Skip Navigation Contact Careers Locations Decorate Safely During the Holidays Personal Insurance Home / Decorate Safely During the Holidays November 30, 2021 Paul Dreher Director of Personal Insurance View Bio Share this... As the holiday season gets into full swing, many families decorate to spread some cheer and make their homes more festive. While holiday decorations can be fun and beautiful, they can also present fire hazards. To keep your home and family safe throughout this holiday season, consider the following decorating tips. Only buy electrical decorations that have an Underwriter Laboratories rating on the label, which indicates that they have been tested for safe use. Follow all installation and usage instructions for lighting decorations to ensure that you are not increasing your chance of starting a fire. Inspect new and used lights before using them and discard any that have cracks, exposed wires or loose connections. Do not connect more than three sets of lights to an extension cord at one time. Plug outside lighting only into a ground fault circuit interrupting outlet, as this will safeguard the outlet from any interaction with water. Do not secure outside lights with staples or nails, and avoid placing indoor extension cords under carpeting, rugs and furniture. Unplug lighting decorations before going to bed and leaving the house. If you set up a Christmas tree, place the tree in a sturdy stand at least 3 feet away from heat sources. Only keep your Christmas tree for two weeks, because it will dry out quickly and can become highly flammable. Be Careful with Wiring If you blow a fuse while decorating, discard the faulty light string or decoration and replace the blown fuse. If the fuse blows again, contact an electrician to investigate the problem further. This might indicate a more serious wiring problem in your home. For more home safety guidance and homeowners insurance solutions, contact us today. Stay Educated Get the latest healthcare compliance, business insurance and personal insurance news in your inbox. View Newsletters More Insight & Tips Hurricane Response Resources for New York & New Jersey | What to Know Insuring Your College Student Paul Dreher Director of Personal Insurance Cyber-Attacks: Are You Prepared? Paul Dreher Director of Personal Insurance More Insight Paul Dreher Director of Personal Insurance As Director of Personal Insurance, Paul Is responsible for a team of 60 professionals spread across all of Lawley's 10 locations within New York State, Connecticut and New Jersey. His 40+ years of experience in the industry has given him expertise in personal insurance, personal asset protection for affluent families and business owners, risk management and group personal excess. View Bio LinkedIn Have a question or want to learn more? Contact Us Selecteer een taal Spaans Mogelijk gemaakt door Translate Facebook Linkedin Twitter Follow Us (p) 716.849.8618 | (f) 866.211.4683 | (Toll Free) 800.860.5741 361 Delaware Ave, Buffalo NY, 14202 Amherst, NY Batavia, NY Buffalo, NY (HQ) Darien, CT Dunkirk, NY Florham Park, NJ Jamestown, NY Mahopac, NY Plainview, NY Purchase, NY Rochester, NY Our Story Services News Employee Directory Careers Sitemap Report Claim Lawley © 2021 Client Rights Privacy Legal Disclaimer