Overloading Outlets these Holidays? Simple Tips to Keep Your Home Safe
As you deck the halls and prepare for festive meals, fire safety should be at the top of your list. Experts warn that Christmas trees, cooking, and decorations can quickly become hazards. But with a few simple precautions, you can keep your home safe and your celebrations merry.
To prevent accidents, experts recommend using flame-resistant decorations, keeping candles away from flammable materials, and inspecting lights for damage before use. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) advises monitoring all outlets to ensure they remain “cool to the touch.” BEL added, “Hot outlets should be checked out immediately by a licensed electrician.”
For safe cooking, keep these in mind: never leave food unattended, use timers, and keep children and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas. Always have a fire extinguisher on hand and use caution when frying food.
And did you know that using artificial Christmas trees is better than using the real deal? If opting for a real tree, remember that it will need to get watered daily to prevent it from drying out. Keeping it from drying out keeps your tree from becoming a fire hazard. Consider decorating your tree with LED lights; they are safer than traditional lights.
Another key safety tip is to avoid overloading your electrical outlets. Plugging in too many cords can trip breakers and lead to a fire. Don’t use multi-outlet adapters with cords already in use, as each cord has a limit to how much electricity it can handle. BEL stated that “Overloading it is a bad idea and a common cause of electrical problems. It could even lead to a fire in your home.”
BEL advised the public to “distribute the plugs evenly among outlets” and use “a UL Certified Surge Protector is a great way to help manage the load.”
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