subject: Protect Your Home From Christmas Fires [print this page] While we all love to watch the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and have a really good chuckle at Clarke Griswolds attempt to do the most ridiculous Christmas lighting display in history and think to ourselves I would never have that happen to me, it is often quite the opposite. Every year Christmas trees and over run electrical power boards catch fire and can not only cause incredible amounts of damage and destruction, they can also put many lives in serious danger. Here is a simple guide to avoid becoming the Clarke Griswold of your neighbourhood.
Buy Quality Lights
Even though Christmas is expensive, skimping on cheap fairy lights is not the way to go. While you might only use them for one month out of the year, if they are going to be on quite a bit throughout that month, they will no doubt get a decent work out. By simply spending a little bit extra, youll have lights that will not only last you more than one season, but will also keep your Christmas tree and quite possibly your home from going up in flames. Here are some key things to avoid when buying Christmas lights:
Extremely thin electrical insulation on the flexible leads;
Incorrectly rated or labelled globes that may overheat and cause nearby materials to catch alight;
Inadequately attached cords that may disconnect from lamp holders;
Light sets designed for overseas voltages less than 230 Volts (normal supply voltage in Australia is 240 Volts);
Plugs unsuited to Australian power points
Dont Overload Power Points
Although the sight of thousands of twinkle lights is quite pretty and festive, if you have to use 3 power boards, a double adapter in each plug and all from just one tiny power point, youre likely headed for disaster. Power points arent made to run that kind of electricity and if it is attempted, there will be overheating and possibly fires. To give your home and tree maximum Christmas sparkle without cause for a standby fire extinguisher, be sure to plug just one power board into a power point and look for ones that have a safety switch in case of electrical surges or overheating. Another safety step to follow is to turn off the lights when they dont need to be on and if the plug to the lights feels warm, unplug it straight away.
Follow the Rules
It is always important, when dealing with anything electrical, to follow the manufacturers instructions. This is no different when it comes to Christmas lights. Along with the lights will come detailed directions for assembly, installation and globe replacement it is in your absolute best interest that you follow these to the letter to avoid electrocution and fires. Also, ensure that if the lights are meant for outdoor use that they are indeed only used outside. This also goes for indoor lights they are made from different materials and can become faulty and extremely dangerous if used incorrectly.
