Well, it’s that time of year again! Christmas and the holiday season is upon us and Aussie’s have always loved embracing the festive spirit.
For most of us, this time of year is about family! Celebrating and getting your home dressed up with lights and decorations is all part of the festive spirit, but there are also safety issues you really should consider this time of year.
We want to make sure that you and your family are safe during the Christmas period, so here are some of our top tips to help you!
Old Christmas Lights
Setting up Christmas lights can be a painstakingly slow routine of unravelling and detangling wires. Use this time to check that there are no exposed wires, broken or damaged sockets, loose wiring or any other obvious damage that may cause electrical failures or even fires. If there is, don’t try and fix them, the best thing you can do is to get yourself some new lights!
Indoor Christmas Lights
Christmas tree lights used indoors are the cause of many electrical fires that could have been avoided. Ensure the lights used are quality and read the packaging and instructions. We recommend using LED lights, as they generate less heat than standard Christmas lights, reducing the risk of electrical fires and they are also cheaper to run!
Outdoor Christmas Lights
One way we share the Christmas spirit with our community is by decorating our homes with lots of exterior lighting and decorations! When planning your Christmas display and outdoor decorations, ensure that you have adequate electrical outlets and only use extension cords that are purpose-built for outdoor use. In addition, protect all wires from the weather and look out for any other possible safety issues, like ensuring your wires and lights are not a tripping hazard for your family or visitors.
We recommend using solar-powered lights, LED or extra-low-voltage lights, as these are the safest options. They help to prevent things like an electric shock, overheating and fires.
Electrical circuits and power boards
Overloaded power boards and circuits are one of the biggest causes of Christmas housefires and blackouts. To prevent overloading, we recommend using power boards fitted with overload protection or that have in-built prevention and shut off system. In addition, make sure to manage the number of appliances and lights connected to your power boards and power points at once.
Replace wick candles with electric
Traditional candles are a known fire hazard due to the frequency of house fires thanks to forgotten lit candles. These days, there is a huge range of electric candles that look almost identical to wax candles!
End of the day
Though it’s a tedious task, ensure that all your power points and lights are turned off before heading to bed. This can reduce the risk of electrical fires overnight and it will also help you to avoid an increased power bill. We also recommend investing in timer power plugs as they automatically turn the power off at a designated time.
There are just a few tips to help you stay safe this Christmas. If you have any great tips or questions regarding electrical safety, we would love to hear from you! You can contact us here
