Shine Bright, Stay Safe: How to Prevent Electrical Fires During the Holidays

As the seasonal festivities begin, keeping your space and people safe is of great value. From
decor to heating, there can be many components that pose an electrical fire risk. Understanding what you
can do to be mindful of fire prevention is an excellent starting point for keeping your holiday
season safe. Whether it’s at work or at home, remaining vigilant about fire risks is only the
beginning. Follow along as we explore a guide with tips for your holiday season safety.

What Are My Holiday Electrical Fire Risks?

Cooking methods such as frying and baking to seasonal cheery lights and decor, your holidays
have numerous potential risk factors. Although they may seem like common holiday additions,
they can pose many hazards to your home, many of which might be averted by preparing your
home this season. As you’re exploring how to prevent electrical fires, keeping resources like
these pages from the Electrical Safety Foundation and your local fire authorities are excellent
opportunities to continue learning about how to prevent electrical fires and protect your home.

A Guide For Holiday Season Fire Safety

Although there are many ways to try to prevent accidental fires this holiday season, we have
compiled a few fire safety tips for the holidays and celebrations.

• Your owner’s manuals matter. Anytime you purchase and install a new appliance (big or
  small), it’s important to read and understand your owner’s manual. Oftentimes, owner’s
  manuals contain pertinent information regarding appliance safety and use. Consider
  saving your manuals in a folder for easy reference if needed.
• Ensure your appliances and systems are properly maintained before big gatherings or
  busy seasons. Since heat is the fuel for fire ignition, it may be beneficial to have your
  appliances, like heating systems, ovens, fireplaces, and more, professionally serviced
  and maintained regularly for proper operation.
• Know your electrical limits. It’s the season where light displays, space heaters, and
  decor (both indoor and outdoor) are common in both workplaces and homes. Conduct
  checks on any wires and plugs that you’re wanting to use, and do not overload your
  outlet’s wattage capacity, as it could start an electrical short and potential fire.

While there are many more safety precautions you can take to continue protecting your home,
starting small, like having easily accessible fire extinguishers, can be a simple first step in your
holiday fire safety preparedness. In addition to considering our safety tips for holidays and
electrical fire prevention, you may also find having reliable whole-home fire alarms to be an
excellent asset to your preparedness.

What Can I Do to Monitor My Home?

Any type of residence can benefit from having proper and working fire monitoring and safety
systems in place. According to this research from the National Fire Protection Association, the
risk of dying from a fire is 55 percent (%) lower in homes with working smoke alarms than ones
without fire alarms. There are many different systems that you may find beneficial for your
home, such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors, and fire sprinkler systems. The
requirements for what system you need for your home may be dependent on the build date (this
NFSA* article details new build fire sprinkler requirements), local laws, and your homeowner’s
insurance policy. You may also be able to utilize fire alarm monitoring systems for times when
you can’t be on guard.

Exploring Your Fire Alarm System Service Options

Learning how to prevent electrical fires in your home during the holidays can seem
overwhelming and tedious at times. Recognizing that your home is vulnerable to fire and that
you may need a helping hand from an expert fire protection company is a great way to begin
your journey to home fire protection. After you have considered the needs of your home in every
season, contacting reliable and expert fire alarm system services that can help design, install,
monitor, and service your home’s fire protection system before the holidays are in full swing is

pivotal. Ready to take the leap into protecting your home? Contact your local IFP office or get in
touch with us here!

*NFSA: National Fire Sprinkler Association
*NFPA: National Fire Protection Association