Keeping your Christmas tree green
Your beautiful, brightly decorated Christmas tree can also be a deadly fire hazard. Christmas tree fires are infrequent, but when they do occur, they are serious, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
According to the National Fire Protection Association there are an average of 230 home fires caused by Christmas trees each year. The result was a yearly average of six deaths, 22 injuries and $18.3 million in property damage.
Ace Hardware store manager Chris King said he’s seen a growing trend of customers buying LED lights in the recent years.”They don’t put out a lot of heat, they are safer. They are bright but they save electricity. Older lights can be a little dangerous they short out easily. If there’s a chance of too much heat you can overload the circuit which is common with older bulbs.”
He also said a dry Christmas tree can be very dangerous.”The Christmas tree is an absolute inferno. It’s like throwing a match on gasoline.”
Here is a list of Holiday safety tips when it comes to keeping your Christmas tree green and your home and family safe.
1) When choosing a tree, look for one that is fresh and has green needles that don’t fall out. Brownish needles mean the tree is dried out and more prone to catch fire.
2) Water your tree daily to prevent it from drying out.
3) Check the manufacturer’s labels to ensure you use only lights and decorations that are flame-retardant. Look for a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories, Intertek or the Canadian Standards Association, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
4) Check holiday lights for frayed wires or excessive wear.
5) Don’t connect more than three strands of mini-string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.
6) Keep your tree at least 3 feet away from any heat source, such as a fireplace, radiator, candles or lights.
7) Make sure your tree is not blocking an exit. In case there is a fire, you want a way to get out.
8) Always turn off lights on a tree before going to bed or leaving your home.
9) Get rid of a tree when its needles start dropping. It means the tree is drying out.
10) Check that your smoke alarm is working properly.
