As you light your holiday with shining stars and shimmering snowmen, be sure to decorate safely. For a happy and safe holiday, follow these tips from Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative.
BEFORE YOU DECORATE
- Carefully inspect each electrical decoration.
- Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
- Determine how many outlets are available and where they are located. Plan your Displays accordingly.
- Use lights approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
- Consider purchasing LED lights, which use less energy and run cooler than traditional incandescent lights.
WHILE YOU DECORATE
- Follow the manufacturer’s use and care instructions accompanying electrical decorations.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations or electrical devices. They can overheat and Cause a fire. Never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together.
- Make sure cords are not pinched in doors, windows or under heavy furniture, which could damage the cord’s insulation.
- Do not mount or support light strings in a way that might damage the cord’s insulation.
- Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.
- Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep.
KEEP IT SAFE OUTDOORS, TOO
- Make sure all extension cords and electrical decorations used for outdoor decorating are marked for outdoor use.
- Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters.
- Keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.
- Exercise caution when decorating near power lines. Keep yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from power lines.