Whether you trim a Christmas tree or decorate your home with holiday lights, we offer the following tips to minimize electrical and fire hazards and manage seasonal electricity use.
Christmas tree safety
When buying a natural tree, select a tree with fresh, green needles that don’t fall off when touched and whose trunk base is sticky with sap.
Cut off roughly two inches of the tree’s trunk and place it in a sturdy water-holding stand. Keep the stand filled with water. Before refilling the water, unplug the tree’s lights. Don’t let the light strands come in contact with the water.
To keep the tree fresh place it in a cool location in your home. When the tree becomes dry, remove it promptly.
When buying an artificial tree, select one that is labeled fire resistant. Artificial trees with built-in electrical systems should bear the mark of a testing laboratory, such as UL, CSA, or ETL, indicating the product meets safety standards.
Consider purchasing a fiber optic artificial tree to reduce electricity use. These trees are lit by a single low-wattage bulb, ranging from 5 to 20 watts.
If you purchase an artificial tree with metallic needles, leaves, or branches, do not use electric light strands on it. Instead, place colored spotlights above or beside the tree.
Holiday lighting safety
Purchase holiday lights that have been tested for safety by an independent laboratory and bear a listing mark such as UL, ETL, or CSA.
To reduce electricity use, select LED bulbs or mini bulbs. They use significantly less electricity than standard C-7 and large C-9 bulbs.
If purchasing lights for decorating outside, make sure the light strands and extension cords you use are approved for outdoor use. Waterproof exposed electrical connections with electrical tape and keep the connections off the ground. Plug outdoor lighting into a circuit having a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
Before stringing holiday lights, check for frayed wires, cracked insulation, and damaged or empty sockets. Do not use a light strand if it has any defects.
Do not use staples or nails to hang light strands and do not string them on chain link fences, metal railings, or metal rain gutters.
When hanging holiday lights and decorations outdoors, keep your body, ladder, and tools at least 10 feet away from power lines.
Always turn off or unplug all light strands before leaving home or going to bed. Automatic timers can be used to ensure the lights are not left on.
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Whether you trim a Christmas tree or decorate your home with holiday lights, we offer the following tips to minimize electrical and fire hazards and manage seasonal electricity use.