Your Fischer and Frichtel Holiday Decoration Safety Tips
Posted by Elizabeth on November 23, 2010
Come this weekend, the turkey will be dwindling, if not gone. The shopping will be done from all the Black Friday sales you attended. And, if you still have enough energy, the to-do list has the holiday decorating on its agenda. However, do not fret, Fischer and Frichtel has a few tips to keep your holiday decorating a pleasant and safe one.
Here are some great tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Tree Decorating Tips:
- Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.
- A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree. To check for freshness remember:
- A fresh tree is green.
- Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches.
- When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
- The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
- When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that a tree is too dry.
- Place tree away from fireplace, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards.
- Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.
Snow Decorating Tips:
- Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels; follow directions carefully.
Lights Decorating Tips:
Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory.
- Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.
- Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.
- Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
- Turn off lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire. For energy efficiency, use a timer to control turn on and off times.
- Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
- The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it!
- Keep “bubbling” lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.
General Rules for Holiday Safety
- Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children.
- Avoid smoking near flammable decorations.
- Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See that each family member knows what to do. PRACTICE THE PLAN!
- Avoid wearing loose flowing clothes—particularly long, open sleeves—near open flames – such as those of a fireplace, stove or candlelit table.
- Never burn candles near evergreens. Burning evergreens in the fireplace can also be hazardous. When dry, greens burn like tinder, flames can flare out of control, and send sparks flying into a room, or up the chimney to ignite creosote deposits.
- Plan for safety. Remember, there is no substitute for common sense. Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and/or electrical connections.
-From a “Publication of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission”
From everyone at Fischer and Frichtel, Happy Decorating! We hope you have a safe and joyous holiday season!
