The fire dangers of Christmas decorations

12/6/2021 (Permalink)

When real Christmas Trees go un-watered they have a higher chance of catching fire.

Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the years, where decorations inside and outside of the home light up the night and keep you and your family comfy during the cold December nights. While Christmas lights and trees are sure signs of the holidays, many can also end up becoming dangerous fire hazards. If you aren't careful your happy holidays could turn into a disaster very quickly. Make sure to understand the dangers of your holiday decorations to ensure you and your family enjoy a Merry Christmas.

- Real Christmas Trees. Real trees are the most popular option for Christmas Trees. Around 78% of Americans choose a real tree for their home, and spend over one billion annually on their trees. Without proper care a real tree can be engulfed in flames in under a minute. Make sure to keep water in the base of the tree stand to prevent it from drying out, and never put your tree close to a fireplace, candles, or other open flame.

- Fake Christmas Trees. Most fake Christmas trees pose less of a fire hazard than real trees because they are treated with flame retardant chemicals. Flame retardant does not mean a fake tree cannot catch fire however and similar precautions should be taken as if you had a real tree. Because of the chemicals added to fake trees, smoke from them in case of a fire can contain toxic chemicals that can be extremely harmful.

- Christmas Lights. Just because your Christmas lights worked last year don't assume they will this year. Make sure to check each strand for broken bulbs and nicks in the cord. Any exposed wires on the string of lights could lead to a fire if they come into contact with a flammable source.

- Male to Male Extension Cords. Male to Male extension cords are a relatively rare type of power accessory. You won't find them in many reputable hardware stores, but they have popped up online in recent months. These cords have two prong end and when plugged in electricity is constantly flowing to the unplugged prongs. This can lead to serious physical damage if touched. They also produce a lot of heat on the exposed end and can cause fires if they come into contact with anything flammable.

Unexpected fire damage raining on your holiday parade? Give us a call and we can make it "Like it never even happened." (616) 647-4300