At American Restoration, fire safety is something we take very seriously. We’ve seen the damage both flames and even smoke can do to a household and found that a large number of these fire risks that happen every year are caused during the Christmas season. Why? Two words: dry trees.
According to CBSnews, “45 percent of people surveyed do not water live Christmas trees daily, even though 70 percent said they knew they should.”
This is a huge problem because people still love the smell and nostalgia of a real Christmas tree, and many individuals are still using incandescent Christmas lights on their trees which tend to put off more heat than LED bulbs. The increase in heat nestled up against a dry tree is a perfect scenario for a fire risk and could cause catastrophic damages to your house if not prevented.
At American Restoration, we recommend for fire safety that you always keep a fire extinguisher on hand. It is best to have one on in your kitchen, one near your tree, and one in your car as well, as this is the quickest and most efficient way to put out a fire.
To help prevent fires and for Christmas tree safety, it is vital to water your tree daily. If you cannot remember to water it daily, or if you have plans to leave town for a few days, you can investigate buying an automatic Christmas tree watering system that will release water into the plant base and keep the tree lush and green.
Make sure you are checking over your tree daily for dry spots and scorch marks, and that when you string your lights, you check the strands over for any burnt out bulbs or shorts in the wire, which could spark a fire. For additional safety, you can invest in LED bulbs, which tend to put out more light with less heat, and are more long lasting at a typical 30,000 hour run per bulb.
If you or someone you know has had fire damage done to their house this holiday season, give us a call at American Restoration. We will help you assess the damage, salvage and pack your belongings and help restore your home to its former glory in no time.
