Christmas light misery doesn't really sound very Christmasy does it? In fact it sounds quite bah-humbug. We'd rather don our bah-humbug hats for just a few minutes here to tell you about an important Christmas message that without you realising could be about to spoil your Christmas in more ways than one.

 

Christmas lighting.....really?

 

Yes really. Dangerous Christmas lighting has the potential to cause devastating damage to your home. Did you know you are 50% more likely to die in a house fire over Christmas than at any other time of year? Scary.

 

The fact of the matter is, Christmas lighting and everything associated with them are the perfect fuel for fire, Christmas trees, especially real ones are the perfect compliment to create a huge fire. Christmas decorations add to this mix, often creating poisonous gases into the air, add to that Christmas cards and presents.....and before you know it you have a blazing inferno.

 

Think we're barking up the wrong tree?

 

Complete pun intended (It is Christmas after all!) However, you need to see it to believe it. Take a look at this video showing how quickly a tranquil scene can quickly become a devastation hell. To save a similar fate at your home this Christmas it will pay you dividends to actually spend a bit of time beforehand to make sure you are not at risk of a fire like this.

 

You may already have your decorations up, however following our guidelines below will not effect anything, it will just mean making a few simple adjustments.

 

First things first

 

Does your home have a working fire alarm? This is essential if a fire did break out and you were asleep in bed or in another room. Fire alarms are responsible for saving many lives and can be picked up very cheaply from high street shops. If you don't have one currently, please get at least one for Christmas. Ideally there should be one on every floor of your property.

 

Once you have one ensure you test it weekly to make sure it is working as it should.

 

Christmas lights

 

Much of our advice is common sense, so we apologise in advance if we appear to be teaching you how to suck eggs, however our aim in today’s post is to ensure that everyone understands the message.

 

Never take risks with electrical items. This includes your Christmas lighting. It may appear to look all bright and twinkly but it still has the potential to electrocute you. So always use them in accordance to with the manufacturers instructions.

 

Guidelines on using Christmas lights safely

 

  • Before using, check for damage. In particular check the plug, cables and bulbs.

  • Use low voltage lighting. You won't need to replace bulbs and less risk of overheating.

  • Use an RCD socket on all outside lighting.

  • Check the lighting works before wasting your time hanging the lights. Do not use lighting with blown bulbs. They will need to be replaced.

  • Only use lighting outside that is designed for outdoor use. The packaging will clearly state if they're suitable.

  • Switch off and unplug your lights when you go to bed or go out.

  • Keep lights away from flammable objects and other decorations.

 

How do I know if my lights are low voltage?

 

All lights sold nowadays will be low voltage but if you're re-using Christmas lights from previous years, check your plug. If it large and bulky, your lights are low voltage, the large and bulky plug is a transformer which is the important bit that is keeping you safe.

 

What else can I do to stay safe?

 

The rest of this post is all about common sense, however whilst carrying out electrical work in and around Coventry we do come across some dangerous practices.

 

  • Never connect different lighting sets together using the same plug. You can use as many sets of lighting as you like but make sure each set of lighting has it's own plug.

  • Always remove lighting from its packaging before checking if it works

  • Don't overload sockets – you can use extension leads but try not to over use them.

  • Don't allow children or pets to play with Christmas lighting

  • Don't attempt any repairs yourself

  • If you are in doubt over their safety do not use – it's better to be safe than sorry!

 

Electrical Work

 

We are really busy in the run up to Christmas helping our clients to stay safe in their homes. In particular we have been installing lots of extra sockets to manage increasingly dramatic lighting displays and have been carrying out EICR testing for home owners who are concerned about whether their electrical system is able to cope with the lighting.

 

If you are in need of extra sockets and/or haven't had an EICR carried out in the last 10 years (and you are a home owner) please get in touch today to ensure you have a safe Christmas.

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Electrician in Coventry