the oven. Always make sure the stove and oven are turned off when they’re not in use and of course, keep all combustibles away from the stovetop.

Protect Your Cords

Before you start decorating with your lights for the holidays, think about where the cords will be located. Make sure the cords won’t be running underneath a rug or carpet and won’t be pinched by any furniture. With outdoor cords, never leave lying on the driveway or walkway into your home.

Turn Everything Off Before Bed

Before leaving the house or going to bed at night, always make sure everything is turned off and unplugged. Holiday decorations and lights that are left plugged in cause fires in many homes during the holiday season.

At ARC Electric Company, we always stress the importance of taking care of your home’s electrical system to ensure maximum safety for your household. Be careful this holiday season and proceed with caution when plugging in your lights, appliances, or other festive decorations. If you have any questions about what you should or shouldn’t be doing with your home’s electrical system this season, give us a call at (704) 286-0447 and we’d be happy to help.