During this time of year, we see the beautiful twinkling lights, both in and outside of homes, hear the sounds of pots and pans in the kitchen followed by the amazing aroma of a baked turkey or delectable pies…and we revel in the beauty of family and friends and the sentimental value they all hold.
Heating, holiday decor, winter storms, and candles all contribute to an increased risk of fire during the winter months. While we are enjoying the wonderful parts of this time of year, we often forget to take the necessary precautions to prevent destruction to our homes.
As you plan for get-togethers this winter, we have some tips to share that may ease your mind and help you enjoy these precious moments.

Make sure that if you have a live tree in your home, you water it every single day.  A dry tree is a HUGE fire hazard. Upgrading to LED lights can help reduce heat produced near your tree as well.

Secondly, make sure all windows and doors are free from barriers.  Should a fire occur (and we pray it doesn’t!), having an escape is crucial.

Ensure you are using the correct type of lights for your indoor and outdoor decor.  Don’t use indoor lights outside and vice versa.  Most lights have a tag near the plugin that will help you understand the correct usage.

Make sure you don’t leave lit candles unattended. 1/3 of all house fires begin with a candle and almost half of home decoration fires are started with one.   Placement of the candle is also very important so make sure you place them away from any other decor like curtains, blankets, or other flammable items. You may also consider battery-operated, flameless candles.

Keep all portable heaters at least 3 feet from your tree. More than 1 in every 5 fires that begin with a holiday tree, are a direct result of too much heat from fireplaces, radiators, candles, space heaters, or heat vents. The warmer it is, the dryer it is.

As much as we all love to wake up to the familiar glow of twinkling lights in our home, it really is important to unplug all lights before going to bed. No one wants to wake up to the devastation of a house fire; especially when it could be preventable with simple precautions.

Keeping your home safe is very important to you (and to us!) and we hope these simple strategies will help you as you prepare for the winter months.