Keep Dangers & Costs in Check

With winter’s arrival, most of us alternate between hunker-down mode, staying inside to keep cozy, and holiday havoc, busily shopping and transforming our homes into brightly lit, flashing, fabulously festive feasts for the eyes. Both can bring comfort and joy, but this season usually puts an extra dent in our bank accounts, whether from generous gift-giving or higher electricity use to heat and deck out our homes.

Decoration Safety & Savings

Those flashy holiday decorations and lights certainly brighten the season, but make sure you use them safely.

Check all electrical cords for damage, and be certain that any exterior decor, extension cords, and outlets are intended for outdoor use. All outlets that can be exposed to water need to have ground fault circuit interrupters. If necessary, you can purchase portable outdoor GFCIs, which do not require any special knowledge or equipment to install.

Outlet safety is also important inside the house. The Electrical Safety Foundation International estimates that half of the electrical fires every year could be prevented by using arc-fault circuit interrupter outlets or breakers. Upgrading to or installing more of these is, according to ESFI, the best gift you can give your family.

While keeping an eye out for safety, you can also find ways to keep your energy costs in check. Solar-powered outdoor lights and projectors for displays require no electricity. Neither do battery-powered candles nor old-fashioned decorations like greenery, tinsel, and ribbons.

For electric lighting, using LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs yields savings by consuming a fraction of the power and lasting longer. Using timers to turn lights and displays on and off also pays off in convenience.

Lower Your Risk

On a darker note, ’tis also the season for increased fire risk. According to statistics from the ESFI, nearly half of house fires in the United States occur during the winter months, due in great part to the use of appliances such as space heaters, electric blankets, and portable generators. An estimated 47,700 fires each year are due to electrical failure or malfunction, according to the National Fire Protection Association, causing 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries, and $1.4 billion in property damage.

The good news is that winter’s extra costs and dangers can be minimized with a bit of effort and planning. For starters, here are a few fire prevention tips from ESFI:

• Don’t overload outlets. Overloaded outlets are a major cause of residential fires. Avoid using extension cords or multi-outlet converters to power appliances — they should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. If you’re relying heavily on extension cords, you may need additional outlets to address your needs. Contact a qualified electrician to inspect your home and add new outlets.
• Never leave space heaters unattended, and turn them off before leaving the room. Make sure heaters are placed at least 3 feet away from flammable items. Also, be aware that space heaters can take a toll on your energy bills. If you’re having to use them throughout your home, it may be time to upgrade your home heating system.
• Inspect heating pads and electric blankets. These items cause nearly 500 fires every year. Electric blankets that are more than 10 years old create an additional risk for a fire hazard. When you inspect your electric blankets and heating pads, look for dark, charred, or frayed spots and make sure cords are not damaged. Also, do not place any items on top of a heating pad or electric blanket, and never fold either of these when in use.
• If bad winter weather causes prolonged power outages, many people rely on portable generators. When using a standby generator, never connect it to your home’s electrical system. For portable generators, start the generator first and then plug appliances directly into the outlet provided on the generator. The carbon monoxide the generator creates is deadly, so run it in a well-ventilated area outside your home, away from your garage, doors, windows, and vents.
• To prepare for outages and winter storm conditions that could last for more than a day, the National Weather Service recommends you make a winter kit. Items could include a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered NOAA weather or AM/FM radio, first-aid supplies, heating fuel, a fire extinguisher and smoke alarm, extra food, water, and medicine, and plenty of supplies for any pets.