Holiday Safety Tips

This month we've been focusing on safety tips for decorating your home during the holiday season. Here they are again, in case you missed them.

Holiday Safety Tip #1: Inspect all lights, decorations, and extension cords for damage before using.

Holiday Safety Tip #2: Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). This type of outlet will shut the circuit down if there is over current.

Holiday Safety Tip #3: Keep your blow up decorations from blowing away. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for securing any inflatable objects in your yard.

Holiday Safety Tip #4: Inspect your ladder before you start decorating. Make sure there are no loose or missing screws, hinges, bolts, and nuts. It’s also a great idea to use wooden or fiberglass ladders when decorating outdoors, because metal ladders conduct electricity.

Holiday Safety Tip #5: Keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

Holiday Safety Tip #6: To hang decorations on your house, be sure the ladder is the right height. Use a ladder that extended at least three feet past the edge of the roof, and be sure the ladder is on level, firm ground.

Holiday Safety Tip #7: Use caution when removing outdoor holiday lights. Never pull or tug on lights: they could unravel and inadvertently wrap around power lines.