Candles bring jack o’ lanterns to life and create a spooky atmosphere for Halloween. However, even the smallest candles can spark dangerous house fires that could destroy your home, cause extensive smoke damage, and put your family’s safety at risk. These do’s and don’ts will help you enjoy the holiday safely and minimize fire risks.

Do:

Use battery-powered lights in jack o’ lanterns.

Many artificial candles on the market mimic the look of an open flame without the risk of fire and smoke damage or injuries to curious children. Glow sticks are also safe options, giving off a colored light that can enhance the eerie look of your decorations.

Keep flammable decorations away from open flames.

Hay bales, paper figures, and other popular Halloween decorations are flammable, so a small mistake can turn your holiday into a disaster. If you do have torches or candles as part of your Halloween display, keep them away from anything that can easily catch fire.

Don’t:

Let children wear long costumes.

Ghosts and robots are classic Halloween costumes, but they can also catch fire if your child gets too close to an open flame. Trim the back of the costume if it trails on the ground, and make sure the eye holes are big enough for your child to see everything going on around them.

Block escape routes.

When decorating for Halloween, you may want to use every inch of space. However, keeping escape routes clear can save lives in an emergency, so keep decorations out of doorways and other exit points.

If an accident has left your home with fire and smoke damage, trust the locally owned and operated SERVPRO of Kailua North / Laie to restore your house. They understand that a house is more than just a building and offer 24/7 emergency services to get your life back on track as soon as possible. Visit their website to learn more about their fire and smoke damage restoration services, get more safety tips on Facebook, and call (808) 235-5015 to request an estimate today.