When you plug in holiday lights, you expect them to give your home color and warmth for the cold winter season. What you may not expect, however, is for these electrical decorations to spark a fire that puts your family and property in danger. Having a good homeowners insurance policy can provide financial peace of mind if these accidents occur. However, to prevent fires from forming in the first place, you’ll also want to keep these safety tips in mind when decorating with holiday lights. 

5 Fire Prevention Tips for Decorating With Holiday Lights 

1. Look Through the Lights 

Visually inspect all lights before plugging them in. Throw out all frayed or cut wires, as they can spark an electrical fire or cause electrocution. Also, take note of which lights are designed for outdoor and indoor use. Since indoor lights aren’t protected against the elements, they can spark or cause electrocution when exposed to wet winter weather.

2. Don’t Overload Sockets 

You should also refrain from plugging too many strands into the same outlet or connecting more than three strands in a single power strip. Doing so can send excess electricity through the outlet. Sometimes, this extra power will trigger an outage. However, in some cases, it may generate too much heat and raise the risk of an electrical fire.

3. Switch to LED Bulbs 

Retire any older lights that rely on incandescent bulbs. Without enough ventilation, these bulbs can get so hot that they cause surrounding materials to catch fire.

LED lights, on the other hand, produce a similar level of brightness at a much cooler temperature. They are also more energy-efficient to help you reduce your utility costs.

4. Use a Timer 

Accidentally leaving lights on for several hours at a time can contribute to overheating and subsequent fire risks. Ideally, you should connect these decorations to a light timer that will automatically power them down after a few hours. Using a timer may also help prevent you from leaving the lights on and wasting energy.  

5. Water Christmas Trees 

When it comes to holiday fire prevention, homeowners insurance providers urge everyone to make sure natural Christmas trees remain properly watered throughout the season. Without enough hydration, the tree will dry out. Dry needles and branches are more likely to catch fire if they are sparked by a damaged wire or touch an overheated set of lights.

Playing it safe this holiday season is easy and affordable when you invest in protection from Patton Insurance Group. Providing personalized solutions in the Springboro, OH, community, this independent insurance company will introduce you to homeowners insurance policy options from many of the nation’s top carriers—such as Progressive® and SafeCo®.  These friendly agents will also answer any questions about your policy and what risks—such as fires—are covered. Visit this local business online to learn more about the personal and commercial insurance products they offer or call (937) 886-9966 for a quote.