Tips from The Home Depot to Avoid Fire Hazards in Cuyahoga Falls this Holiday Season

The holiday season is not only a time for celebration with family, but also a time to take the right steps to protect your home and family from holiday hazards. There are many dangers that homeowners face during the winter season, many of which relate to fire incidents. While fire is the most common risk during the holidays, many families also face bodily injuries and other accident-prone events during this time of year. The Home Depot® offers safety products and tips, all of which homeowners can use to have a safe and worry-free winter holiday.

Stay Warm for the Holidays with a Portable Heater:

• Heaters are used properly when kept away from high-traffic doorways and at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn. Remember to always turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Do not use a space heater in damp or wet areas unless it is specifically designed for use outdoors or in bathrooms

Get Ready for Guests with Easy Home Installations:

• Install tamper resistant receptacles to prevent young children from electrical shocks and burns at home.
  • Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Outlets, or GFCIs, should be used in any indoor or outdoor areas where water may come into contact with electrical products.

Stay Safe this Holiday Season with Fire Safety Precautions:

• Choose alarms that bear the label of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL. All alarms sold at The Home Depot have been tested and approved by UL.
• For best protection, smoke alarms should be mounted on a wall 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling. Smoke alarms should also be interconnected, so that they all sound if one sounds.
• Fire alarms should be replaced every 10 years and carbon monoxide detectors every seven years.

Decorate for the Holidays with these Electrical Safety Tips:

• Christmas Trees
  • When purchasing a tree, it’s always important to plan your placement carefully by avoiding heat sources and drafts, which will prevent excessive drying. Also check for freshness to minimize the fire hazard of dry needles. A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree.
  • Because heated rooms dry out lives trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water
• Holiday Lights
  • Be careful not to over string lighting strands together (LED lights allow for more light strings to be connected together than incandescent lights)
  • Always unplug lights before leaving the house
  • Use only plastic or plastic coated fasteners and clips to hang electric light
• Extension Cords
  • Avoid overloading electrical outlets by checking outlets regularly for problems such as overheating, loose connections and corrosion.
  • When working outdoors, keep all outdoor extension cords and light strands clear of snow and standing water. Protect extensions cords from the elements by only using weather-resistant, heavy gauge extension cords marked “for outdoor use.”
  • When purchasing extension cords, power strips and surge protectors, check to see that they have been approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory like UL or ETL.

You can find more information and purchase products online at www.homedepot.com.

For holiday products visit: www.homedepot.com/holiday