Christmas trees are one of the most iconic staples of the holiday season. As beautiful and festive as they are, they also bring a major safety hazard to your home; fires. To ensure your home stays safe this holiday season, here are some preventative steps to help keep your home safe this season.
1. Picking your tree.
Make sure your tree isn’t dried out!! When selecting your trees make sure the needles are green and not easy to remove when pulled. This will indicate your tree is well watered and not drying out. Also, before selecting your tree, bounce it on the ground. If an overabundance of needles fall to the ground, the tree is drying out, which could cause a fire if placed in your home.
2. Caring for your tree
Don’t leave your tree up for longer than two weeks. After being chopped down, the tree immediately starts to dry out. The longer you leave it up, the more risk there is for a fire to be started. NEVER place your tree near a fireplace, a heating vent, or another heating source. The heat caused by these sources could cause the tree to catch fire. Remember to keep your tree watered AT ALL TIMES!
3. Disposing of your tree
Never use your Christmas trees as firewood!! Pine trees burn like tinder, and ignite in a flash creating HUGE sparks. Just a few embers and a fire is started. Instead, take your tree to a recycling center or hauled away by a pick up service. 240 house fires are caused by Christmas trees each year. These fires could cause injuries and even death. It also causes an estimated $16.7 million in direct property damage. Make sure you have fire insurance and are taking all the necessary precautions to keep your home safe this holiday season.
