Serious warning issued to anyone with a real Christmas tree in their house
A serious warning has been issued to anyone with a real Christmas tree.
Jon Saeed, managing director of LightingLegends.com explains that while the festive period is a time for celebration - but unfortunately it’s also a period when the risk of home fires increases significantly.
"Households will be filling their home with gorgeous festive lights but it’s important to handle these with care to avoid fire hazards."
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He added: "Even something as simple as forgetting to turn off the lights before going to bed or overcrowding sockets can lead to devastating consequences.
"To ensure this Christmas stays memorable for all the right reasons, it’s important to be aware of the increased fire hazards around the house and take safety measures seriously."
The experts at Lighting Legends then outlined seven main fire hazards to look out for during the holiday season.
Dry Christmas tree
Now, if you're opting for a real Christmas tree, it’s extremely important to water it regularly to keep it hydrated.
"A well-watered Christmas tree is relatively fire-resistant but a dry tree is highly flammable and can ignite rapidly, engulfing a room in flames within seconds," the experts warn.
A sustainability expert at GreenMatch added: "Real Christmas trees are massive fire risks. If not watered properly they can catch fire easily which is a huge risk to those living in your home.
"Other risks include faulty decorations like fairy lights, and power sockets sparking. Properly grown trees are less resistant to fire than most artificial alternatives."
Damaged or low-quality lights
Linking to the tree situ, the experts warn that you should never leave your Christmas tree lights on overnight and keep the tree away from fireplaces and candles.
While many people like to hang fairy lights around the house and on the Christmas tree for a cosy glow, you may want to throw out your damaged or low-quality lights as they can easily overheat and catch flames when hung around the house.
"Make sure to replace any damaged lights with high-quality, durable solutions and don’t forget to switch off and unplug the lights when going to bed or leaving the house," the experts added.
Non-waterproof lights outside
On the topic of lights, make sure you use fully waterproof lights made for the outside.
The experts explain: "The level of protection lights have against dust and water is determined by their IP rating which should be at least 65 in the UK in order to withstand the wet winter weather conditions and prevent short circuits or electrical fires."
Unattended candles
As we all know by know, candles left burning without supervision pose a serious fire risk as they can easily ignite nearby decorations and curtains or be accidentally knocked over by pets or children.
Because of this, it's important to place candles carefully, especially during busy holiday gatherings and make sure to blow them out before going to bed or moving to another room.
The experts suggested: "A safer alternative would be to use flameless LED candles."
Overloaded sockets
While it may be convenient to plug multiple Christmas lights and electrical decorations into one socket, it’s important to prevent overheating the electrical system as it can lead to a fire.
Overloaded sockets are a super common cause of house fires because electrical outlets are only designed to handle a certain amount of electricity.
Cables under carpets
Some people may think that hiding electrical cables under rugs or carpets is a good way to tidy up but it's actually significant fire hazard.
The experts note: "The weight and friction from foot traffic can damage the cable's insulation over time and because carpets trap heat, the cables can overheat.
"This can lead to short circuits or even cause the surrounding materials to ignite."
Flammable decorations
And the final fire hazard warning is all about your Crimbo decor.
Many common Christmas decorations like tinsel, cardboard ornaments, dry wreaths or paper chains and garlands are 'highly flammable' so it's important to keep these items away from heat sources and open flames, and consider using fire-resistant alternatives when possible.
Rhiannon Ingle